SECRET FOLK SONG（2006）

On account of his musical style Shostakovich is not usually classified as a contemporary composer， yet he was born in the same year as my teacher， Tomojiro lkenouchi， and must nonetheless be counted among contemporary composers. Shostakovich's everyday environment and the current situation of Japan may seem polar opposites， but both situations are 'favourable'， if severe， conditions for composing. The subject matter of this piece， namely 'oratio' (prayer)， has been changed to 'folksong' to reflect the world of a clandestine Christian living during the Tokugawa period in Japan.