co-commissioned by Milano Musica, Ircam-Centre Pompidou and Tokyo Bunka Kaikan
Francesco Dillon, cello | Robin Meier, electronics
Performances: 28th May 2026 | HangarBicocca, Milano Musica |15th June 2026 Ircam, ManiFeste, Paris | February 2028, Tokyo and Shizuoka
Duration: 21’ ca.
The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor does the scent of sandalwood or jasmine. Dhammapada, Verse 55
Since I was asked by Francesco Dillon to write a piece to be played alongside Jonathan Harvey’s “Advaya”, deeply immersed in Buddhist philosophy, I have been searching for bridges which connect the world of Buddhism and Catholic tradition. The burning of incense, a common ritual in many religions holding personal significance, emerged not only as a perfect cross-cultural and poetic symbol but also as a musically inspiring, visual, kinetic phenomenon.
When you light incense, you may observe that the smoke forms multiple wavy lines that emanate from a single source and then branch out into various flowing strands forming complex patterns that fill the air.
The musical metaphor of this process is being created through a polytemporal, microplyphonic canon featuring infinite timbral cello variations. These breathing drones are recorded live, then stretched and slowed down at different tempos to produce descending glissandi. Initially starting in unison at a high pitch, the voices gradually split and move apart very slowly, almost imperceptibly, expanding in space with dense textures, iridescent harmonies and growing intensity. Towards the end of this odyssey, the fastest line of the canon descends to the lowest cello string, forming the fundamental tone, while other, slower parts align with the natural overtone series. As if, throughout the piece, one was experiencing the transitioning of the horizontal sensation of the spectrum into its natural, vertical state.
Justė Janulytė