Contemplation (YUN ISANG)

The Chinese Pictures for solo flute (s) (1993) were composed for the premiere played by the solo flutist Walter van Hauwe but Yun also wished for a performance by German flutes. The four pieces which Yun composed in June 1993 in Hohegeiß/ Harz are characterised by the reduced structural capacity of his style the memories of far eastern flute-idioms - with the exceprion of the third piece Der Affenspieler - and a Buddhist pattern. Yun consistently limits his work: all pieces come from techniques of the evolved variations and contrastive adaptions from (repsectively different) two- or three-toned themes. The first two pieces have the contemplative tenor as well as the spiraldramaturgy of the upward auched semi-circle the archetypal symbol for heaven in common. However the themes are conflictive: Bigger intervals abound the single tone in I. Der Besucher der Idylle whereas the tight coupling with the 'main tone' through smaller intervals in II. Der Eremit am Wasser evoke a softer sound. This clearly mirrors the impression of the single tone as a brush mark. Both pieces are - just like IV. Die Hirtenflöte - inspired by various variations of the story of the shepherd and his ox which in east Asia is used to name the 'inner child' of a human. The title if the first piece in the autograph is Der Besucher der Eremitage and refers to Buddhist hermitage. The visitor of this idyll is the farmer who leads his ox to the water for him to drink. The continuation of this parable is expressed by the second piece Der Eremit am Wasser. Together with the farmer the hermit comes to the water and rinses his ears. The farmer asks him why he would do that and the hermit responds: 'I was in town at the royal palace. I was to be empoloyed as sergeant and got offered a good payment. But when I asked what I had to do I heard terrible things. That is why I have to rinse my ears. ' The farmer however is disgusted by the contamination of the water; he leaves the fountain without letting his ox drink. The title of the third piece