Gentle Bearing from Soft Victory by Shamisen

Gentle Bearing unfolds like the quiet after a long passage, a deliberate softening where tension, though present in the bass's low hum, yields to a spacious calm. This particular piece explores a distinct fusion of our traditional instrumentation with subtle modern processing; the horse-head fiddle’s soft slurs weave with distant, glissando bowls and the sparse murmurs of a jaw harp, all cradled by the light brushwork of frame drums. It’s a deliberate shift, a lullaby contour built from the collective efforts of the ensemble, where earlier thematic cells return, transformed into kinder voicings. Here, deep concepts of integration and memory at peace are not just referenced but embodied in sound, allowing burdens to settle into a restful cadence. The entire composition evokes the quiet turning of the year, a moment of internal wintering where strength is found not in struggle, but in composed resilience, holding a warmth that feels earned. It’s a sound that doesn’t just invite reflection; it insists on it, subtly shifting the listener’s bearing from the physical to the profound.

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