Star's Sigh (星のため息)

This piece was composed as a companion to "Starry Night," a piano work I composed two years ago. While the motif of "Starry Night" is an ascending third, "Star's Sigh" is constructed from a combination of descending and ascending thirds (arpeggios) and a corresponding descending semitone motif. This semitone motif is sometimes referred to as the "sigh motif," from which the title is derived. The interval relationships of the "semitone" and the "third" permeate the entire piece. This applies not only to the melody but also to the inner voices and accompaniment figures. Furthermore, as a result of the stacking of thirds, seventh and ninth chords are frequently used in root position.

The structure is a simple ternary form: A B A' Coda. In the first and second halves of section A, there are differences in melody, harmonic progression, and so on; please pay attention to these and add expression accordingly.

Compared to section A, section B presents a sharp contrast in terms of meter and nuance. However, ensure the entrance of B is natural, flowing with the music. Here, the third appears in chords rather than the melody, and the semitone appears in the bass progression, though the whole tone is emphasized more than the semitone. From measure 33, the music develops dramatically through remote modulation via sequential progression. Additionally, from measure 41 onwards, the third motif appears in the inner voices, preparing for the recapitulation. Considering this unification of motifs, please create music that is not overly sentimental.

In A', the second voice carries the third motif, and an obbligato appears in the first voice. Express the piece while being mindful of the various differences from A (the expression marking also changes from dolce to piu dolce). The absence of a note on the first beat of the bass is written with the image of a gentle breeze blowing.

In the Coda, a whole-tone scale, composed entirely of whole tones, appears. This mysterious sound evokes the image of "stars" for me (the whole-tone scale also appears between measures 52 and 56). The piece concludes with the sound of "polytonality," where chords from different keys are played simultaneously. I hope you will also pay attention to such contemporary musical idioms.

The pedal plays an important role in creating the sound; however, do not rely too heavily on it. Instead, explore appropriate pedaling techniques for expression. While there are detailed tempo change indications, avoid exaggeration and prioritize a natural flow.