Takemitsu

Toru Takemitsu

I find many of Mr. Takemitsu’s compositions to be both interesting and inspirational. Much of his music – for me – is as though it is a sound painting in a Zen-like way. What I also like in this CD is the great variety of instrumentation.

The earliest material on this CD is Toru Takemitsu’s “Le Son calligraphie”, which dates from about 1958. These are three pieces for strings, and the work is performed by an ensemble of Japanese players conducted by Hiroshi Wakasugi.

Another work titled “Hika | Elegy” for violin and piano (1966), is performed by Ida Kavafian and Peter Serkin.

Several works in this collection date from the height of Takemitsu’s period around the turn of the 1970’s. In “Eucalypts I & II” (1970), the first piece is for flute, oboe, harp, and strings, while the second is for flute, oboe, and harp.

Here is the track listing:

1. Garden Rain The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble  
    2. Le son calligraphié – I (1958) Kenji Kobayashi
    3. Le son calligraphié – II (1958) Hiroshi Wakasugi
    4. Le son calligraphié – III (1960) Hiroshi Wakasugi
    5. Hika [Elegy] (1966) Ida Kavafian
    6. Folios (1974) – I Kiyoshi Shomura
    7. Folios (1974) – II Kiyoshi Shomura
    8. Folios (1974) – III Kiyoshi Shomura
    9. Distance (1972) Heinz Holliger
  10. Voice (1971) Aurèle Nicolet
  11. Stanza II (for solo Harp and Tape) Ursula Holliger
  12. Eucalypts I Heinz Holliger
  13. Eucalypts II (1970) Heinz Holliger

 

Here is Toru Takemitsu’s – “Toward the Sea”

 

And here are Joseph Brent and Bridget Kibbey playing Takemitsu’s “The Night”

 

Tags: Toru Takemitsu, Garden Rain

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