Composer: Li, Yicheng (Richard), 2004 -
Country of origin: United States; China
Title: One Thousand Origami Cranes for Clarinet Quintet 千 ⽻ 鶴
Other titles:
Movements:
Year(s) composed: 2021
Publisher: Unpublished
Duration (in minutes): 8
Clarinet type: B-flat
Note: See comment below
First performance: July 31, 2021, Thomas Hall, Brevard Music Festival
The story behind this piece: Sadako Sasaki and 1,000 origami cranes
76 years ago, on August 6th, 1945, on a bright, cloudless morning at Hiroshima, Japan, death
fell from the sky, and the world was changed: the two-year-old Sadako Sasaki was at home when
the atomic bomb explosion occurred, and she was only one mile away from ground zero. Although
Sasaki was fortunate enough to survive without any injuries, she lost her dearest grandmother.
Sasaki grew up and went to school just like any other kid, until she was diagnosed with acute
leukemia, a disease that was caused by radiation exposure to the atomic bomb, in January 1955.
Meanwhile, physicians around the world noted a significant increase in leukemia cases among
children in Japan. Sasaki was hospitalized immediately afterward and was given only one year
to live.
In August 1955, Sasaki set herself a goal of folding 1,000 origami cranes after her father told
her about the ancient Japanese legend that promises anyone who folds 1,000 origami cranes would
be granted a wish. By the end of August, she has already exceeded her goal.
Unfortunately, her condition progressively worsened. With her family and loved ones
around her, Sasaki left the world on the morning of October 25, 1955, at the age of 12, leaving us
with 1,000 origami cranes and a wish for world peace.
On May 5th, 1958, on Japanese Children’s Day, the Children’s Peace Monument was unveiled
in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to commemorate Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of child
victims of the atomic bombing. At the foot of the statue is a plaque that reads:
“これはぼくらの叫びです これは私たちの祈りです 世界に平和をきずくための ”
“This is our cry. This is our prayer. Peace in the world.”
Today, people around the world have donated cranes to honor Sasaki and others. Paper cranes have
become a global symbol of peace. Richard Li