Ōmagatoki – 24 Preludes for Piano, Op. 14 [Digital Download]

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Luca Rizzo – Ōmagatoki – 24 Preludes for Piano, Op. 14 (2023)

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My long-standing fascination with the traditional culture and folklore of Japan has consistently inspired my compositional creativity. 

One day, almost by chance, I came across a book titled “Mononoke – The Hour of Meeting Evil Spirits” by Matthew Meyer, which I quickly perused. It is an illustrated encyclopedia of yokai, beings both malevolent and benign, ranging from creatures that manifest in cities or homes to those found in the underworld of Japanese folklore. From that moment, I felt the need to explore the book more deeply and draw inspiration from it to create music, attempting to capture the essence and personality of each creature through my music.

Thus, I selected twenty-four of the numerous yokai described and illustrated in the source material and composed this cycle of 24 piano preludes, entitled “Ōmagatoki,” which translates literally as “twilight”, the time of the day when these creatures appear. Each was conceived as a brief musical portrait of the corresponding creature. Some reflect the creature’s mischievous and deceptive nature, while others explore its aura of mystery and terror. Still others celebrate its beauty or strangeness, taking the listener on an emotional journey through sonorities contaminated by traditional Japanese music. Each prelude presents technical and interpretive challenges for the pianist, requiring them to immerse themselves in the unique atmosphere and character of each yokai, also with the help of the historical illustrations that enrich the score.

It is hoped that this cycle of preludes will serve as a tribute to the richness and diversity of Japanese culture and a source of inspiration for those who explore it through music.