Khaggavisāṇa
Bharadvaja the Farmer
Summary
| Original Title | Kasi Bharadvāja |
| Composer | Masakazu Shiokawa |
| Year of Composition | July 2026 |
| Instrumentation | Piano solo |
| Duration | approx. 7 minutes |
| Sheet Music Publisher | LesClefsOffice co.,Ltd. |
| Copyright Management | LesClefsOffice co.,Ltd. |
Work Description
This piano collection draws on selected discourses from the Sutta Nipāta, one of the oldest surviving collections of Buddhist texts, developing the meaning and rhythms of its poetry into instrumental music.
The second piece, “Bharadvāja the Farmer,” takes its title from the discourse of the same name.
The text unfolds as a narrative. When the Buddha comes to seek alms from Bharadvāja, a farmer, Bharadvāja admonishes him, saying that he too should work. In response, the Buddha explains that cultivating and disciplining the body and mind is itself a worthy form of labour. Deeply impressed by this teaching, Bharadvāja ultimately accepts it.
The music follows the course of this narrative. The prose passages depict the setting and background of the story, while the verses containing the Buddha’s teaching are shaped according to two ancient Indian metres, Triṣṭubh and Śloka. These metrical patterns are preserved as faithfully as possible from the original text while being developed into a coherent musical structure.
Throughout the piece, moments of stillness and motion alternate with dramatic intensity. The work reaches its conclusion as Bharadvāja embraces the Buddha’s teaching and ultimately attains Nirvāṇa.
The piece lasts approximately seven and a half minutes. Although it does not employ overtly virtuosic techniques, it requires a consistently high level of technical control and is therefore intended for advanced pianists.
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