Toru Takemitsu

Composition NameDateInstrumentation
LES YEUS CLOSE II 1999 Solo
Spectral Canticle 1995 Orchestra
Air 1995 Solo
In the Woods 1995 Solo
Fantasma/Cantos II 1994 Orchestra
Spirit Garden 1994 Orchestra
Three Film Scores 1994 Orchestra
Paths 1994 Solo
A Bird came down the Walk 1994 Duets
Archipelago S. 1993 Chamber Orchestra
Between Tides 1993 Trio
Herbstlied 1993 String Quartet
Equinox 1993 Solo
Ceremonial 1992 Orchestra
Family Tree - Musical Verses for Young People 1992 Orchestra
And then I knew 'twas Wind 1992 Trio
Rain Tree Sketch II 1992 Solo
Songs 1992 Choral
RAIN TREE SKETCH II 1992 Solo
Fantasma/Cantos 1991 Orchestra
Quotation of a Dream 1991 Orchestra
How slow the Wind 1991 Orchestra
Visions 1990 Orchestra
My Way of Life 1990 Orchestra
From me flows what you call Time 1990 Orchestra
A String Around Autumn 1989 Orchestra
Itinerant 1989 Solo
Toward the Sea III 1989 Duets
Les yeux clos II 1988 Solo
Twill by Twilight 1988 Orchestra
Tree Line 1988 Orchestra
I Hear the Water Dreaming 1987 Orchestra
Nostalghia 1987 Orchestra
Day Signal (Signals from Heaven I) 1987 Small Ensemble
Night Signal (Signals from Heaven II) 1987 Small Ensemble
All in Twilight 1987 Solo
Handmade Proverbs 1987 Vocal
Gemeaux 1986 Orchestra
Entre-temps 1986 String Quartet
Rain Dreaming 1986 Solo
A Minneapolis Garden 1986 Tape Music
The Sea is Still 1986 Tape Music
Dream/Window 1985 Orchestra
Orion and Pleiades 1984 Orchestra
Orion 1984 Duets
Vers, l'arc-en-ciel, Palma 1984 Orchestra
riverrun 1984 Orchestra
From far beyond Chrysanthemums & November fog 1983 Duets
Rocking Mirror Daybreak 1983 Duets
To the Edge of Dream 1983 Orchestra
Rain Tree Sketch 1982 Solo
Star-Isle 1982 Orchestra
Rain Coming 1982 Chamber Orchestra
Rain Spell 1982 Small Ensemble
Grass 1982 Choral
Wings 1982 Choral
RAIN TREE SKETCH 1982 Solo
Rain Tree 1981 Trio
Toward the Sea 1981 Duets
A Way a Lone 1981 String Quartet
Dreamtime 1981 Orchestra
Violin Concerto 1981 Orchestra
A Way a Lone II 1981 Orchestra
Toward the Sea II 1981 Orchestra
Far Calls. Coming, far! 1980 Orchestra
Les yeux clos 1979 Solo
In an Autumn Garden, complete version 1979 Gagaku Ensemble
LES YEUX CLOS 1979 Solo
Breeze (Piano Pieces for Children) 1979 Solo
Clouds (Piano Pieces for Children) 1979 Solo
Waterways 1978 Small Ensemble
A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden 1977 Orchestra
12 Songs for Guitar 1977 Solo
Waves 1976 Quintet
Bryce 1976 Small Ensemble
Quatrain II 1976 Quartet
Marginalia 1976 Orchestra
Quatrain 1975 Orchestra
Les Fils des Etoiles 1975 Duets
Folios 1974 Solo
Garden Rain 1974 Small Ensemble
Gitmalya 1974 Orchestra
For Away 1973 Solo
In an Autumn Garden for Gagaku 1973 Gagaku Ensemble
Voyage 1973 Trio
Autumn 1973 Orchestra
Autumn (Excerpt) 1973 Duets
FOR AWAY 1973 Solo
Distance 1972 Duets
Stanza II 1971 Solo
Cassiopeia 1971 Orchestra
Voice for solo flutist 1971 Solo
Winter 1971 Orchestra
Munari by Munari 1971 Solo
Crossing 1970 Orchestra
Eucalips I 1970 Chamber Orchestra
Eucalips II 1970 Trio
Seasons 1970 Quartet
Toward 1970 Tape Music
Stanza I 1969 Small Ensemble
Cross Talk 1968 Tape Music
Green 1967 Orchestra
Asterism 1967 Orchestra
November Steps 1967 Orchestra
Munari by Munari 1967 Solo
10th Step (Variation) from November Steps 1967 Duets
November Steps #10 1967 Duets
The Dorian Horizon 1966 Chamber Orchestra
Eclipse 1966 Duets
Wind Horse 1966 Choral
Hika 1966 Duets
Valeria 1965 Small Ensemble
Kwaidan 1964 Tape Music
Arc part II 1964 Orchestra
Arc part I 1963 Orchestra
Arc for Strings 1963 Orchestra
Sacrifice 1962 Trio
Coral Island 1962 Orchestra
Corona for pianist 1962 Solo
Corona II 1962 Orchestra
Piano Distance 1961 Solo
Ki no Kyoku 1961 Orchestra
Bad Boy 1961 Duets
Music of Trees 1961 Orchestra
Ring 1961 Trio
PIANO DISTANCE 1961 Solo
Water Music 1960 Tape Music
Landscape 1960 String Quartet
A Song of Circle's and Triangles 1960 Choral
All that the Man Left Behind When He Died 1960 Choral
Masque for two flutes 1959 Duets
Scene 1959 Orchestra
Le Son-Calligraphie No. I & III 1958 Octet
Tableau Noir 1958 Chamber Orchestra
Sky, Horse and Death 1958 Tape Music
Solitude Sonore 1958 Orchestra
Requiem for Strings 1957 Orchestra
Vocalism A. I 1956 Tape Music
Static Relief 1955 Tape Music
Uninterrupted Rests I, II, III 1952 Solo
Uninterrupted Rest I for Piano 1952 Solo
PAUSE ININTERROPMPUSE 1952 Solo
Pause Ininterrompue 1952 Solo
Distance de Fee 1951 Duets
Litany 1950 Solo
Pause Uninterrupted for piano 1950 Solo
LITANY FOR PIANO 1950 Solo
Lento in Due Movimenti Solo
The Legacy for the Future Orchestra
Cherry Blossoms (arr.) Choral
Small Sky Choral
I just Sing Choral
In a Small Room Choral
The Game of Love Choral
Unseen Child Choral
Will Tomorrow, I wonder, be Cloudy or Clear? Choral
To the Island Choral
Sayounara Choral
Birthplace
Tokyo, Japan
Birth Date
10/8/30
Studies:
Self-taught
Studied with Yasuji Kiyose
AwardPurposeDate
First PrizeContemporary Music Compet1958
Best Music PrizeMainichi Motion Picture1962
Prize for ExcellenceUNESCO/IMC I.R.C.1965
Grand PrizeJapan Art Festival1975
Otaka Prize"Quatrain"1976
Otaka Prize"Far Calls. Coming, far!"1981
Asahi Prize1985
Ordre des Arts et LettresFrench Government1985
Kyoto Music Grand Prize1988
Suntory Music Prize1991
Publication Title Author Date Reaction Synopsis Type
The New York Times Japanese Imports Richard R. Shepard 2/14/85 Neutral Article
The New York Times Music Notes from Japan Arts and Leisure Section 2/3/85 Positive Article
The New York Times U.S. Premieres of 4 Jap. Works Donal Henahan 2/16/85 Positive The most recognizable composer on the program, Toru Takemitsu, contributed a 3 movement piece for cello and orchestra. ..the work seemed intent on probingthe outer reaches of monotony. Review
The New York Times Koichiro Harada Will Crutchfield 12/22/86 Neutral "...the kind of overspecific notation that has done much to sour mains mainstream performers on contemporary music...But...one is caught up in the meticulous exploration..." Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Wind and water imagery, presented in a stylized pointillism, pours forth from...the evocative 'From far beyond Chrysanthemums and November fog' (1983) for violin and piano" Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "But he had a dramatic side as well, evident in...'Rocking Mirror Daybreak' (1993) for two violins." Review
The New York Times Pianist: Aki Takahashi John Rockwell 4/28/80 Neutral Toru Takemitsu's rather dour "Les Yeux Clos" would have been another, had Peter Serkin not presented it in New York on April 20. Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Gentleness pervades works like...'Toward the Sea' (1981)" Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "But he had a dramatic side as well, evident in...the stark 'Sacrifice' (1962)..." Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Wind and water imagery, presented in a stylized pointillism, pours forth from 'Water Music' (1960), an electronic work." Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Wind and water imagery, presented in a stylized pointillism, pours forth from...'Bryce' (1976), for flute, harps and percussion." Review
The New York Times Japanese Music of Today And a Posthum... Allan Kozinn 4/22/96 Positive "Possessed of a keen ear, he produced a lovely blues movement for the film 'Jose Torres' and a persuasive Viennese waltz for 'Face of Another.' Between them was...trenchant funeral music from 'Black Rain' Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Wind and water imagery, presented in a stylized pointillism, pours forth from...'And then I knew 'twas Wind' (1992), for flute, viola and harp." Review
The New York Times Japanese Music of Today And a Posthum... Allan Kozinn 4/22/96 Positive "...an emotionally charged work with a Ravelian shimmer." Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Gentleness pervades works like 'Distance de Fee'..." Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "But he had a dramatic side as well, evident in his guitar works, 'Folios' (1974) and 'In the Woods' (1995)" Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "Gentleness pervades works like...the final 'Air.'" Review
The New York Times Tribute to Takemitsu Evokes a Private... Allan Kozinn 2/11/97 Positive "But he had a dramatic side as well, evident in his guitar works 'Folios' (1974) and 'In the Woods' (1995)" Review

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