Masakazu NATSUDA: Two Poems by Ryokan (2005); Toshio HOSOKAWA: Three Love Songs (2004); Akira IFUKUBE: Eclogues after Epos Among Ainu Races (1956); Fuminori TANADA: Duo for mezzo soprano and soprano saxophone (2006); Ryo NODA: Improvisation 1 (1971–73); Ichiro NODAIRA: Dashu no sho (2003); Hacène LARBI: Matsukaze (2006); Bertrand DUBEDOUT: Ça va commencer ça commence (2004); Shimazaki TOSON: Kimi ga kokoro wa (recitation)

Marie Kobayash,; mezzo-soprano; Claude Delangle, saxophone; Jean Geoffroy, percussion

• The acclaimed saxophone player Claude Delangle has long been intrigued by Japan as demonstrated already ten years ago with the disc ‘The Japanese Saxophone’ (BIS-CD-890). Unlike the previous, all-Japanese disc, the present programme includes works by two French composers, Bertrand Dubedout and Hacène Larbi, who have also become fascinated by the enigma of Japan. Apart from Ryo Noda’s Improvisation I for solo saxophone, the programme consists of various combinations of voice, saxophone and percussion.