Japanese music

[eschiss1]

A.S.- thank you, will download very soon- I recall reviews of Yamada's symphony in F major on Naxos CD (I think it was this one- they also recorded others; I have the review, from Fanfare magazine, in a pile of back issues of those magazines in my room- will check- sorry!) - but it was interesting and intriguing and I have hoped to hear music of his. So again - thanks!

[lechner1110]

　　eschiss1

　　I'm happy to hear, you enjoying my uploads.
    In my country, many composers wrote good music between war.
    But sadly, many works are forgotten.
    Especially, Kunihiko Hashimoto's symphony no.1 ( I believe this is one of best symphony in Japan) is forgotten 60years before recording with naxos.　
　　And his Symphony No. 2 is not never ever played.  What a pity it is!
    I'm hoping to continue Naxos's Japanese composers series in the future.

　　I have few other Japanese symphonic music recordings, which released in Japan only.
    I will upload future.

   
   Thanks.   A.S

[semloh]

The symphonies by Japanese composers, courtesy of Naxos, have been an enjoyable revelation to me, and probably to most listeners outside Japan. It is especially interesting to hear the extent to which Japanese culture is influencing what is, of course, a European musical form. The same goes for Australian 'classical' music, which in recent years has begun to establish a national identity through assimilation of Indigenous musical ideas (Sculthorpe, Edwards, etc). I don't think of this as 'nationalism' in any jingoistic sense, by the way, but purely in terms of musical sensibilities.

[semloh]

Thank you for the latest marvellous Japanese uploads. That unfinished symphony by Otaka is a particularly beautiful piece. To my ears, the performance does it proud - it combines exuberance with sensitivity and could hardly be bettered. I must find out more about this composer!

[lechner1110]

　semloh

　I'm happy to hear your comment.
 
　Unfortunately, I guess Otaka's biography is not known except in Japan.
  Extract from Japanese wikipedia page 　http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%BE%E9%AB%98%E5%B0%9A%E5%BF%A0

  Otaka was born at Tokyo in 1911.
  He went Vienna at 1931 and 1934, He taught composing by Joseph Marx, and conducting by Felix Weingartner.
  He return to Japan at 1940 and He took chief conductor of New Symphony Orchestra ( Today's NHK Symphony Orchestra)
  He conducting between war, But he died at age of 39 by overwork.
  They say that fatigue between war sapped his strength.

  He died so young and his recordings and works are so little.
  From his biography, He composed some of symphonic poems, and Flute and cello concerto, and several of chamber and piano musics.

  His cello concerto and Flute concerto are can listen at youtube.
 
  Cello Concerto (1943)   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFZ_Jbx4Arc
 
  Flute Concerto (1948/1951)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQURnpSF8ug

  I joined in amateur orchestra , and we played Flute concerto few years ago.
  Please listened at 2nd movement of this concerto.
  It's a very beautiful music , like of Japanese songs meets Western classical music.


  A.S

[eschiss1]

Actually, he's in the latest(?) Baker's Biography of Musicians, a very major (think Grove) biographical book updated regularly. An excerpt from the Otaka entry is here.

(The whole of the 1919 edition of Baker - edition 3 - is at IMSLP, here. Of course, Otaka would have been age 7 or 8 when that was published, give or take, but this is a 2008 or so edition and cannot be stored on our public domain servers. That's an excerpt on someone else's pay-to-view server... )

[Sicmu]

I think my favorite japanese composer is Ikuma Dan : he wrote six excellent symphonies all released on CD but now unavailable, there are other recordings of his first and third that have been released on LP and a couple of choral/orchestral works as well. I will upload some of his works so you can make your own idea

http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2008/Jan08/Dan.htm

[Latvian]

Amazing! My favorite Japanese composer is also Ikuma Dan. The symphonies are excellent, but my favorite work of his is the Silk Road Suite. Very colorful, it could easily be the soundtrack to a 1960s Asian epic. There is also a big, splashy orchestral piece with extra brass and chorus, titled The Truth of the Creation, which is very enjoyable.

Yasushi Akutagawa is another favorite, as well as Yamada (especially the gorgeous symphonic poem Madara No Hana).

[lechner1110]

  Dan composed a lot of works for orachestra, choral music, and orher.
  I have his rare symphonic music ' Symphonic poem ''Nagasaki'' for orchestra and chorus' and  ' ''Chikugo river'' suite for orchestra and chorus' .
  But, Sorry, recorded CD-R is my hometown 200km far from where I live now.
  Next time I go my hometown, I will take it and upload.

  A.S

[Latvian]

A.S.,

I have CD-R copies of Nagasaki and Chikugo River, among other works. If any members would like to hear them and if it's difficult for you to get them, I can upload them sometime soon. I also recently got an LP of his opera The Twilight Crane, which I haven't had time to listen to or digitize yet.

[lechner1110]

  Latvian

  Surprising!
  Can I ask that of you?
 

  A.S

[Latvian]

OK, will do when I have time in the next few days!

[Sicmu]

A.S.,

I have CD-R copies of Nagasaki and Chikugo River, among other works. If any members would like to hear them and if it's difficult for you to get them, I can upload them sometime soon. I also recently got an LP of his opera The Twilight Crane, which I haven't had time to listen to or digitize yet.

Even more surprising I also have the records mentioned above but didn't have time to play them either !

[violinconcerto]

I very much enjoy many woks by Japanese composers, but due to the letter and writing differences I always feel that I cannot really find all the information about Japanese composers and works I guess that are out there.
So if you are Ikuma Dan fans, does anybody of you know if his Fantasies No.1 and 2 for violin and orchestra are ever recorded? Or his Fantasia all'antica for 2 violins and string orchestra?
And if you are deep into Japanese music do you know by any chance about recordings of the violin concertos by Saburo Moroi, Shin-ichi Matsushita, Shoko Natsuda or Roh Ogura?

I would love to get some help with the Japanese composers!

Best,
Tobias
www.violinconcerto.de

[lechner1110]

  Hello Tobias

  I'm very glad to hear your interest in my country's composer music.
　But Sadly, many Japanese composer's music are have not been recorded yet.
 
  However, I searched Dan's Violin works, and I found his his 'Fantasia all'antica for 2 violins and string orchestra' recording.
  http://www.tylimited.co.jp/tys/sakuhin/support_3scd-0004.html
 
  This CD contains next works.

  (1) Fantasia No. 1 for solo violin and piano (1973)
  (2) Fantasia No. 2 for solo violin and piano (1984)
  (3) Fantasia No. 3 for solo violin and piano (1985)
  (4) Sonata for Violin and Piano (1990)
  (5) Fantasia all'antica for 2 violins and string orchestra

 
  Probably, This CD is release in Japan Only.
　And it seems Limited sale CD.

  If you interest this CD, please send e-mail to me.
  I can contact about this CD in place of you.


  A.S