Takemitsu. Raices

8/18/2019 Takemitsu. Raices

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THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF MUSIC

TŌRU TAKEMITSU:

THE ROOTS OF HIS CREATION

By

HARUYO SAKAMOTO

A Treatise submitted to theSchool of Music

in partial fulfillment of therequirements for the degree of

Doctor of Music

Degree Awarded:Spring Semester, 2003


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The members of the Committee approve the treatise of Haruyo Sakamotodefended on December 10, 2002.

__________________________________Leonard Mastrogiacomo

Professor Directing Treatise

__________________________________ Victoria McArthurOutside Committee Member

__________________________________Carolyn BridgerCommittee Member

__________________________________James StreemCommittee Member

Approved: _______________________________________________________________________

Seth Beckman, Assistant Dean, School of Music

The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above-namedcommittee members.


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In memory of my mother

whose love and support made it possible

for me to complete my studies

With all my love and appreciation


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to express my deepest appreciation to Professor Leonard

Mastrogiacomo for his encouragement, support, and insightful advice

for the completion of this treatise. I would also like to thank the

members of my committee, Dr. Carolyn Bridger, Dr. Victoria McArthur,

and Professor James Streem for their generous help, cooperation, and

guidance. Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Van Camerik have been kind enough

to offer assistance as editors. Lastly, but not least, I extend my

heartfelt gratitude to my family and friends, who stood by me with love

and understanding.


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TABLE OF CONT ENTS

Page

LIST OF EXAMPLES...................................................................................................vi

ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................viii

Chapter

I. BACKGROUND: CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH.............................................1

II. INFLUENCES ....................................................................................................14From the West ................................................................................................17From Japan.....................................................................................................23

III. SOLO PIANO MUSIC.......................................................................................40Uninterrupted Rests .....................................................................................43 Piano Distance ................................................................................................50For Away ..........................................................................................................55

Les yeux clos ...................................................................................................59Rain Tree Sketch ............................................................................................62

CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................66

APPENDICES...............................................................................................................69

A. LIST OF WORKS...................................................................................70B. DISCOGRAPHY OF PIANO WORKS ..............................................79C. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS ............................................................97

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................107

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH......................................................................................114


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L IST OF EXAM PLES

1. Messiaen’s second mode.....................................................................................19

2a. Takemitsu’s sketch, Japanese garden ............................................................29

2b. Takemitsu’s sketch, Arc .....................................................................................29

3 Uninterrupted Rests I, opening measures....................................................45

4. Uninterrupted Rests I, line 2............................................................................45

5. Uninterrupted Rests I, line 6, precise markings..........................................46

6. Uninterrupted Rests II, lines 3-4, Ma ............................................................47

7. Uninterrupted Rests III, mm. 7-9....................................................................49

8. Piano Distance , mm.7-11 ...................................................................................51

9. Piano Distance , mm. 22-37................................................................................53

10. Piano Distance , opening measures..................................................................54

11. For Away, line 10..................................................................................................56

12. For Away , opening measures ............................................................................57

13. For Away, line 26, flavor of Indonesia—gamelan.........................................58

14. For Away, lines 5-7, cyclic progression ...........................................................59

15. Les yeux clos , opening measures .....................................................................60

16. Les yeux clos , line13 ...........................................................................................61

17. Les yeux clos, line 13, rhythmic pattern........................................................62


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18. Rain Tree Sketch, lines 10-11, depiction of rain...........................................64

19. Rain Tree Sketch, opening measures..............................................................64


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ABSTRACT

Tōru Takemitsu was arguably among the most important, although

lesser known, musical figures of the twentieth century. Born in Japan in

1930, and having lived there through World War II and the post-war

occupation, Takemitsu assimilated many strong, life-altering influences both

from the West and from his mother country. This fertile mix of powerful

oriental and occidental influences played a major role in the development of

Takemitsu’s musical genius. Although never a conscious goal or deliberate

objective, the collective body of Takemitsu’s musical works has come to be

appreciated by many as a highly significant cultural bridge between the East

and the West. Takemitsu’s music accomplishes this unique melding of

cultures and traditions, especially through the use of traditional Japanese

instruments, in his completely innovative works that are heavily influenced

by the Western model.

Takemitsu’s music displays various Western musical concepts and

sensibilities, particularly those of Debussy and Messiaen. These

unmistakable, potent European musical forces have been deftly woven in and

around the core of the long-venerated philosophical, metaphysical, and

conceptual elements of traditional Japanese music and its own foundations in

Zen Buddhist philosophy. Together they form a rich musical tapestry.


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A prolific writer until the end of his life in 1996, Takemitsu described

his concept of music in relatively simple haiku-like terms, i.e., in physical

environmental terms. Music, for him, was simply a part of ‘the stream of

sounds’ that surrounded him. Imbued with such an uncomplicated concept

of music, together with his broad and deep love of nature, Takemitsu

subscribed to the philosophy that music was not something to ‘construct.’

His compositional approach was to collaborate with and incorporate the world

of spontaneous natural sounds around him, thus providing an environment

where ‘sounds can meet dramatically.’

In this study, the author has sought to survey the wide spectrum of

social, cultural, and natural influences that has heavily impacted on

Takemitsu’s compositional methods, and to examine how Takemitsu’s

compositional philosophy has been eloquently shaped and expressed in five

selected piano pieces: Uninterrupted Rests, Piano Distance, For Away, Les

yeux clos, and Rain Tree Sketch . The principal focus has been on the

sources and origins of his unique and prolific creativity which underpinned

Takemitsu’s rich musical legacy.

Various examples of Takemitsu’s profound, revelatory remarks, as

well as spoken and written observations, have been cited.* These offer

invaluable insights toward the enhanced understanding of both Takemitsu,

the man, and his music.

____________________

*All the quotes from Japanese writings were translated by the author.


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CHAPTER

O N E

BACKGROUND: CHILDHOOD AND YOUTH

I had one strong desire. I wanted to touch the piano. Buying one wasunthinkable, so I came up with a good idea; I made a paper keyboard. I

fashioned the keys using the same dimension as that of a real piano.Best of all, this paper substitute was portable, and I could fold it andeasily carry it around. My paper piano served me well for a long timeuntil much later when I was able to obtain a real piano. The silentportable keyboard ‘sounded’ far more tones [than a real piano].1

Tōru Takemitsu was born on October 8, 1930, in Tokyo, Japan. At

the time of his birth, his father was working for an insurance company in

Dalien, China. When Takemitsu was only a month old, his mother moved to

China with him to join her husband.2 (An interesting coincidence that

occurred during the same period of Japanese expansion and colonization in

China was that another notable Japanese musician, namely Seiji Ozawa, the

famed former conductor of Boston Symphony, was born in the colony.

Perhaps it was more than destiny that Takemitsu and Ozawa established a

1Takemitsu, Chosaku-sh ū , 2:167.

2Jun-ichi Konuma, Takemitsu T ō ru: Oto, Kotoba, Imeji (Tokyo: Seido Sha,1999), 19.


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close, long-term friendship and formed a composer-conductor working

relationship decades later in life.)

Takemitsu used to recall fondly the early childhood memories of his

father listening to Western music—jazz, blues, and Dixieland—and dancing

and playing the shakuhachi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute, for whole

days at a time. Perhaps Takemitsu was drawn to music through his father’s

love for music. Having been exposed to a rich musical environment at such

a young age must have played a vital role in developing Takemitsu’s latent

musical potential, even influencing his compositional style of later years.3

In 1937, at six years of age, Takemitsu returned alone to Japan to

enter elementary school. During this period he lived with his aunt who was

a koto (Japanese zither) teacher. Forty years later, at the height of his fame,

Takemitsu recalled his childhood days. While reminiscing during an

interview by Louis Dandrel for Le Monde de la Musique , he noted that he had

often become tired of hearing the koto all day long. Later in 1937,

Takemitsu was rejoined by his parents who returned to Japan because his

father was gravely ill. It was unfortunate that his father died in the spring

of 1938, when Takemitsu was only seven years old. Another catastrophic

period in the life of Takemitsu began with the onset of World War II. As a

direct consequence, it would be an understatement to say that the

subsequent four war years were the most difficult period of his life.

3Ibid., 20.


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Takemitsu recalled with respect to those darkest years:

During World War II, I worked long hours in the food storage-distribution warehouse of a Japanese military base located deep in the

mountains of Saitama Prefecture with many other boys. In early August, 1945, we, young boys of fourteen or fifteen years of age, workedand lived just like older combat soldiers. We were abused and punishedfor no reason and were living miserably. . . . During that time, theJapanese military prohibited everything Western: English language,music of any form and the like.4

It was towards the end of the war, the summer of 1945, when

Takemitsu had a sudden reawakening of Western music. As background,

during the war Takemitsu and fellow young conscripts were often forced to

sing Japanese military songs. One day, Takemitsu and other young

conscripts were invited by an older soldier to listen to a French chanson,

Parlez-moi d’amour, sung by Lucienne Boyer. (Takemitsu had mistakenly

thought for many years that the singer was the famous, black American

chanteuse, Josephine Baker.)5 Takemitsu later referred to this incident as

‘the fatal encounter,’ and described the experience as follows: “My heart was

like a hollow cave, and I let the song seep into it. It flowed into my body and

soul like a huge body of water.”6 He instantly realized that “the enemies had

such beautiful music!”7 Takemitsu even later recalled, “This very experience


5Ryūichi Higuchi, Takemitsu T ō ru: Oto no Kawa no Yukue , eds. Seiji Choki andRyūichi Higuchi (Tokyo: Heibon Sha, 2000), 299.


7Konuma, 18.


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transformed me into a musician. As the war was ending, my heart and

mind were consumed with the thoughts of music. I quite literally could not

think of anything but music.”8

Since his school life had begun and ended with the war, World War II

indeed had a tremendous impact on Takemitsu’s most formative years. In

this very vein, Takemitsu observed:

Everything I came to be originated from my many traumatic experiencesincurred from this war of defeat as well as my post-war life. For me,music, poetry, love—they all developed from these horrific experiences.9

Of course once the war ended, and the occupation commenced, doors to

Western culture were flung open, and Western music including jazz was

heard everywhere in Japan. Now with a great hunger for Western music,

Takemitsu listened to it intensively.

One day, he happened to hear César Franck’s Prelude, Chorale and

Fugue on the radio. Takemitsu later called this incident his “second

discovery” in that in this piece by Franck, he had found the absolute music,

i.e., music without words. In traditional Japanese music, the music and

words are inseparable, but the Prelude , Chorale, and Fugue was performed

by a single instrument, the piano, and in this format spoke to his inner

senses. For Takemitsu, this Franck piece proved to be a compelling

8Noboru Tachibana, “Takemitsu Tōru: Ongaku Sōzō eno Tabi,” Bungakukai (June1992): 263, quoted in Higuchi, 300.



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revelation set against the backdrop of his horrific war experiences. The

impact of ‘the second discovery’ was comparable to that of the first ‘fatal

encounter ’ with the French chanson, both of which were indelible experiences.

Thereafter, the war seemed so senseless, cruel and foolish to him.

Since the strong musical experience as a teenager, he had one desire:

“to touch” the piano, but he realized that his family was too poor to afford an

instrument. His highly imaginative solution was to fashion a paper piano.10

Takemitsu was so caught up in his dream and his love to learn more about

music that he would literally open up and play his paper keyboard every time

he had a few free minutes. His creative imagination was so powerful that he

could finger over the keys and actually hear the tones that would have been

produced correspondingly on a real piano. His enthusiasm for music was so

strong that when walking down the street and hearing the sound of a piano,

he would knock on the door and ask the resident to allow him to come inside

to play. Interestingly enough, he was never denied access to these strangers’

homes or pianos. Finally, through an acquaintance, Takemitsu was able to

actually rent one of the venerable Pleyels that had been brought back from

France some years before by the renowned pianist/teacher, Kazuko

Yasukawa. This acquisition of the Pleyel was an exciting event in his life.

Takemitsu later wrote in his essay, Oto Chinmoku to Hakarieruhodoni,

[Sound Measuring with Silence] as follows:

10Ibid., 2: 167.


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That piano brought an elegant atmosphere that was almost out of placein my little room. To me, it produced the ‘nasal’ sounds heard in the[spoken] French language. I never wanted to play etudes on it. Iplayed many Debussy and Fauré pieces, but I don’t know if they soundedlike the actual musical pieces. My performance was very poor. My

friend, Toshi Ichiyanagi came and played a Ravel piece fluently. Whilelistening to him, I felt envious of him. . . . Soon, I fell behind on thepayment of the rental fee, and the unpaid back payment becamesubstantial. I composed Lento in due movimenti on that piano. Itreceived a review from Ginji Yamane, saying it was ‘pre-music,’ which Icould not appreciate, after the premiere performance at the ShinSakkyokuha Kyoukai recital, but the piece meant much more to me thanany other piece I had ever composed.11

In this essay, Takemitsu also remarked that he had sad memories associated

with the piano.12 Indeed, Takemitsu ended up returning the piano because

he was unable to pay the escalating rental fees.

Because of his bitter war experiences, Takemitsu disliked everything

that was associated with Japanese tradition. This feeling persisted for

many years. He observed that his career path as composer had begun with

the rejection of anything Japanese.13 Perhaps, it was inevitable that

Takemitsu‘s aversion for Japanese culture would change abruptly. One day

in the early 1960’s, Takemitsu had an unexpected opportunity to attend the

Bunraku14 puppet show and hear traditional Japanese music. He later

11Ibid., 1:24-5.

12Ibid.

13Ibid., 3:50.

14Bunraku: Japanese puppet theater of three-hundred-year-old history. Life-sizedpuppets are controlled by people dressed in black and act out a dramatic narrative, called

jōruri. There is a narrator, and an accompanist playing the shamisen, a Japanese stringinstrument.


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recalled that it was a shock to discover such “powerful” music.15 Takemitsu

suddenly realized that there was another type of music that was totally

different. Undoubtedly, this belated encounter with traditional Japanese

music at the Bunraku was a very strong, eye-opening experience, especially

because of his earlier denial of his own rich mother culture and traditions.

It was ironic that in the backdrop of his prior sole interest in the study of

modern European music, Takemitsu found a new heightened appreciation.

In a lecture delivered in 1988 in New York, Takemitsu spoke of the

meaningfulness of his encounter with traditional Japanese music at

Bunraku:

Had I never been under the sway of Western music, I know myappreciation of Japanese music would have been very different. I thinkthis is an extremely important point. From that time on I devoted agreat deal of energy—as much as possible—to studying Japanesemusical traditions, with particular attention to the differences betweenJapanese music and Western music. With great diligence I tried to

bring forth the sensibilities of Japanese music that had always beenwithin me.16

He also spoke of another revelation upon first hearing Gagaku:17 “The

sounds were rising toward the sky like a tree.”18 When directly comparing


16Idem, “Contemporary Music in Japan,” Perspectives of New Music 27 no.2(Summer 1989): 201.

17Japanese traditional court music from Heian Period (794-1185). It is orchestralmusic involving hichiriki, ryuteki (wind instruments), sho (mouth Organ), sono koto, biwa(string instruments), shoko (gong), and various types of drums.



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traditional Japanese music to Western music, Takemitsu succinctly observed

as follows: “The sounds in Western music progress horizontally, but the

sounds of the shakuhachi rise vertically like a tree.”19

Takemitsu had no history of formal training or studies in music,

except for intermittent contact with Yasuji Kiyose (1900-1981), the founder of

the Japanese branch of the International Society for Contemporary Music.

Kiyose was the standard bearer for the group of composers known as ‘the

nationalists’ who faithfully maintained distinctively Japanese qualities in

their compositional idioms.20 It was as if by fate that Takemitsu came to

Kiyose to study. Coincidentally, Takemitsu had previously been deeply

inspired by Kiyose’s violin sonata, and already had great respect for him.

Takemitsu reported having been elated when he learned that this

distinguished composer would be willing to mentor him. Kiyose did not

provide Takemitsu with conventional music lessons. He simply allowed

Takemitsu unlimited access to his musical scores and recordings in support of

his self-teaching.21 Fortuitously, Takemitsu found in Kiyose’s music what he

had been searching for, and that was “the real music without any

ostentation.”22

19Idem, Confronting Silence (Berkeley: Fallen Leaf Press, 1984), 87.

20Timothy Koozin, “The Solo Piano Works of Tōru Takemitsu: ALinear/Set-theoretic Analysis” (Ph.D. diss., University of Cincinnati, 1989), 19.

21Higuchi, 301.

22Noriko Ohtake, The Creative Sources for the Music of T ō ru Takemitsu(Aldershot: Scolar Press, 1993), 15.


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Perhaps in this context, it is helpful to relate to the reader one

incident which occurred just a few months before Takemitsu came under the

tutelage of Kiyose, as an indication of Takemitsu’s awareness for his musical

direction from an early age. In spring of the late 1940’s, Takemitsu took the

two-day entrance examination to the Tokyo University of Fine Arts. After

the first day, he sensed that “it was not quite right.” Further, he felt that

“composers will not be born from this.”23 Takemitsu did not take the next

examination, and thereby forfeited his chances for academic musical studies.

Therefore, until he came under the direct influence of Kiyose in June, 1948,

Takemitsu was limited to the support of his friends and colleagues, who

shared their passion for music by studying musical scores with him.24

Although having no prior formal experience or credentials, Takemitsu must

have been regarded by Kiyose as possessing considerable talent.

During the two years of study with Kiyose (1948-1950), Takemitsu

came to know Fumio Hayasaka (1914-1955), a composer who was considered

the forerunner of the Japanese nationalistic movement. Hayasaka was also

a major figure in the composition of film music. Because of his admiration

and respect for Hayasaka’s music, Takemitsu became interested in film music

early in his career.25 He wrote some of the most recognized film music in the

23Higuchi, 300.

24Ibid.

25Ohtake, 15-6.


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history of Japanese cinema.

Takemitsu’s encounter with Kiyose and subsequent meeting with

Hayasaka indirectly propelled Takemitsu to the musical scene as a composer.

In 1956, Takemitsu composed a work commissioned by the Tokyo

Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. He entitled it Requiem for Strings, in

memory of Hayasaka, who had died the previous year. The work was

premiered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony in June 1957. It drew the

attention of Stravinsky during his visit to Japan, and he praised the work

highly saying, “This is a wonderful work. It is very intense. [It is

remarkable] such intense music came out of such a small man!”26 This

special recognition brought international attention and fame to Takemitsu,

and quickly paved the way to future success.

In 1950, Takemitsu’s piano composition Lento in due movimenti was

introduced at a Shin Sakkyokuha Kyoukai [The Association of New School of

Composition] concert. Takemitsu had a special fondness for this work. It

was his very first piece to be performed in public, but the critical review by

Ginji Yamane in the Tōto Newspaper was a devastating one to the composer.

One can only imagine the level of disappointment he endured. It was far

beyond what words could ever describe, and Takemitsu put the score of his

fondest piece away. Eventually it was lost; however, he later gathered the

26Makoto Ōoka, “Takemitsu Tōru wo Meguru Nisan no Kansatsu,” in TakemitsuT ō ru no Sekai, eds. Shinji Saito and Maki Takemitsu (Tokyo: Shūei Sha, 1997), 73.


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fragments of the piece from memory and wrote Litany , a second version.27

After this taxing experience, Takemitsu and his colleagues launched

a new cultural club, Jikken-kōbō [experimental studio] in November 1951.

Jikken-kōbō provided the opportunity to introduce new compositions by its

members, as well as Western avant-garde music to the cultural community.

The association included prominent artists, poets, musicians, and

technicians. The diverse membership reflects both the cultural

sophistication and the multi-media nature of the club. This organization

was different from the Shin Sakkyokuha Kyoukai in that it had a

non-academic bias, a fact that helped Takemitsu, who was not an

academically-trained musician, to consolidate his position.28 Moreover,

Jikken-kōbō served as a ready-made forum, a vehicle, for the performance of

his works. Takemitsu was very fortunate to have had his works premiered

by some of the most renowned professional musicians in Japan.

Around this same period, Takemitsu also began experiments with

musique concrète , which was to become an important compositional method

for him. Regarding this, Takemitsu later wrote in his essay, Boku no H ō h ō

[My Method], that as early as 1948 he had already become aware of

incorporating random natural sounds. He realized that to compose was to

27Higuchi, 301-2.

28Peter Burt, Music of T ō ru Takemitsu (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,2001), 39.


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find ways to bring meaning to ‘the stream of sounds’ around him.29 The idea

of ‘stream of sounds’ was to become the core element of his music throughout

his compositional effort.

In this highly stimulating environment of Jikken-kōbō, Takemitsu

had invaluable opportunities and experiences. In retrospect, he was keenly

receptive and absorbed everything he could, nurturing and developing his

musical creativity. In 1953, however, his health and financial situation

became a serious concern. His tuberculosis worsened, and he was

hospitalized for a long period. As a result Takemitsu was no longer able to

participate in Jikken-kōbō activities. Greatly discouraged, he even

expressed a wish to withdraw from membership.30

The new year, 1954, began. As a young man of twenty-three his life

was at its lowest point, but by May his situation had improved. He became

well enough to be released from the hospital, and in the following month he

married Asaka Wakayama. Although he was still frail after the long illness,

and very much in the grip of financial difficulties, with Asaka’s deep devotion

and support Takemitsu was able to come out of the difficult times and

proceed toward his yet-to-be-seen dynamic musical career.

Upon reflection, it is indeed remarkable that in several short years,

despite the hardships and setbacks he endured, Takemitsu went from being

29Higuchi, 306.

30Ibid., 305.


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unknown to becoming one of the brightest stars of the modern Japanese

musical scene. This chapter has presented only the early part of his

background, which was the most formative period.

From the late 1950’s to the end of his life in 1996, Takemitsu was

highly productive, not only as a composer but also as a lecturer and writer.

He was blessed with a natural talent and personal goodness, to which was

added a great wealth of unique life experiences. Combined with strength of

will, dedication, self-discipline, and determination, they effectively served to

mold an extraordinary human being and true musical genius, Tōru

Takemitsu.


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CHAPTER TWO

INFLUENCES

Japan and I have arrived at the present with great contradictions. . . .Speaking from my own intuition, rather than from a simple-minded

resolution to blend Western and Japanese elements, I choose to confrontthose contradictions, even intensify them. And those contradictions arefor me a valid visa for the world. That is my act of expression. . . .Nothing that truly moves us will come from the superficial blending ofEast and West. Such music will just sit there.31

Various factors contributed to the uniqueness of Takemitsu’s music.

They derived from both the West and Japan, and there was one factor that

was particularly salient, i.e., he never had formal musical training. Because

of this background, both Western and Japanese influences had an especially

profound effect upon him, making Takemitsu’s music uniquely his own.

In the course of traditional musical training, students typically

establish their own style through the musical environment to which they are

exposed. With respect to a compositional style, even the most innovative

ideas originate in large part from the student’s formal musical education.

31Takemitsu, Confronting , 92-3.


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The years corresponding to Takemitsu’s life (1930-1996) constituted a time of

dramatic, rapid, and even revolutionary innovations and changes, leading to

great diversity and riches in the musical world, as well as in other spheres of

modern life. This was a period that was open to new ideas, and was

generally much more accepting of unconventional methods. Likewise,

composers tried to find their individual ways to create a new and unique

musical language. Nonetheless, it may be more reasonable to appreciate

that the “new” modern music that appeared during Takemitsu’s time was not

totally independent of what had been composed previously, but included

developments and expansions of inheritances from the past.

As for Takemitsu, his style was a product of his being what he was.

It represented his Japanese sensibilities that evolved from tradition and then

came in contact with Western music. This could not have been developed by

the mere blending of Japanese cultural idioms with superficial Western

musical elements. Takemitsu never adopted such an approach, much less

showed any interest in it. He believed that music had the power to speak to

the deepest part of the soul and was a very personal experience. He thought

superficial blending was meaningless and would not have the power to move

the soul.32 It was his desire to confront and even intensify the differences

and contradictions of Western and Japanese elements. One example is his

composition November Steps in which traditional Japanese instruments, the

32Idem, Chosaku-sh ū , 2:20.


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biwa and the shakuhachi, are used with a Western orchestra. Takemitsu

acknowledged the differences between two remarkable cultures and created

music of his own. Composing November Steps was an invaluable experience.

From it was realized the vast realm of sounds that existed. November Steps

became his landmark piece because he followed his intuition and let the

music speak for itself. It also gave him hope that it was possible for people

from different cultures to de velop a deep understanding of each other.33

Takemitsu’s musical influences came from various sources. Some

affected him directly, others indirectly. He himself did not even become

aware of their subtle effects until years later; however, they were the

powerful, underlying force of his musical concepts. For Takemitsu, it was

not possible to think of Eastern and Western elements in the same dimension.

Music was capable of speaking out for itself once the ‘universality’ was

achieved, and it did not matter who was behind it.34 To Takemitsu, music

was a universal expression that spoke out from within.

This chapter will examine the influences that played significant roles

in Takemitsu’s musical development and creativity, namely Western and

Japanese composers, and traditional Japanese music and culture.

Furthermore, it will introduce Takemitsu’s own thoughts and philosophies

which are connected to Zen Buddhism and derive their origins from his

33Ibid., 3:30-1.

34Ohtake, 5.


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heritage.

F rom the West

Claude Debussy (1862-1918) had a significant effect on Takemitsu

from the beginning. It has been said that the root of Takemitsu’s music is in

Debussy, and Takemitsu agreed with this assessment.35 He observed that

Debussy had been influenced by oriental music, and his music was

re-imported to the Orient and influenced the composers there reciprocally.36

Debussy came in contact with the music of the East at the Paris Exhibition in

1889. This experience, especially the encounter with Javanese gamelan

music, made a tremendous impact. It opened up new avenues to richer

sonorities, particularly in his choice of instruments. Similar to Debussy,

Takemitsu was interested in creating shades of color in many layers in his

placement of sounds. It is understandable that Takemitsu’s music, such as

Riverrun, resembles Debussy with its luminous and transparent sound.37

Moreover, some of Debussy’s characteristics seen in his piano works, such as

35Ryūtaro Iwata, Kafe Takemitsu: Watashi no Takemitsu Ongaku (Tokyo: KaimeiSha, 1992), 161.

36Takemitsu, 2:162.

37Justin Williams, “Tōru Takemitsu, a Gatherer of Sounds: An Analysis ofRiverrun ” (D.M.A. diss., Manhattan School of Music, 1997), 18.


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fragmentary melodies, use of indeterminate pedal signs, and ethereal tone

quality, are also found in Takemitsu’s piano music.

Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) was another who had a strong

connection to Takemitsu and his music. Takemitsu observed, regarding his

relation to Messiaen: “Among many things I learned from his music, the

concept and experience of color and the form of time will be unforgettable.”38

Takemitsu and Messiaen developed a strong bond between them. Messiaen

spoke of his affinity to Japan:

Japanese music is static, and I myself am a static composer because Ibelieve in the invisible and in the beyond; I believe in eternity. Now,Orientals are on much closer terms with the beyond than we are, andthat’s why their music is static. The music written by me, a believer, isequally static. This no doubt explains my attraction to Japan.39

Messiaen’s spiritual beliefs and respect for nature are reflected in his

music, which has much in common with Takemitsu. Their music shares

static, timeless, and meditative qualities, and minimizes a sense of

development or direction. Messiaen’s modes of limited transposition

(Example 1) allowed him to achieve those qualities in his music.40

Takemitsu also incorporated Messiaen’s mode in works such as Lento in due

movimenti and Uninterrupted Rests .

38Takemitsu, Confronting , 141.

39Oliver Messiaen, “Music and Color: Conversations with Claude Samuel,” trans.Thomas Glasow (Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1994), 102, quoted in Justin Williams, 19.

40Williams, 19.


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Example 1: Messiaen’s second mode

Among Takemitsu’s works, Quatrain (1975) is the one with the most

direct influence. Takemitsu visited Messiaen in New York and received

advice, guidance, and encouragement for this piece. In Quatrain , Takemitsu

used the same instrumentation as Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time .41

Takemitsu later reflected on Messiaen’s music:

I learned so many things from Messiaen’s music; among them is the

invaluable experience of learning the concept of color and ‘form of time’and its application, which will stay with me forever.42

Above all, that sensuous sound—abundance in tone color and sonority.I thought, ‘Oh, this is what I have been looking for.’ It matched mysenses perfectly.43

Another connection between Takemitsu and Messiaen lies in their

41Takemitsu, Confronting , 141.


43Takashi Tachibana, “Takemitsu Tōru: Ongaku Souzou eno Tabi,” Bungakukai(October, 1992): 225, quoted in Higuchi, 303.


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love for the universe that embraces both men and nature.44 Nature was

very important to them, and they incorporated the sounds of nature in their

music, although their methods were different. Messiaen translated actual

bird songs into music, whereas Takemitsu’s music mainly reflected his

thoughts of nature.45

Although Takemitsu and Messiaen had common characteristics and

interests, they were at opposite ends in their philosophy. Takemitsu viewed

nature as a coexistence of man and nature itself,46 which relates to his

musical concept that music flows around everything, including himself.47 It

was from the standpoint of man and nature being one entity, making man a

part of nature itself. On the other hand, Messiaen’s view was that of a

unified entity of man and god, thus separating man and nature.48 Although

it is not possible to categorize them in a simple manner, it is apparent that

Takemitsu’s association with Messiaen influenced him strongly enough to

reflect in his music. It was the way Takemitsu viewed his surroundings and

not the logic of rules that controlled his attitude and philosophy toward

composing and music. His creation was a reflection of his inner thoughts,

44Iwata, 166.

45Ohtake, 7.

46Iwata, 166.


48Iwata, 166.


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which had a strong tie to his Japanese heritage.

Takemitsu was particularly inspired by Messiaen’s passion and effort

to compose while imprisoned in a German camp during World War II.49

From his own miserable war experience, Takemitsu was able to measure the

difficulty that Messiaen must have faced, and the depth of his desire to let his

music speak out even under horrific conditions.

Takemitsu also had a close tie to John Cage (1912-1992), as a friend

and colleague. When Cage visited Japan in 1962, Takemitsu traveled with

him to Sapporo during Cage’s concert tour. Cage had a strong interest and

appreciation for Zen philosophy, and it was through him that Takemitsu

came to recognize the depth and value of Japanese tradition.50 Takemitsu

expressed his appreciation in these words:

I must express my deep and sincere gratitude to John Cage. . . . It waslargely through my contact with John Cage that I came to recognize the

value of my own tradition.51

His association with Cage had a strong and profound effect on

Takemitsu’s musical concept; however, Cage’s influence went beyond the

spiritual realm. For example, the structural organization of Takemitsu’s

Dorian Horizon was modeled after Cage’s Quartet for twenty-four strings.

The physical placement of instruments was unique in Quartet, resulting in

49Ohtake., 8.

50Ibid.

51Takemitsu, Perspectives, 199.


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many layers of sounds in the musical space. Likewise, Takemitsu’s Dorian

Horizon followed a similar plan, with the well-calculated placement of the

seventeen string instruments creating the subtleties in diverse tone colors in

different gradations.52 He was keenly aware of the sound effects of physical

positions of instruments, and was specific in placing them. Takemitsu wrote

on the death of Cage:

I lost another important person. I learned from Cage “life,” that is howto live, and that music does not exist away from life. This simple, clearfact has long been forgotten. Art and life have become separate

existences, and professionals have put excess concerns on the frameworkof methodology. Aesthetics became the priority, and music wasbecoming mere paper work. At such a moment, John Cage shook thefoundation of Western musical art, and evoked the forgotten essence ofsound and the existence of silence as the mother of sound with naïveclarity. Through John Cage, sound regained its freedom.53

There were other Western composers who influenced Takemitsu.

For example, the sparse texture, emphasis on shifts of timbre, fragmentary

melodies, and melodic cells weaving a musical tapestry—these vividly reflect

the music of Anton Webern. Takemitsu acknowledged that at one point in

his career, he was enthralled by the music of Webern. Other influences

include Iannis Xenakis, Aaron Copland, Luigi Nono, Pierre Boulez, Isang

Yun, Arvo Pärt, and Pierre Schaffer.54

52Ohtake, 9.

53Takemitsu, Chosaku-sh ū , 3:166-7.

54Iwata, 175-6.


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From Japan

It was

Western music that first drew Takemitsu’s attention toward

music, but there are also Japanese musicians to be considered. As

mentioned in Chapter One, Yasuji Kiyose was the most significant one among

them. Takemitsu’s own words confirm Kiyose’s influence:

I cannot describe how much I learned from Mr. Kiyose. Through hisworks, I learned the fertility of musical soil where many differentthoughts and feelings co-exist.55

Kiyose represented a group of composers known as nationalists who tried to

create a new compositional idiom, while maintaining distinctly Japanese

qualities. Sadao Bekku, the well-known Japanese musicologist and theorist,

described Kiyose’s music:

He does not approach music theoretically but rather in such a wayas to express his intimate emotion with quiet naïveté. … His harmonictreatment seems Japanese in nature but not theoretical; he seems tofollow the dictate of his natural and simple sensitivity.56

Kiyose believed that even though an act of creation is a personal matter, a

composer must be aware that it has to relate to one’s own people. Otherwise,

in a broader sense, the arts would be meaningless to them.57


56Sadao Bekku, “The Composer in Japan Today,” Music—East and West (Tokyo:Executive Committee for 1961 Tokyo East-West Encounter, 1966), 94-5, quoted in Koozin,The Solo Piano Works , 20.



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Shortly after his studies with Kiyose, Takemitsu came to know Shūzō

Takiguchi (1903-1979), a surrealist poet. The importance of this encounter

with such a remarkable poet was clearly stated:

I don’t know how to express my gratitude. No words are sufficient toshow my appreciation even for the opportunity to come to know Mr.Takiguchi. I often waver when making decisions about various thingsor how to behave. At these times, I think of select, few persons whom Iwish to be proud of me. Mr. Takiguchi was always among them. Manytimes, I was an intruder in his quiet garden of thoughts. I learned todirect my attention toward internal things after having the chance tospend time with him. He awakened me in all areas of arts.58

At about the same time, other notable figures came in contact with

Takemitsu and became his life-long friends and colleagues, namely, Kuniharu

Akiyama, Jō ji Yuasa, Kazuo Fukushima, and Toshi Ichiyanagi.

The long history of Japanese traditional arts and values was a part of

Takemitsu and was ingrained in his body and soul. Serenity, silence,

simplicity, austerity, tranquility of soul, and sensitivity to nature, originating

in Zen Buddhism, had been deep in Japanese culture. Poetry, art,

calligraphy, archery, swordsmanship, traditional music, flower arranging,

landscaping of gardens, tea ceremony, etc. all hold Zen spirit. As a more

popular example, one can compare sumo, Japanese traditional wrestling

originating from the seventh century, to non-Japanese sports. Sumo

wrestlers do not show their emotions. No matter what their feelings are at

the time of victory or loss, they maintain calmness in their facial and physical

58Ibid.


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expressions. This manifests tranquility of the soul, indicating the inner

strength that cannot be affected by the outside world.

Takemitsu found in Zen Buddhism what he was searching for in his

musical expression. Zen values the “margin of life, the blank space.”59 As

emptiness of the mind, Mu [void], is essential for meditation and

enlightenment in Zen, silence and stillness were important factors in the

uniqueness of Takemitsu’s music. His words, “To make the void of silence

live is to make live the infinity of sounds,”60 originated from the Zen

philosophy that underlies Japanese culture.

Just as it was to Takemitsu, nature has a unique place in the minds

of most Japanese people. Consider that from ancient times, the changes of

the four seasons have a significant meaning. These seasonal changes relate

to life—beginning, ending, growth, progress, etc., with each season bringing

strong, specific sentiments. One indication is haiku poetry. It must contain

kigo, a word that refers to a season. Japanese have incorporated nature in

their life style in various ways. For example, in ordinary letter writing, it is

polite and customary to begin one’s correspondence with remarks relating to

the weather. One may write, “The coolness of the morning air indicates the

approaching fall,” or “The spring equinox has passed, but our days are still

59L. James Hammond, “Ten Zen Basics,” A Newsletter on Philosophy andLiterature, June 2001.

60Tōru Takemitsu, “Tōru Takemitsu: Miniature II,” (Japanese DeutscheGrammophon, MG2411), quoted in Timothy Koozin, “Tōru Takemitsu and the Unity ofOpposites,” College Music Symposium 30, no.1 (Spring 1990): 35.


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cold,” and so on. It may be interesting to the reader to learn that the spring

equinox and the autumnal equinox are national holidays in Japan.

Although there is no special or specific celebration, the Japanese enjoy the

beginnings of new seasons. Still another example is that in selecting a home,

the direction—north, south, east, and west—to which the rooms will face,

becomes an essential part of decision-making. The southern exposure brings

the sunlight into the house during the winter months and eliminates the

evening sun in the summer, creating warmth in the winter and coolness in

the summer. Even with today’s modern technology, people still want such

naturalness in their lifestyle. The softening or intensifying sunlight that

changes from time to time or season to season also brings a certain feel to

them.

Moreover, a traditional Japanese house should never be painted with

artificial colors. Doors, walls, and floors use all natural material with

neutral shades. In the modern day, houses may not look quite the same, but

there is usually a traditional Japanese room, which provides the atmosphere

of calmness, warmth, simplicity, and serenity. The depth of its beauty may

not be fully understood or appreciated by someone who has a decorative,

colorful taste, but the Japanese find profound beauty and depth of character

in it. There are numerous other indications—too many to list; however,

knowing the Japanese mentality and sentiment for nature would certainty

shed light on Takemitsu and his music.


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This philosophy, living in harmony with nature, is at the core of

Takemitsu’s compositional activity. His own words confirm his musical

concept and the source of his creative energy:

I do not compose by using sounds. I collaborate with them; however, Ifeel so inadequate because I still cannot speak my collaborator’slanguage well.61

I am a very religious man. Music is a form of prayer to me. . . . I used tothink each tone was like a building block, and that musical work wassimilar to architecture that needs to be constructed little by little, but mythinking started to change when I studied traditional Japanese music.I was influenced by its philosophy. The act of composing is like reaching

a stream, feeling the river bed, and becoming one with it. . . . I now onlythink about the stream of sounds that surrounds me and try to listen toits sounds. I no longer pay attention to its structure or giving it abeginning and an ending. There is no beginning or ending. When Icompose, I touch the stream and express it as it is.62

Takemitsu’s concept derives its origin from Zen philosophy, which sees the

ego, I , not as independent but as merged with the surrounding world, and

puts one in touch with nature.63

Takemitsu had a special fondness for old Japanese gardens. He

expressed his thoughts in his essay, Ongaku no Yohaku Kara [From the

Margins of Music]:

I love gardens because they never refuse people. There, we can stroll orstop freely as we wish. We can look at the whole garden or gaze at one


62Ibid., 52-3.

63Hammond.


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tree. Plants, rocks, and sand, they display their various changes.They are constantly changing. Their existence is in one space indifferent time cycles, the changes of seasons, weather, day, andnight—they are all music.64

Takemitsu’s creative activity involved being in touch with nature as the

source of inspiration. His use of the word, Niwa [garden], in the titles of

some of his works indicates his strong affinity to it. Takemitsu also used it

as a metaphor where he ‘saw’ and heard music. One example is Arc for

Piano and Orchestra. In this work the piano has the role of a stroller

walking through the orchestral garden (Examples 2a & 2b). It is clear that

there is a strong link between some of his music and Japanese gardens, in

that their element of spacing is an integral part in understanding the

spatiality in Takemitsu’s music.65

Takemitsu observed that the Japanese listen to sounds in the

manner of ‘kikidasu’ [extracting the sound you are searching from the sounds

that surround you]. He said that they draw sounds rather than expressing

through sounds.66 Traditional Japanese music has the concept that one tone

is music in itself, and it focuses on deepening the meaning of a sound itself.67


65Funayama, Takashi, Takemitsu T ō ru: Hibiki no Umi e (Tokyo: OngakunotomoSha, 1998), 172.


67Ibid., 170.


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Example 2a: Takemitsu’s sketch, Japanese garden

Example 2b: Takemitsu’s sketch, Arc

Each tone is complete, and timbre became a very important element for

subtlety in tonal expression, much more so than in Western music. Thus it


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became necessary to have a means to express varied tone colors for subtle

nuances. As a result, varieties of instruments of the same family were

created for more precise tonal production.68

Takemitsu was quick to become aware of this practice. He thought

that such Japanese artistic sense and concept of naturally existing sounds

and noises reflecting the whole worldview, and not being mere material for

expression, led to the creation of a highly refined art such as Noh.69 There,

the deepest level of the concept of connection to nature exists.70

Japanese people love to listen to the sounds of nature: of leaves blown

by the wind, of ocean waves, bird calls, a cricket making noise, etc. In a

Japanese sense, they are all music. There are folk songs and children’s

songs about insects making their ‘music’ on a summer day. They call the

insects’ noise(s) mushi no ne, literally meaning insect’s tones. In such a

culture, it is natural that traditional Japanese instruments such as the

shamisen and the biwa (string instruments) produce the resonance, sawari,

which is close to the sound of noise. Its sound quality and make-up are

complex, and in a Western musical sense, it is simply a noise. Yet, it is a

very important part in traditional Japanese music.

68Fumio Koizumi, Nihon no Oto (Tokyo: Heibon Sha, 1994), 27.

69 Ancient Japanese literature of highly aesthetic stage form, which combines dance,drama, music, and poetry.



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Takemitsu thought that the word sawari, which holds

multi-meanings, is the desire itself to draw the true meaning of a sound

[kikidasu], and to listen to the whole world in one tone, and that its true

meaning possessed an attitude of motion that was closely tied to life. This

one tone had to be pure and independent; at the same time it had to resonate

strongly as a part of sound as a whole. It was essential for the performer to

produce a subtle sound that is almost indistinguishable from noise. The

sounds of these instruments are produced spontaneously and resonate

through the performer.71

Takemitsu’s expression of his understanding of Japanese concept and

his philosophy deriving from it would take extensive studies of ancient

Japanese culture and history to fully comprehend; however, for music that

came from centuries of tradition, theoretical thinking is of no use because a

single strum or pluck is too complex and too complete in itself to allow any

theory.72 Takemitsu’s own claim for the uselessness of analyses of his works

finds its parallel here.

In speaking of nature and a pure, independent tone, which relates

closely to Takemitsu’s music, the shakuhachi is another instrument that

needs to be mentioned. Although the idea of a bamboo flute may not bring a

refined image of the instrument or its music, a shakuhachi is a carefully


72Idem, Confronting, 51.


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crafted instrument, made with the utmost precision for delicate tone

production. Its sound is said to replicate the full range of natural life on

earth. Takemitsu spoke of the shakuhachi sound:

Western people separate natural sounds and musical sounds, but in ourcase, a shakuhachi player will become satisfied if the sounds he producesfrom the instrument resemble that of the wind traveling across thebamboo forest.73

Shakuhachi, because of its usage by Buddhist monks since around the

seventeenth century, was often associated with religion, and perhaps for this

reason it seems to lead the mind directly into spiritual thought. Thus, a

single tone of the shakuhachi can bring one to the world of Nirvana,74 a state

of fulfillment that is expressed by a phrase, “ichion jōbutsu.” The Western

shakuhachi master Barry Nyosui Weiss’s words bring a clearer

understanding of shakuhachi music:

The measure of artistry with the Shakuhachi is ichion jōbutsu, thequality of enlightenment in one note. To the Shakuhachi player, everynote and note and every space between the notes has equal importanceto each other. There is no sound without silence and silence withoutsound. Nothing, not a singe breath through the flute can go to waste.In the mind of Shakuhachi master, each moment in this world has itsdistinct existence and then is gone forever; each sound and silences is anopportunity for enlightenment.75


74Montly H. Levenson, “Shakuhachi: The Sound of Nature,” (10 August 2002).

75Barry Nyosui Weiss, “Blowing Zen,” (10 August 2002).


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Weiss has an insightful story as follows:

Hundreds of years ago, the Japanese emperor asked a monk namedKakua to teach what he had learned on a Zen retreat to China. Themonk bowed, stood silently, played one note on his Shakuhachi and

departed. In that one note, he showed his enlightenment.76

The concept that originated from Zen philosophy and has been

imbedded in Japanese culture for centuries may not be easily understood by a

non-Japanese; however, it is a source contributing much to traditional

Japanese music. Furthermore, it influenced Takemitsu’s creative mind. As

a young man, Takemitsu was awakened to his heritage and affected by it,

which led him to develop his own compositional philosophy and style. The

meaning of one single tone became of utmost importance to him. Having

been in tune with nature, he did not try to create a sound. He thought

sound was always a part of nature, and with complexity and integrity, it

stood alone.

I want to give up the idea of constructing music. In the world where welive, there are both silence and infinite sounds. I want to chisel thesound with my own hands and gain one struggling sound. It must bestrong to face and measure with silence.77

Takemitsu opined that the goal of a Japanese tone is to reach Mu, the

state of nothingness. Once again, it relates to Zen philosophy in which

everything exists in relation to all things around. By itself, it is in the state

76Ibid.



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of Mu. As each tone was polished and became distinct, the scale to which it

once belonged lost its meaning. It is as if the sound is refusing to belong

there.78 The state of Mu of a tone has a parallel in the state of nothingness

in Zen, which is essential to attain enlightenment. In traditional Japanese

music a single tone is already music itself.79 Takemitsu keenly observed this

aspect of Japanese culture and traditional music through the master

performers of shakuhachi.

One day the shakuhachi player [for November Steps ] came. I asked

him to play one note and hold it as long as possible. He did so, and itwas ninety seconds long. I said to him I wanted him to make it longer.Then he began some physical exercises. He took my words veryseriously. Three months later he came back. This time, the tonelasted for two minutes. It was an incredibly beautiful sound with avariety of colors. Everything existed in that one tone.80

Another element that relates to nature is the Japanese sense of time;

the sound contains nature within itself and exists in relation to time.81 In

the frame of time, beats exist. In traditional Japanese music, there is no

concept of beat in the Western sense. Beats can be extended or contracted.

When the degree of extension or contraction becomes so great, the music

comes to the point that there is no perceivable unit of time. Takemitsu

described his impression upon hearing traditional Japanese music: “Gagaku

78Ibid., 234.

79Ibid., 2:170.

80Ibid., 3:53.

81Ibid.


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seemed as if it tried to prevent time from being measured. It was static like

an artistic design and appeared occasionally like an arrow shot toward

heaven.”82

The music of Noh also exemplifies the concept of Japanese beats.

The typical Noh text is comprised of combinations of sets of seven and five

syllables; however, these have to be fitted into “Yatsubyōshi,” a unit of eight

beats. In Noh, the dramatic script is emphasized more than the

accompanying music. Thus, it becomes important that the Noh performers

accommodate these syllables by making slight differences in the duration of

each beat, while making the script flow smoothly.83 The beats arranged in

such a way create unique rhythms. Through the use of such novel patterns,

the highest level of refinement in free rhythms was achieved.84

Another concept essential and unique to traditional Japanese music

is Ma. Ma is present in all Japanese art forms as a meaningful space. It is

‘heard’ in Takemitsu’s music almost as his signature. This derives from Zen,

which teaches that the blank space in consciousness, a state of no thoughts,

can lead one to enlightenment. The essence of Takemitsu’s composition is

the somewhat esoteric balance and interplay of time and space, Ma. In a

82Idem, Oto, Chinmoku to Hakarieru Hodoni (Tokyo: Shinchō Sha,1971), quoted inFunayama, 160.

83Koizumi, 180.

84Shigeo Kashiba, Traditional Music of Japan (Tokyo: Kokusai Bunka Shinkokai,1969), 12.


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broader sense, it accounts for the previously-mentioned treatment of beats.

Takemitsu said it was not possible to explain Ma in terms of the Western

concept of time per se, but it was his view that Ma was rather more readily

defined as a physical phenomenon.85 He stated:

The most important thing in Japanese music is space, not sound. Ithink Ma is time-space with tension. Always, I have used few notes,and many silences, from my first piece.86

From the foregoing and the following, it can be understood that

Takemitsu’s thoughts on Ma are as powerful as Ma itself.

A single strum of a string or one blow [of shakuhachi] is too complex tofulfill the role of carrying out the theoretical thinking. It is complete initself. The complexity of its resonance, that makes the tone whole initself, created Ma, a continuity of the physically intense form of the stateof no-sound. . . . The Japanese sensitivity, that was formed throughhearing the complexity of sound that achieves completeness and itsrefined single tone, created the concept of Ma.87

Ma holds different meanings in different contexts. In music, it refers to the

time and space intervals between the sounds and silence. Ma is not

something to count or calculate, but to feel and ‘hear.’

Takemitsu observed that traditional Japanese music holds within

itself many different layers of time. For example, if three musicians play

85Tōru Takemitsu, Hitotsu no Oto ni Sekai wo Kiku: Takemitsu T ō ru Taidan Sh ū (Tokyo: Shōbun Sha, 1996), 234.

86Frederic Lieberman, “Contemporary Japanese Composition: Its Relationship toConcepts of Traditional Oriental Musics” (M.A. thesis, University of Hawaii, 1965), 140-1,quoted in Dana Richard Wilson, “The Role of Texture in Selected Works of Tōru Takemitsu”(Ph.D. diss., University of Rochester, Eastman School of Music, 1982), 20.



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together, there can be three different layers, with each musician keeping his

own time. There is Ma in between the layers. The Japanese find beauty in

the meaning of Ma.88 This is unlike most Western music, in which

performers play together adhering to the same time frame in strict beats.

People listen to Ma in traditional Japanese music as much as they listen to

the sounds. The concept of Ma can be likened to that of the unspoken

thought, with the intervals of silence playing as active a role as that of the

sounds throughout a musical development. Takemitsu said, “Music is either

sound or silence. As long as I live, I shall choose a sound as something that

confronts silence. It has to be one, strong sound.”89

While Ma relates to time and space, another uniqueness in

traditional Japanese music is tempo, expressed by the word, johaky ū . What

was previously discussed about yatsub ō shi has a parallel in referring to

tempo. Johaky ū can be applied to, for example, one day’s activity or the

beginning, middle, and end of a piece, or even to one beat. In traditional

Japanese music, even one stroke of a drum can contain johaky ū , reflecting

the complexity and highly developed state of beats.90

Lastly, another dimension to be studied is the use of dynamics. As

stated earlier, traditional Japanese music focuses on drawing a sound and

88Ibid., 2:172.

89Ibid., 1:39.

90Koizumi, 26.


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“deepening” it, which indicates the importance of expressing the subtle

nuances inherent in a single tone. Consequently, getting the exact dynamic

level almost on a note-to-note basis becomes essential. These subtleties and

complexities also require a variety of instruments in the same family. This

has a connection to the spoken Japanese language, which does not have

accents in the Western sense. Japanese words have high and low

intonations. In addition, they are comprised only of syllables. All of these

features of spoken Japanese extend into the realm of Japanese vocal music,

creating distinct differences compared to lyrics of Western vocal music. For

example, a two-syllable word, hashi , cannot be correctly defined using the

Western alphabet. If the first syllable, ha , is emphasized higher

(approximately in between a major and minor third), it means chopsticks.

Alternatively, if the second syllable, shi , is emphasized higher, it can mean

bridge(s) or edge(s). In the written form, the meanings are clear based on

the use of different Kanji (Chinese characters). In the spoken form, the

different intonations and contexts in which specific words are used would

differentiate the meanings.

The uniqueness of the language, in addition to the Japanese concept

of one tone being music itself, has had much to do with the need for many

different levels of dynamics in traditional Japanese music. Expressed in the

typical Western way, many more signs would have to be used: fff ff f fmf

f mfm mpm mp pmp p pp ppp. Further, it would require a sign


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for each note.91 Naturally, traditional Japanese music would use its own

mode for dynamic indication.

It is not possible to describe the characteristics of traditional

Japanese music in a simple way since it involves highly complex elements

and aspects; however, knowing the integral part of it will bring a better

understanding of the link between Takemitsu’s music and his Japanese

heritage. His mother country nurtured and supported his development as a

person and musician. A much more substantial understanding and

appreciation for the relationships between the man and his origins would

require a comprehensive, in-depth review and study of Japanese history and

Buddhism, and its profound role in the development of Japanese culture.

The differences between Western and traditional Japanese music go

well beyond the superficial and obvious features. The attitudes and

approaches toward mastering traditional Japanese instruments with regard

to tone production, development of technique, practice regimen, and

performance are worlds apart with respect to their Western counterpart, in

which a talented young child can play the works by great composers. A

Japanese biwa master brought enlightenment on this issue in a conversation

with Takemitsu on his experience of biwa studies during the early part of the

twentieth century:

91Ibid., 25.


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We sat [on the floor in a meditative manner] in a Zen temple from threeo’clock in the morning until nine at night for one week. During thattime, we did not play the biwa. We only sat there, but our thoughtswere focused on the biwa sound. Other times, we went to the temple atseven in the morning in the snowy weather with the biwa in our arms.

We sat [za-Zen- meditated] on the cold floor, and when the time came,we played one person at a time. . . . Without za-Zen, the true soundcannot be produced. I learned this later when someone who had neversat [za-Zen] came. . . . You must go through sufferings to gain the truesound.92

92 Yasutsugu Tsuji, conversation in Takemitsu T ō ru Taidan-sh ū (Tokyo, Shōbun Sha,1975), 45-6.


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CHAPTER THREE

SOLO PIA NO MUSIC

I have not tried to explain my own works in detail. It is not necessarybecause the music fully speaks for itself. If I included program notes,reading them would interfere with the actual listening process thatshould be done by ears. Too much explanation may change and even

limit the direction the music can go. It can even inhibit the evocativepower of music, which has a potential to go far beyond what thecomposer could expect. It is only natural that critics are interested inthe written language of the composer since that is their business, but Istill wish music to be experienced with ears.93

Takemitsu wrote piano music from the early stage of his musical

career to the very last. He had a very close connection to the piano and used

it in numerous instrumental works. Even so, he wrote only seventeen solo

piano pieces, including two unpublished works, Kakehi (1948) and At Circus

(1952). Coincidentally Stravinsky, who brought Takemitsu to the attention

of the world, also had a strong affinity to the piano. Takemitsu’s piano

pieces display the effects of various influences; however, it is difficult to

specifically describe the essence of his style. Takemitsu said:

The role of a musician is not to deal with the physical function of



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sounds. It should begin with an understanding of the essence of sounditself and how to experiment with it. . . . It is true that music was bornfrom the acts of men creating natural sounds and from men’s simplemovements; however, during the long history, we came to merely utilizethe sounds within a frame of their convenience and function. The

abundance of sounds around me, they have to be alive in my music. Ifeel I must be courageous enough to let them be alive. . . . A sound has aduration; it is temporal. In that sense, it is vain to construct musicwithin a measured formality.94

Japanese aesthetic values and philosophy are manifested in

Takemitsu’s piano works. The signature elements of Takemitsu’s

sound—sparse texture, spatial placement of notes, meaningful silences, and

the unfolding of musical experience, like a walk in a garden that is neither

forced nor imposed—all relate strongly to traditional Japanese culture and

music.

In light of his compositional philosophy and Japanese heritage, five

of Takemitsu’s piano pieces Uninterrupted Rests (1952-9), Piano Distance

(1961), For Away (1973), Les yeux clos (1979), and Rain Tree Sketch (1982)

will be examined to find how the link between Takemitsu and Japanese

tradition has been manifested in his music. Mitsuo Aki, an event producer

and writer on music, described Takemitsu’s music:

Nature—flowers and grasses, bushes and trees, rocks and sand; they allbreathe according to their own timing. Cycles of four seasons, changingof the weather in a day, changing of the thoughts of a person strollingthrough the garden—they all have their own cycles of existence.Takemitsu sculpted an image of sound from observing these natural

94Ibid., 2:30-1.


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phenomena and finding the multi-layers of time and space in nature.95

Uninterrupted Rests

Uninterrupted Rests is comprised of three movements. The first

movement was written in 1952, while the other two were completed in 1959.

The title, Uninterrupted Rests , was taken from a poem by Shūzō Takiguchi,

which was the fifth poem in an anthology published as Fairy’s Distance in

1937.96 Takemitsu did not intend to depict the poem musically, but rather to

capture the atmosphere of the poem that was very delicate and yet very

powerful. Uninterrupted Rests was dedicated to the renowned Japanese

pianist, Takahiro Sonoda (b. 1928). The text of the original poem is as

follows:

Of never folding wingsCallow moth is enduring the weight of the night’s colossal

BottleTransient white statue is frozen from the memory of snowThe winds perching on gaunt twig are adapting to scant light

AllEver silent spherical mirror on the hill

Shūzō Takiguchi translated by Noriko Ohtake

The first movement, =48, is marked, “Slowly, sadly and as if to

95Mitsuo Aki, “Takemitsu T ō ru to Nihonteki na Mono ni Tsuite,” in Takemitsu T ō runo Sekai , eds. Shinji Saito and Maki Takemitsu (Tokyo: Shūei Sha, 1997), 128.

96Funayama, 84.


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converse with.” It is unmeasured and in A-B-A form with a coda. In its

atonal structure, Takemitsu created the atmosphere of the ominously heavy

and dark night with carefully placed sounds and silence. It opens with a

descending half step with an accent and a fermata over the second note. A

dotted vertical line is placed after the two notes. Judging from Takemitsu’s

concept of the completeness of a single tone and the character of the tones

produced, it is logical to think that he wanted the two notes to speak as a

phrase. The prolonged second tone, sounding pure and strong as if to draw a

sound, resembles the sound of the shakuhachi in its placement and character.

Takemitsu’s treatment of this second tone reflects its importance; however, it

is noteworthy that it does not connect to the melodic line. Instead, it is tied

to the inner voice (Example 3). The composer’s concept of one tone being

complete within itself and one tone being music seems to be a reasonable and

appropriate explanation for such a treatment. In this movement, Takemitsu

used Messiaen’s second mode97 (Example 4; See also Example 1 on page 19).

Considering the year it was composed, this connection to Messiaen is

understandable, but the Japanese quality manifested here at such an early

stage of his career is subtle, yet surprising.

Throughout the movement, a certain pattern is apparent; the music

progresses with carefully attacked strong tones fading away as the next

musical event unfolds. Its timing scheme lends a feeling that it is

97Ohtake, 79.


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happening effortlessly, like a natural phenomenon of the physical world.

This is very much a characteristic of Takemitsu’s music. The recurrence of

such an event seems to bring coherence and unity to the listening process.

In his careful placements of notes, the music flows, with the perfect timing of

sound and silence coexisting, very much in the spirit of Zen.

Example 3: Uninterrupted Rests I, opening measures

Example 4: Uninterrupted Rests I, line 2

The second movement, “quietly and with a cruel reverberation,” is

quite different from the first movement. There is no sense of melody, and it

is pointillistic with a twelve-tone quality. Takemitsu indicated in detail the

dynamic markings ranging from pppp to sfff , which reflects the sensitivity of


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traditional Japanese music that requires many levels of dynamic nuance.

He even placed ppp under a rest sign, which appears to indicate the high

level of intensity of the silence (Example 5). The note ranges are also

extreme, guiding the sound production so as to create “a cruel reverberation”

effect.

Example 5: Uninterrupted Rest II, line 6, precise markings

This movement contains many silences not specifically indicated by

rest signs. Again, Takemitsu’s concept that sound and silence are equal,

with its origins in traditional Japanese music, is seen here. Even though it

is measured, a free-rhythm quality exists, with the held notes fading away

into silence. Wide intervals and the placement of notes lend the impression

that Takemitsu indeed created the environment where “sounds meet

dramatically.”98 This movement does not seem to try to please the ear, but

its sonorities are most appropriate. Indeed, the composer carefully

“chiseled the excess sound” to reach that particular pure sound that always

98Francisco Feliciano, Four Asian Contemporary Composers: The Influences ofTradition in Their Works (Quezon City: New Day Publishers, 1983), 74.


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existed.

The spatialization of time and musical flow in Takemitsu’s music is

reminiscent of a Japanese garden and traditional Japanese art forms, such as

sumie painting, flower arranging, the tea ceremony, or poetry, as mentioned

in Chapter Two. They all value and incorporate the aspect of time and

space, Ma (Example 6). The depth of thoughts and meanings expressed in

the brevity of sounds also resembles the effects of haiku poetry.

Example 6: Uninterrupted Rests II, lines 3-4, Ma

Takemitsu indicated the precise tempo in this movement—one

measure to be played in three seconds. A tone lasting for eight seconds in

ppp is not audible for its entire duration. These silences are active in the

musical event, defining the exact duration of each quiet action. Here again,


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each action-silence serves as a unifying factor in the recurrence of the sound

coming in after the silence.

Although Takemitsu did not intend it, the movement appears to

impose upon the listener a feeling that sounds floating freely in space were

carefully selected one by one by the composer, and placed into an

environment where they could “meet dramatically.”

Takemitsu’s application of dynamics, duration of sounds, entering of

new tones, and the slow progression of sounds and silences produce the

‘come-pause-go’ pattern of the musical event that is neither constructed nor

planned; yet it is like a precisely timed movement of quietly rotating planets

comprising our solar system. This effect seems to derive from Takemitsu’s

delicate use of silences created by soft prolonged notes, which seem to end the

musical flow, as well as from the way the sound continues with stronger tones

entering. It also resembles a leisurely walk through a garden. The

possibilities of spacing of sound and silence are, of course, infinite; however,

created by Takemitsu, they are most intriguing, much less aesthetically

remarkable. In any case, an attempt to describe this sound experience

would be as futile as explaining a beautiful sunset to someone who has never

seen colors.

The third movement, “a song of love,” is measured and employs time

signatures; however, the free-rhythm quality prevails with long-held notes in

slow motion (Example 7). It is quiet and soft with mostly pp and ppp


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markings. Here again, the carefully attacked notes fade away followed by

other such tones. Just as a delicate timbre is essential in traditional

Japanese music within a limited variety of instruments, Takemitsu indicated

dynamic signs for subtle differences in tone production. It is the most lyrical

and sorrowful of the three movements

Example 7: Uninterrupted Rests III, mm. 7-9

The last movement was dedicated to Shūzō Takiguchi. Takemitsu’s

note on the original manuscript sounds confusing: “Since I wrote my first

music based on Mr. Takiguchi’s poem, for the last piece I will also write my

first piece based on his poem.”99 Takemitsu later wrote a violin and piano

duo, Hika, based on this piece.

Conclusion: Throughout Uninterrupted Rests there are no exaggerated

statements, except for the ‘cruel reverberation[s]’ of the second movement.

Quiet, intense, pure, simple, and unassuming are some of the words that

99Funayama, 92.


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might be used to characterize the first and third movements, as completely

consistent with the aesthetic and spiritual principles of Takemitsu and

Japanese culture. The title, Uninterrupted Rests, although not created by

Takemitsu, seems appropriate, given that there are very few long rest signs

written in the score. Further, there are many prolonged silent moments

after the tones have died away. The silences, Ma, are intense and active,

allowing no interruptions.

Piano Distance

Piano Distance was composed in 1961, the beginning of the second

period of Takemitsu’s career. It was composed for pianist Yuji Takahashi.

Takemitsu’s encounter with this musician was especially meaningful in that

it affected the development of Takemitsu’s creativity for piano writing. The

first performance by Takahashi was said to have been magnificent and

almost miraculous to the extent that no one else could have ever achieved

it.100

Regarding this work the composer said, “The title does not have any

special meaning, but it could be interpreted as a small essay on a gradation of

100Ichiro Nodaira, Takemitsu T ō ru: Oto no Kawa no Yukue, eds. Choki Seiji andHiguchi Ryuichi (Tokyo: Heibon Sha, 2000), 75.


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coloristic changes in the soft dynamic ranges.”101 Indeed, the title is suitable

because the music extends to different dimensions of varied tone colors, wide

registers, and dynamic ranges. It is an expanded sound activity that goes

out in every direction (Example 8).

Example 8: Piano Distance , mm. 7-11

Piano Distance is Takemitsu’s first piece in which he consciously

explored the issue of space in music.102 Takemitsu stated that in Piano

Distance he was to free the sounds from the frame of bar lines, and to work

out the connection among truly alive sounds; moreover, each note that

appears the same in the physical manifestation in the score must be

understood and played as if possessing a different character. He observed

that Piano Distance was similar to the structure of Noh, with regard to space


102Funayama, 151.


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and time.103

Piano Distance continues from the pointillistic musical language of

Uninterrupted Rest II and is the driest sounding piece among his piano

music. The texture is sparse and the music seems to unfold

extempor

Documents

Takemitsu. Raices