# Anyone knows Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI?



## DamoX (Sep 14, 2014)

In early February 2014, we Japanese have got shocked with a news; _a deaf composer *Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI* who was called as "Japanese Beethoven" admitted he was a fraud and had persuaded a ghost composer Takashi NIIGAKI to compose all of his creations, along with Mamoru's musical blueprints._

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-26039226

All of Japanese mass media have criticized him as a fraud and everyday reported his lies or wickedness (and the CDs have disappeared from record stores soon, sadly), but I do consider he's not simply a fraud but a real creator (for "musical conceptions"). You may wonder why I would say such a funky thing, but would you understand me via my review as follows?









*Symphony No. 1 "Hiroshima" (2011) - Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI
Conductor; Naoto Ohtomo / Tokyo Symphony Orchestra*



> *A symphony that can ring Japanese bell without suspicion.* What a pity this creation is (and will be in future) unavailable owing to an opinion that the composer *Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI* may be a fraud.
> 
> It was said this *Symphony No. 1 "Hiroshima"* was composed by *Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI* and dedicated to people in Hiroshima killed with The Atomic Blast upon August 6, 1945 (and actually not Mamoru but a "ghost creator" *Takashi NIIGAKI* composed this according to what is confessed by them via Japanese mass media) ... Let me say with making up my mind to get plenty of serious criticism, such a colourful, intensive feeling, that reminds me of Mahler's symphonies as his strong respect, cannot spring out in a mind of a real sufferer in Hiroshima I guess.
> 
> ...











*Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI*



> The last movement gets started with a loud sound thunderstorm reminding the deadend explosion and people in a remarkable panic to us. The fighter has flown up and got to the sky over the city, but nobody could not realize such an infernal matter would happen soon after that ... Oh, what a gentle air they had ... this soft texture may suggest how they would go to the hell. Upon the following scene, suddenly quite sharp-edged, imaginative, incredible sound quake shower wraps us completely, as if we would get veiled into a mushroom cloud and an incandescent bomb bursting. Yes, The Atomic Bomb, that was experienced only by Hiroshima and people there at that moment. What a tragic matter really. Followed by a calmness, that notifies us that there would be neither life nor hope. This period with the depth and despair we Japanese should never forget. The middle part of this track is quite addictive for us ... nothing except empty ground, empty feeling ... and, terrible radioactive fallout and ashes. However don't give up ... we victims could survive, although nothing around us ... we should create everything hopeful FROM SCRATCH, and this fantastic enthusiasm can be found via the last part of this movement along with beautiful phrases and novel sound world created with the strings, winds and horns. Cannot help weeping from the bottom of our heart really.
> 
> Aside all noises around this symphony and the (so-called) composer, this symphony can be one of Japanese classical gems, and let me say again, why can he compose such a suggestive stuff without any knowledge / experience of Hiroshima?


Thank you for reading my post / review.


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## Gaspard de la Nuit (Oct 20, 2014)

I never listened to his music but I heard about this whole affair.......if it's good music, why shouldn't it be listened to? So what if it was composed by some nerd at a music conservatory? It makes for a fascinating story actually.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Who the hell is Mamoru SAMURAGOCHI?"

V


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'd love to hear samples. 

And I agree it should be marketed if it's good. I still listen to Albinoni's Adagio in G minor even though it was composed in the 20th century. And Mozart's 29th symphony loses no credibility for having been composed by Michael Haydn.


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## Varick (Apr 30, 2014)

Seriously though, shouldn't Takashi Niigaki get all the credit and royalties? I'm sure it would be a legal nightmare to change everything, but if Niigaki composed everything, they should keep selling the CDs but change the packaging to show the accurate labeling.

V


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## cjvinthechair (Aug 6, 2012)

Weston said:


> I'd love to hear samples.
> 
> And I agree it should be marketed if it's good. I still listen to Albinoni's Adagio in G minor even though it was composed in the 20th century. And Mozart's 29th symphony loses no credibility for having been composed by Michael Haydn.


Yes, indeed - just listening to the first movement on YT, & if the Tokyo Symphony 'elders' thought it good enough to record (& I can quite see why !), shouldn't Mr. Niigaki be given all the plaudits and encouraged to continue.
Based on this hearing, I'll happily listen to anything else he cares to produce.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

A recent article's linked. *Samuragochi/Niigaki*, the best classical scandal since the Hatto affair. 

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/121185/japans-deaf-composer-wasnt-what-he-seemed


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## MusicSybarite (Aug 17, 2017)

I've tried to search for this work on the Internet, but it's been hard, not even it appears on iTunes, Spotify, or other music sources. On Amazon apparently it appears, but just you can hear it if you live in USA afaik (where I don't live in!). I'd love to hear this piece, despite it's considered a hoax.


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