The title of the work is taken from Italo Calvino’s novel “If on a winter’s night a traveler.” On page 199 one reads:
“The gingko leaves fell like rain from the boughs and dotted the lawn with yellow. I was walking with Mr. Okeda on the path of smooth stones. I said I would like to distinguish the sensation of each single gingko leaf from the sensation of all others, but I was wondering if it would be possible... If from the gingko tree a single yellow leaf falls and rests on the lawn, the sensation felt in looking at it is that of a single yellow leaf. If two leaves descend from the tree, the eye follows the twirling of the two leaves as they move closer, then separate in the air, like two butterflies chasing each other, then glide finally to the grass, one here, one there... I would like to maintain distinct, not confusing it with the others, the individual image of each leaf... and follow it in its aerial dance until it comes to rest on the blades of grass. I began to concentrate my attention on capturing the tiniest sensations at the moment of their delineation. when the clarity was not yet mingled with a sheaf of diffuse impressions.”
“On the carpet of leaves illuminated by the moon” was written for Ryuko Mizutani. The version for cello was written for Michael Moser. The version for acoustic guitar was written with the assistance of Elliot Simpson.
