FROM BRIAN BUCH: I often compose music in collections or books comprised of individual pieces. The method of inspiration for each collection unites and forms a sense of musical kinship within. The pieces on this album, composed between 2015 and 2016, are taken from the books From the River Flow the Stars, Acanthus Leaves, Life and Opinions, Landscapes and Maze of Infinite Forms.

From the River Flow the Stars is a book of short compositions based around ancient Japanese poetry. The character of these pieces seeks to discover enlightenment from loss and salvation in solitude. From the River Flow the Stars No.6 is composed in three movements and was inspired by this poem contained in the Kokin Wakashü:

I dwell nowadays
Among foot-wearying hills,
And there is no time
When the sleeves of my garments,
Black-dyed, are not wet with tears.

In E.T.A. Hoffman’s novel Life and Opinions of the Tomcat Murr, the tomcat Murr creates a collection of his most profound thoughts, of which he himself cannot understand, under the title of Acanthus Leaves. My attempts to reflect Murr’s wonderful and ineffable thoughts are reflected in the organically developed themes and motives of these pieces. The treatment of motivic development in Acanthus Leaves No.6 is specific to each instrument, register and location of occurrence. My goal in treating musical material as such is to create a sense of disorder within cohesion. These works often combine the serene and sublime with the insatiable volatility of fire.

Life and Opinions is another of my books of compositions, this one inspired by the protagonist of E.T.A. Hoffman’s novel of the same name. Each work of this book consists of a musical dialogue between contrasting ideas. The moods of these dialogues blend the contrasts of peace and chaos, vigor and lethargy, elation and despair, with an overall tinge of wonder and curiosity. Life and Opinions No.7 is composed in five short movements.

Landscapes is a collection of compositions inspired by visual elements. The music in Landscapes No.1 is my interpretation of the images and messages associated with artwork by Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis. The harmonic and melodic content is often dreamy and sonorous. The three movements of Landscapes No.1 are composed and titled after three of Ciurlionis’ works: Sparks, Mists and Creation of the World V.

Maze of Infinite Forms is a book of compositions based around the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore. The music in this collection reflects the spontaneous surrender of discovery and the vivid yet beautifully simplistic imagery in the poet’s works. Through large and smallscale developmental variation, a maze of thematic material is explored, providing a cohesive story of ever-changing direction. The music should be played in a romantic and intense style. Maze of Infinite Forms No.1 is composed in two movements.