[FINAL]​ ​Song​ ​Assessment​ ​-​ ​“Madokara​ ​Mieru”

​ ton​ ​Path​ ​by​ ​Corner​ ​Stone​ ​Cues

The​ ​song​ ​“Madokara​ ​Mieru”​ ​is​ ​the​ ​second​ ​song​ ​on​ ​the​ ​album​ E

a​ ​record​ ​label​ ​and​ ​music​ ​production​ ​company​ ​in​ ​Los​ ​Angeles.​ ​ ​The​ ​song​ ​is​ ​a​ ​cover​ ​of​ ​an​ ​earlier

work​ ​“Mado​ ​Kara​ ​Mieru”​ ​on​ ​the​ ​album​ ​Calling​ ​All​ ​Dawns​ ​composed​ ​by​ ​Christopher​ ​Tin.​ ​The

genre​ ​for​ ​either​ ​version​ ​of​ ​the​ ​piece​ ​is​ ​closest​ ​to​ ​modern​ ​classical​ ​or​ ​epic​ ​music.​ ​The​ ​performers

for​ ​the​ ​Corner​ ​Stone​ ​Cues​ ​version​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​include​ ​the​ ​London​ ​Studio​ ​Orchestra​ ​(Tin),​ ​Jen

Shyu​ ​and​ ​Luna​ ​Suzuki​ ​(​Corner​ ​Stone​ ​Cues​ ​-​ ​Eton​ ​Path​).​ ​ ​Calling​ ​All​ ​Dawns​ ​released​ ​after​ ​Eton

Path​ ​when​ ​the​ ​producers​ ​at​ ​Corner​ ​Stone​ ​Cues​ ​heard​ ​a​ ​demo​ ​version​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​before

Christopher​ ​Tin’s​ ​album​ ​was​ ​officially​ ​released.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​permission​ ​of​ ​Christopher​ ​Tin,​ ​Corner

Stone​ ​Cues​ ​recorded​ ​their​ ​version​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​and​ ​released​ ​it​ ​in​ ​2008.​ ​(Tin).

The​ ​title​ ​of​ ​this​ ​song​ ​translated​ ​into​ ​English​ ​would​ ​be​ ​“Through​ ​the​ ​Window​ ​I​ ​See.”​ ​ ​It​ ​is

constructed​ ​of​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​six​ ​recitations​ ​of​ ​different​ ​haiku,​ ​which​ ​are​ ​Japanese​ ​poems​ ​that

follow​ ​a​ ​restriction​ ​on​ ​the​ ​number​ ​of​ ​syllables​ ​per​ ​line​ ​and​ ​the​ ​subject​ ​matter.​ ​They​ ​have​ ​three

lines​ ​and​ ​a​ ​syllable​ ​count​ ​of​ ​5-7-5​ ​for​ ​those​ ​three​ ​lines.​ ​The​ ​subject​ ​of​ ​most​ ​haiku​ ​is​ ​nature​ ​and

natural​ ​phenomenon.​ ​(Haiku:​ ​Poetic​ ​Form)​ ​The​ ​first​ ​haiku​ ​is​ ​about​ ​spring​ ​and​ ​is​ ​sang​ ​by​ ​a

young​ ​girl.​ ​The​ ​second​ ​haiku​ ​deals​ ​with​ ​summer​ ​and​ ​is​ ​sang​ ​by​ ​a​ ​younger​ ​woman.​ ​The​ ​third

haiku​ ​is​ ​about​ ​autumn​ ​and​ ​is​ ​sang​ ​by​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​senior​ ​women.​ ​The​ ​fourth​ ​haiku,​ ​which​ ​repeats

twice,​ ​has​ ​the​ ​woman​ ​from​ ​the​ ​second​ ​haiku​ ​asking​ ​how​ ​much​ ​longer​ ​she​ ​has​ ​left​ ​in​ ​this​ ​life.

The​ ​fifth​ ​haiku​ ​is​ ​about​ ​winter​ ​and​ ​is​ ​sang​ ​by​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​men.​ ​Finally,​ ​the​ ​sixth​ ​haiku​ ​is​ ​about

spring,​ ​with​ ​the​ ​young​ ​girl​ ​singing​ ​again.​ ​This​ ​song​ ​is​ ​all​ ​but​ ​screaming​ ​it’s​ ​meaning​ ​about​ ​the

cycle​ ​of​ ​life​ ​and​ ​death.​ ​It​ ​deals​ ​with​ ​how​ ​the​ ​old​ ​must​ ​pass​ ​and​ ​give​ ​way​ ​to​ ​the​ ​new.​ ​The​ ​haiku

in​ ​this​ ​song​ ​are​ ​all​ ​from​ ​revered​ ​Japanese​ ​poets​ ​including​ ​Hattori​ ​Ransetsu​ ​for​ ​the​ ​first​ ​spring
haiku,​ ​Yamaguchi​ ​Sodo​ ​for​ ​summer,​ ​Kaga​ ​no​ ​Chiyo​ ​for​ ​autumn​ ​and​ ​Masaoki​ ​Shiki​ ​for​ ​the

remaining​ ​three​ ​haiku​ ​(Tin).

The​ ​constrained​ ​syllable​ ​count​ ​of​ ​haiku​ ​lends​ ​itself​ ​well​ ​to​ ​a​ ​repeated​ ​melody​ ​across​ ​five​ ​of​ ​the

six​ ​haiku,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​different​ ​vocal​ ​melody​ ​during​ ​the​ ​questioning​ ​haiku​ ​between​ ​the​ ​autumn​ ​and

winter​ ​sections.​ ​The​ ​range​ ​in​ ​all​ ​seasonal​ ​haikus​ ​varies​ ​widely​ ​except​ ​during​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku.

At​ ​that​ ​point,​ ​the​ ​range​ ​is​ ​constrained​ ​and​ ​much​ ​more​ ​narrow.​ ​The​ ​contour​ ​of​ ​the​ ​melody​ ​during

the​ ​seasonal​ ​haiku​ ​is​ ​wave-like,​ ​again​ ​with​ ​an​ ​exception​ ​during​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​section​ ​at​ ​which​ ​time

it​ ​is​ ​quite​ ​static.​ ​Towards​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​each​ ​haiku,​ ​generally​ ​in​ ​the​ ​last​ ​five​ ​syllables,​ ​the​ ​melody

switches​ ​from​ ​more​ ​or​ ​less​ ​conjunct​ ​to​ ​more​ ​disjunct.​ ​The​ ​structure​ ​of​ ​the​ ​melody​ ​during​ ​the

seasonal​ ​haiku​ ​follows​ ​that​ ​of​ ​a​ ​haiku​ ​with​ ​an​ ​added​ ​phrase​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning​ ​so​ ​that​ ​each​ ​haiku

begins​ ​with​ ​“Through​ ​the​ ​Window​ ​I​ ​See.”

Between​ ​each​ ​seasonal​ ​haiku,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​a​ ​short​ ​bridge.​ ​Towards​ ​the​ ​middle​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song,​ ​this

vocalized​ ​melody​ ​is​ ​asking​ ​"How​ ​much​ ​longer​ ​do​ ​I​ ​have​ ​left​ ​in​ ​this​ ​life?"​ ​Because​ ​of​ ​this,​ ​I’ll​ ​call

this​ ​short​ ​bridge​ ​the​ ​questioning​ ​melody.​ ​It​ ​has​ ​a​ ​wide​ ​range,​ ​a​ ​wave-like​ ​contour,​ ​and​ ​is​ ​quite

conjunct.​ ​Additionally,​ ​there’s​ ​a​ ​third​ ​melody​ ​which​ ​occurs​ ​after​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​haiku,​ ​but​ ​before

the​ ​autumn​ ​haiku​ ​and​ ​again​ ​after​ ​the​ ​questioning​ ​haiku​ ​but​ ​before​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku.​ ​This​ ​third

melody​ ​is​ ​most​ ​prominent​ ​directly​ ​before​ ​the​ ​climax,​ ​which​ ​it​ ​builds​ ​up​ ​towards,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​will​ ​call​ ​it

the​ ​building​ ​melody.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​conjunctive​ ​and​ ​characterized​ ​by​ ​a​ ​narrow​ ​range​ ​and​ ​an​ ​upward

contour.​ ​The​ ​climax​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​occurs​ ​between​ ​the​ ​building​ ​melody​ ​directly​ ​proceeding​ ​the

winter​ ​haiku​ ​and​ ​the​ ​final​ ​spring​ ​haiku.​ ​The​ ​melody​ ​of​ ​the​ ​polyphonic​ ​climax​ ​is​ ​the​ ​first​ ​phrase​ ​of

the​ ​seasonal​ ​haiku​ ​("Through​ ​the​ ​Window​ ​I​ ​See")​ ​repeated​ ​eight​ ​times​ ​with​ ​a​ ​diminished

countermelody​ ​which​ ​is​ ​the​ ​questioning​ ​melody.

If​ ​“A”​ ​is​ ​a​ ​seasonal​ ​haiku,​ ​“B”​ ​is​ ​the​ ​questioning​ ​melody,​ ​“C”​ ​is​ ​the​ ​building​ ​melody​ ​and​ ​“D”​ ​is​ ​the

climax,​ ​then​ ​overall,​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​can​ ​be​ ​visualized​ ​as​ ​A-B-A-C-A-B-C-A-C-D-A.​ ​The
chapter​ ​in​ ​which​ ​form​ ​is​ ​introduced​ ​in​ ​our​ ​text​ ​only​ ​discusses​ ​binary​ ​or​ ​ternary​ ​form​ ​which​ ​this

definitely​ ​is​ ​not.​ ​Therefore,​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​this​ ​song​ ​isn’t​ ​one​ ​that​ ​our​ ​textbook​ ​really​ ​covers,​ ​and

may​ ​be​ ​a​ ​form​ ​covered​ ​in​ ​more​ ​advanced​ ​classes.​ ​ ​The​ ​rhythm​ ​is​ ​in​ ​quadruple​ ​meter

throughout​ ​the​ ​song.

The​ ​harmony​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​changes​ ​several​ ​times.​ ​During​ ​the​ ​first​ ​three​ ​seasonal​ ​haikus,​ ​the

harmony​ ​is​ ​mostly​ ​concordant​ ​and​ ​stable,​ ​yet​ ​between​ ​each​ ​seasonal​ ​haiku,​ ​the​ ​questioning

section​ ​is​ ​discordant​ ​and​ ​needs​ ​resolution.​ ​The​ ​exception​ ​is​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku​ ​where​ ​the

harmony​ ​is​ ​very​ ​droning​ ​and​ ​somber.​ ​In​ ​all​ ​parts​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​except​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku,​ ​the​ ​song​ ​is

in​ ​in​ ​a​ ​major​ ​key.

The​ ​texture​ ​of​ ​this​ ​song​ ​starts​ ​out​ ​monophonic,​ ​progresses​ ​to​ ​a​ ​homophonic​ ​texture​ ​and​ ​during

the​ ​climax​ ​is​ ​polyphonic​ ​before​ ​dropping​ ​back​ ​down​ ​to​ ​homophonic.​ ​The​ ​song's​ ​tempo​ ​starts

slowly​ ​in​ ​the​ ​spring​ ​haiku,​ ​speeds​ ​up​ ​during​ ​the​ ​summer​ ​haiku,​ ​remains​ ​the​ ​same​ ​during​ ​the

autumn​ ​haiku​ ​and​ ​slows​ ​down​ ​drastically​ ​during​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku.​ ​Finally,​ ​it​ ​speeds​ ​up​ ​one​ ​final

time​ ​after​ ​the​ ​winter​ ​haiku​ ​before​ ​immediately​ ​going​ ​back​ ​to​ ​the​ ​original​ ​tempo​ ​at​ ​the​ ​beginning

of​ ​the​ ​last​ ​spring​ ​haiku.

The​ ​authors​ ​of​ ​the​ ​haiku​ ​in​ ​this​ ​song​ ​are​ ​all​ ​well​ ​respected​ ​historical​ ​poets​ ​in​ ​Japan.​ ​The​ ​album

Calling​ ​All​ ​Dawns​ ​is​ ​notable​ ​because​ ​it’s​ ​first​ ​song​ ​“Baba​ ​Yetu,”​ ​and​ ​is​ ​the​ ​theme​ ​song​ ​for​ ​the

video​ ​game​ ​Civilization​ ​IV,​ ​was​ ​the​ ​first​ ​song​ ​composed​ ​for​ ​a​ ​video​ ​game​ ​to​ ​win​ ​a​ ​Grammy

Award​ ​(Langshaw).​ ​Additionally,​ ​“Baba​ ​Yetu”​ ​was​ ​the​ ​top​ ​second​ ​choice​ ​for​ ​the​ ​subject​ ​of​ ​this

paper,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​only​ ​missed​ ​out​ ​because​ ​the​ ​coin​ ​I​ ​flipped​ ​landed​ ​on​ ​tails.​ ​(Personally,​ ​I​ ​wouldn’t

be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​finish​ ​this​ ​paper​ ​without​ ​at​ ​least​ ​suggesting​ ​the​ ​reader​ ​go​ ​listen​ ​to​ ​“Baba​ ​Yetu,”​ ​It​ ​is​ ​a

rendition​ ​of​ ​The​ ​Lord’s​ ​Prayer​ ​in​ ​Swahili​ ​and​ ​features​ ​the​ ​Soweto​ ​Gospel​ ​Choir.)​ ​ ​The​ ​purpose

of​ ​this​ ​piece​ ​is​ ​to​ ​highlight​ ​the​ ​cycle​ ​of​ ​life​ ​and​ ​how​ ​the​ ​old​ ​is​ ​replaced​ ​by​ ​the​ ​new.​ ​ ​Even​ ​though

the​ ​piece​ ​is​ ​in​ ​a​ ​different​ ​language,​ ​it’s​ ​relevance​ ​carries​ ​between​ ​cultures.​ ​It’s​ ​message​ ​of​ ​the
life​ ​cycle​ ​of​ ​a​ ​person​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Japanese​ ​belief​ ​in​ ​reincarnation​ ​can​ ​be​ ​heard​ ​in​ ​the​ ​voices​ ​of​ ​the

performers.​ ​A​ ​young​ ​girl,​ ​a​ ​woman,​ ​and​ ​a​ ​group​ ​of​ ​senior​ ​women​ ​are​ ​the​ ​standard​ ​human​ ​life

cycle.​ ​The​ ​group​ ​of​ ​men​ ​singing​ ​represent​ ​the​ ​afterlife,​ ​and​ ​at​ ​the​ ​end​ ​of​ ​the​ ​song​ ​the​ ​young​ ​girl

is​ ​back​ ​with​ ​a​ ​similar​ ​yet​ ​different​ ​message.​ ​The​ ​core​ ​message​ ​of​ ​this​ ​song​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​core​ ​belief

in​ ​Japanese​ ​religion.​ ​The​ ​message​ ​can​ ​be​ ​heard​ ​in​ ​the​ ​progression​ ​of​ ​the​ ​seasons,​ ​which​ ​serve

to​ ​reinforce​ ​the​ ​idea​ ​that​ ​life​ ​is​ ​a​ ​recurring​ ​cycle,​ ​and​ ​isn’t​ ​finished​ ​when​ ​a​ ​person​ ​dies.
 Works​ ​Cited

“Corner​ ​Stone​ ​Cues​ ​-​ ​Eton​ ​Path.”​ ​Discogs​,

www.discogs.com/Corner-Stone-Cues-Corner-Stone-Cues-Presents-Eton-Path/release/

3520829.​ ​Accessed​ ​1​ ​Sept.​ ​2017

“Haiku:​ ​Poetic​ ​Form.”​ ​Poets.org,​ ​Academy​ ​of​ ​American​ ​Poets,​ ​22​ ​June​ ​2016,

www.poets.org/poetsorg/text/haiku-poetic-form.

Langshaw,​ ​Mark.​ ​“'Civ​ ​IV'​ ​Theme​ ​Nominated​ ​for​ ​Grammy.”​ ​Digital​ ​Spy,​ ​Hearst​ ​Magazines​ ​UK,

11​ ​Aug.​ ​2015,

www.digitalspy.com/gaming/news/a291495/civ-iv-theme-nominated-for-grammy/.

Accessed​ ​2​ ​Sept.​ ​2017.

Tin,​ ​Christopher.​ ​“Album​ ​Sneak​ ​Preview:​ ​Madokara​ ​Mieru.”​ ​CHRISTOPHER​ ​TIN'S​ ​BLOG​,​ ​5

Nov.​ ​2008,​ ​10:42​ ​am,

blogger.christophertin.com/2008/08/album-sneak-preview-madokara-mieru.html.

Accessed​ ​1​ ​Sept.​ ​2017.