• Version 1(opus 51, no. 1) [4'] for kayagŭm, viola and mime

  Version 2 (opus 51, no. 2) for two gu zheng (1 tuned in sharps and flats, 1 in naturals) and western string quartet

  Version 3 (opus 51, no. 3) [6'] for solo yangqin and Chinese instrumental ensemble, transcreation by Chua Jon Lin

   

• Duration: 4'
• In 1 movement
• Composed in 2006
• Commissioned by Hee-sun Kim (version 1)
• First performance: 30.11.07 opus 51, no 1: Hee-sun Kim on 30.11.06/ opus 51, no 3: Zen Ensemble conducted by R Casteels on 17.09.11 opus 51, no 1: National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts (Umeyondan, Korea)/ opus 51, no 3: Poh Ern Shih Temple, Ksitigarbha Hall (Singapore)
• ISMN 979-0-9016504-5-9 and 979-0-9016504-6-6
• Parts: To rent the parts, please email rc@robertcasteels.com, or send a request to Orchard Post Office P.O. Box 714 Singapore 912324
• Downloadable Scores:
  A_line_runs_away__gu_zheng_.pdf
  A_line_runs_away__kayagum_.pdf

‘A line runs away’ was inspired by the poem entitled ‘Sketches of lines No. 1’ (1966) by Korean poet Moon Deuk-soo: “A line runs away like a thin snake/ A second line pursues quick as light out of darkness/ One after another, other lines bite the petals/ Like a snake, another line pursues and bites/ Like flames blooming out of darkness/ More lines tear to pieces and drop/ The boundless gauze is woven like cobwebs/ A round cosmos like an egg/ lands quietly on the flowery gauze”.

The piece exists in two versions: a trio for kayagŭm, viola, mime and a sextet for two gu zhengs and a classical string quartet. Well-known Korean kayagŭm soloist Heesun Kim commissioned and premiered the trio in 2007 in the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts (Umeyondan), Korea.