In 19th-century England, the pantomime performer Joseph Grimaldi was celebrated as the "father of the clown." With his white face makeup, red triangular cheeks, and exaggerated eyebrows, he established the prototype of the modern clown image we recognize today, transforming the clown from a merely comic figure into the central character of a story. On stage, he was bright, humorous, and endlessly entertaining, yet his private life was far from a happy one.
This work portrays Grimaldi as a clown who concealed sorrow behind his smile, depicting both his lighthearted, humorous nature and the sadness hidden beneath the surface.
Because the piece is written for trio, a certain level of stamina is required throughout the performance. Some passages demand continuous energy, almost like climbing a long uphill road without pause, so I hope performers will carefully consider tempo and breathing in order to maintain the musical flow without interruption.
In the playful sections, perform with boundless brightness. In the middle section, each part should sing more expressively, almost as if performing a solo, bringing out the overflowing emotion within the music. I would be delighted if the performance conveys a sense of depth that allows listeners to feel both light and shadow within the work.

(Yuichi Abe)