大象传媒

Donald Macleod explores Toru Takemitsu's interest in the guitar and inspiration from nature

In Composer of the Week, Donald Macleod explores the life and music of the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu. Known in his early career for his experimental approach to music, Takemitsu first came to international attention when Stravinsky heard a recording of his Requiem during a visit to Japan. From that point onwards, Takemitsu gradually became a composer of world renown, and his music not only ranged from works for the concert hall to composing nearly one hundred scores for film, but it also bridged the divide between East and West. The music of Takemitsu often became a synthesis between traditional Japanese instruments, something he initially rejected, and Western musical procedures. He created a unique and personal musical language, and his works were often inspired by nature or art, with unique titles including A String Around Autumn, or A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden.

Toru Takemitsu was particularly interested in the guitar. During the 1970s he composed a set of twelve songs for the instrument, arrangements of other works such as The Internationale, or even songs by the Beatles. He also became aware of the Japanese virtuoso guitarist Kiyoshi Shomura. They would go on to collaborate together, and Takemitsu composed a number of works specifically for Shomura. One work Takemitsu composed for guitar, oboe d'amore and orchestra, was 'Vers, l'arc-en-ciel, Palma' which was a homage to the Spanish painter Joan Miro.

Along with art, nature also figures significantly as a means of inspiration for the music by Takemitsu. He loved gardens as he felt that they didn't reject people, but instead you could walk freely and observe the constant changes. Then in 1977 Takemitsu composed his most famous work, A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden. A dream prompted the composition of this work when he saw a flock of birds flying down into a pentagon-shaped garden. It would become one of Takemitsu's most popular and most often recorded works.

Joseph Kosma Arr. Takemitsu
Amours perdues
Franz Hal谩sz, guitar

Takemitsu
Dodes'Kaden
Studio Orchestra

Quatrain
Boston Symphony Orchestra
Seiji Ozawa, conductor

A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden
大象传媒 National Orchestra of Wales
Tadaaki Otaka, conductor

Vers, l'arc-en-ciel, Palma.
Gareth Hulse, oboe d'amore
John Williams, guitar
London Sinfonietta
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor

Producer Luke Whitlock.