# Akira Ifukube



## Tapkaara

Is anyone else out there familiar with the music of Japan's Akira Ifukube?

Ifukube was born in 1914 on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. During his youth, he was exposed to Japanese folk song and the music of the Ainu, northern Japan's indigenous people.

He began composing in the early 1930s and his first orchestral work, Japanese Rhapsody won the Tcherepnin Prize in Paris.

During WWII, he composed several large scale orchestral works with a distinctive nationalist tinge.

After the war, he moved to Tokyo to become a film composer. He scored many famous Japanese films, but no doubt, his most famous film score was Godzilla from 1954.

He continued to compose up until his death in February 2006. He was for a long while the president of the Tokyo College of Music. He also wrote a 1,000 page book on orchestration.

Ifukube wrote in a very colorful and accessible post-Romantic/post-Nationalist style and he is usually mentioned with Takemitsu as the two greatest Japanese composers. Interestingly, the two composers tended to be critical of each other's style.

Does anyone else know of Ifukube?


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## Tapkaara

Well, let's try to get this thread going once again!

Ifukube was known for his famous film scores, and perhaps his most famous is the one from Gojira (Godzilla) in 1954. Unlike many monster/sci fi films of the day, the original Gojira is a very dark and serious film, and Ifukube's music matches the mood of the film very well.

In the original film, Godzilla is an analogy for the powers and horrors of atomic weapons. Made 9 years after the end of WWII, Ifukube treats the subject matter very seriously, I think.

Ifukube's music for this movie is dark and brooding. His trademark use of ostinato is very noticable, creating, I think, a primitive, hypnotic effect.

After doing a YouTube search, I found some extracts from the score and I present them here:

Godzilla's Attack on Tokyo:






Godzilla on the Ocean Floor:






End Music:






Godzilla's Roar and foot falls:






Yes, these effects were also created by the composer. The roars were created when the composer took a resin coated lether gloved and ran it across the loosed string of a double base. He then slowed the playback speed of the tape and we have the monster's famous cry. The foot falls were done by striking an amplifier box wood a knotted length of rope.

Keep in mind this was recorded in Japan in 1954, and even the best surving tapes are lo-fi at best. The sound is muddy and gritty, so bear with it.


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## Mirror Image

Tapkaara said:


> Well, let's try to get this thread going once again!
> 
> Ifukube was known for his famous film scores, and perhaps his most famous is the one from Gojira (Godzilla) in 1954. Unlike many monster/sci fi films of the day, the original Gojira is a very dark and serious film, and Ifukube's music matches the mood of the film very well.
> 
> In the original film, Godzilla is an analogy for the powers and horrors of atomic weapons. Made 9 years after the end of WWII, Ifukube treats the subject matter very seriously, I think.
> 
> Ifukube's music for this movie is dark and brooding. His trademark use of ostinato is very noticable, creating, I think, a primitive, hypnotic effect.
> 
> After doing a YouTube search, I found some extracts from the score and I present them here:
> 
> Godzilla's Attack on Tokyo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Godzilla on the Ocean Floor:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> End Music:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Godzilla's Roar and foot falls:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, these effects were also created by the composer. The roars were created when the composer took a resin coated lether gloved and ran it across the loosed string of a double base. He then slowed the playback speed of the tape and we have the monster's famous cry. The foot falls were done by striking an amplifier box wood a knotted length of rope.
> 
> Keep in mind this was recorded in Japan in 1954, and even the best surving tapes are lo-fi at best. The sound is muddy and gritty, so bear with it.


Ifukube is as obscure as Langgaard is I'm afraid. There just aren't that many good recordings that really push his music out there. Langgaard, on the hand, has been given a nice recent treatment, thanks to Thomas Dausgaard on Dacapo.

It seems that many people just don't want to explore these obscure composers for some reason. I wish I knew why, but I don't.

Having that said, I think he's a very good composer who deserves major label treatment like many other composers do.


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## Tapkaara

Well, all things in due course I guess, MI!


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## Mirror Image

Tapkaara said:


> Well, all things in due course I guess, MI!


I mean do you realize it's been over 50 years since Langgaard's death and all we have is one box set of his music available, which has only become available this year? I mean that's ridiculous I think.


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## Tapkaara

Mirror Image said:


> I mean do you realize it's been over 50 years since Langgaard's death and all we have is one box set of his music available, which has only become available this year? I mean that's ridiculous I think.


Well, I think composers like Langgaard (and in my opinion) Ifukube prove that there are MANY "untapped" composers out there. And although disc of their music may not be many, or readily available until recently, at least we have something.

Ifukube has been recorded widely in Japan over the years, thankfully, so I'm afraid he has received more attention than Langgaard in the recording dept., but the great bulk of these recordings are hard to get outside of Japan, so it is still not ideal for presenting his sound to a world audience.


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## Scott Good

Cool! Thanks for sharing. I like the Godzilla music. Man, that trombone player sounds like he needs an inhaler!

At any rate, I found this - nice and clean recording of Ifukube. Not bad.






He is in a different world than Takemitsu - certainly aesthetically that is.

About obscure music not getting played.

It simply doesn't sell. Musicans want to do it, but they will loose money if they do. It is my sincere hope to encourage all lovers of classical music to open their minds, and hopefully their hearts to the unfamiliar. That way the programming floodgates can be opened, and people can be exposed to all kinds of interesting and beautiful music.

The alternative is the same over and over.

FYI: I met Langgaard's publisher(http://www.samfundet.dk/), and (if memory serves me correctly) much of his revival is due to the fact that his scores have been recently uncovered - they were lost! They are now published with immaculate typesetting (I have quite a few of them, and they appear error free), and available for orchestras to rent at quite reasonable rates. If I am not mistaken, this Danish publishing company had much to do with the recent recording Dacapo series.


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## Tapkaara

Scott Good: That is another YouTube clip of the 2nd movement of his "Symphony Concertante for Piano and Orchestra." It's one of my favorite piano concerti of any composer, and certainly one of my favorite Ifukube works.

There's a lot of Ifukube on YouTube, actually...

Interesting about Langgaard. I'm sure finding these "lost" scores is like finding a buried treasure. Remarkable.


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## Mirror Image

Scott Good said:


> Cool! Thanks for sharing. I like the Godzilla music. Man, that trombone player sounds like he needs an inhaler!
> 
> At any rate, I found this - nice and clean recording of Ifukube. Not bad.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> He is in a different world than Takemitsu - certainly aesthetically that is.
> 
> About obscure music not getting played.
> 
> It simply doesn't sell. Musicans want to do it, but they will loose money if they do. It is my sincere hope to encourage all lovers of classical music to open their minds, and hopefully their hearts to the unfamiliar. That way the programming floodgates can be opened, and people can be exposed to all kinds of interesting and beautiful music.
> 
> The alternative is the same over and over.
> 
> FYI: I met Langgaard's publisher(http://www.samfundet.dk/), and (if memory serves me correctly) much of his revival is due to the fact that his scores have been recently uncovered - they were lost! They are now published with immaculate typesetting (I have quite a few of them, and they appear error free), and available for orchestras to rent at quite reasonable rates. If I am not mistaken, this Danish publishing company had much to do with the recent recording Dacapo series.


I just bought a Hyperion box set of Sir Granville Bantock. Here's yet another composer who has never received his due, but thankfully Vernon Handley has recorded a considerable amount of his music.

That's very interesting about Langgaard. I think I read about this on some website, but thanks for that link. Very interesting.


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## Sid James

Tapkaara said:


> ...these effects were also created by the composer. The roars were created when the composer took a resin coated lether gloved and ran it across the loosed string of a double base. He then slowed the playback speed of the tape and we have the monster's famous cry. The foot falls were done by striking an amplifier box wood a knotted length of rope.


These type of sound effects were pioneered by composers like Edgard Varese, especially in the seminal _Ameriques_, composed in the 1920's. It includes a simulation of a lion's roar by similarly dragging a resin coated leather pouch up a tightly stretched string attached to a drum which the string pierces. He would go on to employ taped sounds later in the '50s's, like Ifukube. I wonder if Ifukube had known this when he was composing Godzilla?

I have the naxos cd of Ifukube's music, and I especially like _Ritmica Ostinata_, because it is not only influenced by composers like Carl Orff, but seems to point the way towards minimalism which came later. For me, that's the standout piece on the cd, I'm not that impressed by his _Sinfonia Tapkaara,_ which seems to me a re-hash of modernist pieces like Prokofiev's _Scythian Suite (Alla & Lolly). _ Then again, I might be wrong, might have to give it another listen(?)...

(Unfortunately I don't have facilities (eg. sound) on this computer to be able to listen to the links posted above.)


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> These type of sound effects were pioneered by composers like Edgard Varese, especially in the seminal _Ameriques_, composed in the 1920's. It includes a simulation of a lion's roar by similarly dragging a resin coated leather pouch up a tightly stretched string attached to a drum which the string pierces. He would go on to employ taped sounds later in the '50s's, like Ifukube. I wonder if Ifukube had known this when he was composing Godzilla?
> 
> I have the naxos cd of Ifukube's music, and I especially like _Ritmica Ostinata_, because it is not only influenced by composers like Carl Orff, but seems to point the way towards minimalism which came later. For me, that's the standout piece on the cd, I'm not that impressed by his _Sinfonia Tapkaara,_ which seems to me a re-hash of modernist pieces like Prokofiev's _Scythian Suite (Alla & Lolly). _ Then again, I might be wrong, might have to give it another listen(?)...
> 
> (Unfortunately I don't have facilities (eg. sound) on this computer to be able to listen to the links posted above.)


It's possible Ifukube knew of Varese. When he was growing up, he and his musician friends were obsessed with the newest musical trends of the day (this would have been the early 1930s). Ifukube liked French music (Satie, Ravel, etc.) so Varese was probably lumped in there somewhere. At any rate, the technique Varese used sounds very similar to Ifukube's to create Godzilla's roar.

Ritmica Ostinata certainly does "predict" the minimalist movement. And why not? Ifukube loved ostinato ( atechnique he learned from the Ainu) and it appears in pretty much everything he ever wrote. Unfortunately, Andre, THAT recording of Ritmica you have is, I think, the weakest on record. If you ever hear it on a Japanese import CD, you'll hear how much more energy other recordings have.


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## Sid James

I think Ifukube is one of those composers who seemed to absorb so many different influences but in the outset, found his own voice. One can hear so many modernist influences in his music, and as we discussed, it pointed the way forward to things like minimalism.

It's always fascinating to surmise who actually influenced whom. Like just as we don't know if Ifukube had actually heard of what Varese had been doing, we're not sure if Varese himself knew of works by Mahler that seemed to presage _Ameriques_.

As for the performance on Naxos of _Ritmica Ostinata_, I agree that it might not be the most outgoing & idiomatic, but I think that the quality of the work is such that it shines through the rather average performance. I actually listened to the whole cd last night, and found that there are great moments in _Sinfonia Tapkaara _as well. I find the whole cd quite listenable and rewarding. Pity there's not more widely available, at this price, of this composer...


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## Tapkaara

Andre, I am heartened to know you enjoyed the Ifukube CD. Ifukube is very special to me (as if you haven't figured that out yet!), so it's almost like a personal compliment to read your remarks.

Ifukube's "sound" is hard to peg. There are elements of old-fashioned Russian music of "The Five," but at the same time, the music does sound modern, and there are even hints of minimalism. At any rate, I think he is one of those composers who truly has his own sound-world, and when you hear him, you know it can be no other composer.

The Naxos CD is a good intro, but it only scratches the surface. But you said the whole CD is listenable and rewarding...and I think that is a true compliment. His style is so out-going and inviting. I'm glad you agree.


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## bassClef

I'm still waiting on my Ifukube CD orders (I have them delivered to the UK but only go back there once a month, or less) but I plan to let you know what I think when I hear it properly!


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## Tapkaara

All things in good time, Jezbo. I for one will look forward to your insights once you've heard the disc.


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## Tapkaara

Another YouTube clip:

Ifukube's music from his final film Godzilla vs Destroyer in 1995. This is the scene in the beginning of the film where Godzilla emerges from the water and attacks Hong Kong. As you will hear, he continues to use the same style of music that he used int he original 1954 film.


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## Sid James

Actually, I think _*Ritmica Ostinata *_is one of the best C20th piano concertos I've heard. I'm making an effort to hear this repertoire. So far, I've been checking out Piano Concertos by Tippet, Berkeley, Lutoslawski, Sculthorpe, as well as others I've known for years, like Bartok, Shostakovich & Prokofiev. As I said, I think Ifukube's entry is pretty much up there with the best. Pity this repertoire is not played often in concert, it seems easier for programmers to trundle out the old war-horses rather than explore something new. There's so much out there...


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Pity this repertoire is not played often in concert, it seems easier for programmers to trundle out the old war-horses rather than explore something new. There's so much out there...


Just think of all the composers who wrote music during 1850-1950. I mean it's really, in a word, unbelievable.


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> Actually, I think _*Ritmica Ostinata *_is one of the best C20th piano concertos I've heard. I'm making an effort to hear this repertoire. So far, I've been checking out Piano Concertos by Tippet, Berkeley, Lutoslawski, Sculthorpe, as well as others I've known for years, like Bartok, Shostakovich & Prokofiev. As I said, I think Ifukube's entry is pretty much up there with the best. Pity this repertoire is not played often in concert, it seems easier for programmers to trundle out the old war-horses rather than explore something new. There's so much out there...


Ritmica is awesome, I agree!

Last year I had the opportunity to see former Ifukube pupil Reiko Yamada perform Ritmica (the US premiere!) with the Kalamazoo (Michigan) Symphony. (Yamada is the orchestra's principal keyboard; she has also been a back-up keyboardist for the Chicago Symphony.) Of course, no one in the audience (for the most part) knew anything about Ifukube and his music, so this work was being performed to a hall full of folks who had no idea what to expect. Anyway, it was a visual performance as much as a aural one: Yamada played with much fire and passion, attacking the piano they way a lead guitarist attacks his instrument at a rock concert. Bouncing off her seat and striking the keys with fury, she really was as fun to watch as to hear. When the work came to its resounding close, the audience erupted in one of the most enthusiastic applauses I had ever heard at a live concert. The crowd went wild, as they say. I thought to myself "Ifukube really could be popular if more people knew he existed!"

Andre, if you would like to hear Reiko Yamada perform Ritmica, check out this recording:

www.akiraifukube.org/cd_information.htm

She plays with the Tochigi Symphony in a live performance from 2006. The orchestra's provincial sound is obvious at times, but Reiko's playing is spectacular, as well as the energy of the live performance. The the orchestra is not as "tight" as the Naxos recording of the same work, I think the enthusiasm of the performance makes up for that.


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## starry

Mirror Image said:


> Just think of all the composers who wrote music during 1850-1950. I mean it's really, in a word, unbelievable.


Just think of all the composers who made music from the 1950s to the 1980s or later. One of my favourite periods for modern classical music is from around 1975/6 - 1985/6, coincidentally I tend to like alot of popular music in that period too.

I do have Ritmica Ostinata in my 60s folder so obviously I must have liked it.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> Just think of all the composers who made music from the 1950s to the 1980s or later. One of my favourite periods for modern classical music is from around 1975/6 - 1985/6, coincidentally I tend to like alot of popular music in that period too.
> 
> I do have Ritmica Ostinata in my 60s folder so obviously I must have liked it.


Hmmm, when do you think the last time you listened to it was?


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## starry

Tapkaara said:


> Hmmm, when do you think the last time you listened to it was?


I just listened to a bit of it now.  I only got hold of it in April 2008, I heard quite alot of modern classical music last year (you can believe that or not lol).


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> I just listened to a bit of it now.  I only got hold of it in April 2008, I heard quite alot of modern classical music last year (you can believe that or not lol).


Please share your thoughts on the work after you've heard it all!


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## Mirror Image

starry said:


> Just think of all the composers who made music from the 1950s to the 1980s or later. One of my favourite periods for modern classical music is from around 1975/6 - 1985/6, coincidentally I tend to like alot of popular music in that period too.
> 
> I do have Ritmica Ostinata in my 60s folder so obviously I must have liked it.


The Romantic and early 20th Century periods of classical are my favorites.

I dislike most modern classical music. This music, in my opinion, has a severe lack of melody, motivic development, harmonic embellishment, and the overall structure of a piece seems to be non-existent and don't even get me started on Minimalism.


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## starry

I think the lyrical section about 7 minutes from the end could have come in a little bit earlier, the percussive idea got a little wearing eventually in the middle section climax for me (maybe I wasn't quite in the right mood). The coda might be a little over-extended for me too, maybe just a short sharp ending would have been effective. Still some nice things in it and that's why I kept it.


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## Tapkaara

Mirror Image said:


> The Romantic and early 20th Century periods of classical are my favorites.
> 
> I dislike most modern classical music. This music, in my opinion, has a severe lack of melody, motivic development, harmonic embellishment, and the overall structure of a piece seems to be non-existent and don't even get me started on Minimalism.


I'm with you for the most part, but there are some "modernist" composers that I do enjoy. Kilar is one, though his idiom toned down quite a bit over the years from being pretty avant-garde to more accessible. Takemitsu is another one, though sometimes I do like him, I also sometimes cannot stand him. Of course, later Stravinsky is rather out there, but he is just so awesome, you can listen and enjoy it without wincing too much.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> I think the lyrical section about 7 minutes from the end could have come in a little bit earlier, the percussive idea got a little wearing eventually in the middle section climax for me (maybe I wasn't quite in the right mood). The coda might be a little over-extended for me too, maybe just a short sharp ending would have been effective. Still some nice things in it and that's why I kept it.


Thanks for your insights!


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## starry

Mirror Image said:


> The Romantic and early 20th Century periods of classical are my favorites.
> 
> I dislike most modern classical music. This music, in my opinion, has a severe lack of melody, motivic development, harmonic embellishment, and the overall structure of a piece seems to be non-existent and don't even get me started on Minimalism.


I can't say I'm a great fan of minimalism. I have Glass's Koyaanisqatsi album from 1982 but that's it. That at least has a bit of variety perhaps.

I think there's some very lyrical and introspective music from the later 20th century which can have some appeal. Some music is more difficult than others. Maybe it's just a matter of getting attuned to the sound because some music definitely can feel like it is structured and well crafted in the best classical tradition. I don't think there has been a genius like Mozart/ Beethoven/Bach, it's more about sampling the variety of music from hundreds of different composers and alot of people probably don't want to do that.


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## Mirror Image

starry said:


> I can't say I'm a great fan of minimalism. I have Glass's Koyaanisqatsi album from 1982 but that's it. That at least has a bit of variety perhaps.
> 
> I think there's some very lyrical and introspective music from the later 20th century which can have some appeal. Some music is more difficult than others. Maybe it's just a matter of getting attuned to the sound because some music definitely can feel like it is structured and well crafted in the best classical tradition. I don't think there has been a genius like Mozart/ Beethoven/Bach, it's more about sampling the variety of music from hundreds of different composers and alot of people probably don't want to do that.


There are more musical geniuses than Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach my dear Starry. These composers aren't the only classical composers.


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## starry

Mirror Image said:


> There are more musical geniuses than Mozart, Beethoven, and Bach my dear Starry. These composers aren't the only classical composers.


I'm not saying they are the only geniuses, I just used them as an example. I could add Schubert and Haydn and some others as well perhaps. I'm just talking about composers who produced a very large quantity of work much of which (if not all) was of high quality. I don't want to say there were hundreds of musical geniuses because I think that devalues the term. There have been hundreds of very good composers for sure, very talented composers.


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## Scott Good

Mirror Image said:


> This music, in my opinion, has a severe lack of melody, motivic development, harmonic embellishment, and the overall structure of a piece seems to be non-existent...


If I read this, I might think you were talking about be bop!


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## Mirror Image

Scott Good said:


> If I read this, I might think you were talking about be bop!


Bebop has melody, harmony, rhythm, and structure. Thanks for dropping by.


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## Scott Good

Mirror Image said:


> Bebop has melody, harmony, rhythm, and structure. Thanks for dropping by.


I was waiting for this! Thanks for replying.

Let's be serious. And lets reference your original quote, as you have incorrectly paraphrased yourself.

"severe lack of melody" - bebop rejected traditional ideas of melody for a more riff based melodic structure. simply put, it is not singable, or hardly so. so yes, there is a "melody", but it is hardly the focus as compared to traditional jazz and romantic orchestral music. it is not tuneful purposely.

"motivic development" - not really evident, only slightly implied by reusing various melodic strains. easily what can be found in modern classical music. this music is not about developing motives, period.

"harmonic embellishment" - there are harmonic extensions and substitutions, but not embellishment. at least, nothing compared to what is in contemporary classical music - not even a shred.

"overall structure of a piece seems to be non-existent." - the overall structure of bop is a series of chord changes repeated over and over - hardly the basis for an overall structure to be contemplated. of course, depending on the players, this will work well, and explore form, or not, and be a stream of fast music with awkwardly placed solo sections.

I love bebop, play bebop (poorly!), and study bebop, but not for these reasons. I am also a hard working contemporary classical composer, and take some offense (not much, just a little) to your analysis of what my colleagues and I do. I am hoping to illustrate that there are quite a few intersections between contemporary jazz and classical musics.


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## Sid James

Scott Good said:


> I am hoping to illustrate that there are quite a few intersections between contemporary jazz and classical musics.


I think what people have to understand about more contemporary classical music (and other genres, like jazz) is that it's actually trying to get away from those constraints that Mirror Image mentions. Of course music by Varese, Messiaen, Ligeti (or Ifukube for that matter) doesn't have all those traits of earlier periods. They were trying to explore completely new horizons, which the good composers of today are still doing. Recently I heard a piece by contemporary composer Pierre Jalbert in concert. It may have lacked some of those 'traditional' characteristics of music, but it was exciting, passionate and sonically awesome. I think this is what counts for me with all music, not necessarily structure, harmony, motivic development, etc. A piece can have those & still be boring...


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## Tapkaara

Interestingly, Ifukube saw himself as a very "old-fashioned" composer. Though he does not sound as "modern" as his compatriot and contemporary Takemitsu, for example, there is certainly a "newness" about his sound in many of his works. In many ways, I believe Ifukube was one of the first true minimalists.

During the bulk of Ifukube's career in Japan, modern European music was all the rage and just about every Japanese composer from that period (1930s - 1980s) went for very avant-garde sounds. Ifukube rejected this style, and he was the only prominent Japanese composer that did. As a result, he was a persona non grata in the Japanese music scene, thought of as a reactionary. When his Sinfonia Tapkaara debuted in 1954, Japanese music critics assailed the work, one even saying "this is not music." Ifukube was very upset by this. I suppose they wanted something that sounded more of the European avant-gard, which composers like Takemitsu embraced with full passion.


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> I think what people have to understand about more contemporary classical music (and other genres, like jazz) is that it's actually trying to get away from those constraints that Mirror Image mentions. Of course music by Varese, Messiaen, Ligeti (or Ifukube for that matter) doesn't have all those traits of earlier periods. They were trying to explore completely new horizons, which the good composers of today are still doing. Recently I heard a piece by contemporary composer Pierre Jalbert in concert. It may have lacked some of those 'traditional' characteristics of music, but it was exciting, passionate and sonically awesome. I think this is what counts for me with all music, not necessarily structure, harmony, motivic development, etc. A piece can have those & still be boring...


I think it's also important to remember that not all music must be "groundbreaking" or "innovative" to be considered good. If the music is good, then I can dig it, if it isn't, then I can't dig it. It's that simple for me.

Whether something is going to be boring or not depends largely on the musicians performing the work, I'm sure a composer doesn't sit down and say "Okay time to write something boring..." no I'm quite sure this doesn't happen.

I'm very much a classicist, but I'm not afraid to try new things out, but I always return to the music that means the most to me like Ravel, Sibelius, Bartok, Stravinsky, Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Vaughan Williams, etc. For me, it doesn't get any better than these composers.


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## Sid James

Tapkaara said:


> ]Interestingly, Ifukube saw himself as a very "old-fashioned" composer. Though he does not sound as "modern" as his compatriot and contemporary Takemitsu, for example, there is certainly a "newness" about his sound in many of his works. In many ways, I believe Ifukube was one of the first true minimalists...Ifukube rejected this style, and he was the only prominent Japanese composer that did. As a result, he was a persona non grata in the Japanese music scene, thought of as a reactionary. When his Sinfonia Tapkaara debuted in 1954, Japanese music critics assailed the work, one even saying "this is not music."


The Naxos cd suggests to me that there was alot of variety in Ifukube's style, even though he was not as radical as Takemitsu. The _Sinfonia Tapkaara _sounds to me like a reworking of the classical symphony, with elements of Ainu indigenous music and influences of European modernism. But _Ritmica Ostinata_ & the _Symphonic Fantasia _bear the hallmarks of minimalism, so they are more modern to my ears.

& it must have been awesome to see _Ritmica Ostinata_ performed live...I always prefer live to recorded music, it just gives you so much more (added) insight...



Mirror Image said:


> I'm very much a classicist, but I'm not afraid to try new things out, but I always return to the music that means the most to me like Ravel, Sibelius, Bartok, Stravinsky, Mahler, Bruckner, Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Vaughan Williams, etc. For me, it doesn't get any better than these composers.


Well, if you're a perceptive listenter, as I don't doubt you are, you'd be aware how most of those composers actually play around alot with the elements of music you mentioned (structure, harmony, motivic development). If I'd have two in particular, it's Bartok, who only uses one theme throughout _Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta _& actually does away with the classical symphonic structure in _Concerto for Orchestra _in favour of a cyclical structure. & Vaughan Williams starts his _Symphony No. 8_ with a movement that is based around 'variations without a theme.' I'm sure you'd agree that many of those composers similarly almost tear apart traditional approaches & they do it successfully.

Like Ifukube, the subject here, in _Ritmica Ostinata_, applies a fast-slow-fast structure, but it's all linked together without a break. Pretty seemless & rhapsodic, more like Liszt's Piano Concertos in this regard than Mozart, Brahms, Beethoven, etc...


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> it must have been awesome to see _Ritmica Ostinata_ performed live...I always prefer live to recorded music, it just gives you so much more (added) insight...


Oh, it was! Certainly the most exciting concert of my life. The energy from the soloist and the orchestra was so intense. It just doesn't get any better,

In that same concert was Takemitsu's Dream/Window. Takemitsu's piece required a bigger orchestra, (not that Ifukube's orchestra was small by any means), but Takemitsu's work sounded "smaller" than Ifukube's. Actually, seeing Takemitsu is better, I discovered, than hearing a recording. Because his orchestra is so big, you really get a better idea how multi-layered his sound is.


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## Mirror Image

Andre said:


> Well, if you're a perceptive listenter, as I don't doubt you are, you'd be aware how most of those composers actually play around alot with the elements of music you mentioned (structure, harmony, motivic development). If I'd have two in particular, it's Bartok, who only uses one theme throughout _Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta _& actually does away with the classical symphonic structure in _Concerto for Orchestra _in favour of a cyclical structure. & Vaughan Williams starts his _Symphony No. 8_ with a movement that is based around 'variations without a theme.' I'm sure you'd agree that many of those composers similarly almost tear apart traditional approaches & they do it successfully.


All I'm saying is there's nothing wrong with composing in traditional forms. Something doesn't have to "break away" from form to be good does it? I mean is this the criteria you use judge music with? Whether it breaks the rules or not? I thought the whole point of listening to music was for it to move you and touch you. The best music touches you emotionally and intellectually I think.

Thankfully, I don't look at music this way. I look at music very simply: can I dig it or not? That's it.


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## bassClef

OK I sat down with my headphones and a Becherovka & tonic tonight and listened to the Ifukube CD (Sinfonia Tapkaara, Ritmica Ostinata and Symphonie Fantasia) in full for the first time - and even allowing for the fact that it normally takes me a while to warm to new music it's a big thumbs up! I'd sampled some tracks online and it was the immediacy of the first and last works that hit me then, and listening in full I wasn't disappointed. Full of vibrant rhythmic orchestration, I'm sure it will grow on me even more with repeated listens.

I did have some trouble digesting the Ritmica I must admit, but I'm not really a big fan of piano music, and I'm certainly no worthy critic of it. 

I'll certainly be seeking out more of Ifukube's works, and those of his Japanese contemporaries - definitely an area to be explored.


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## Tapkaara

jezbo said:


> OK I sat down with my headphones and a Becherovka & tonic tonight and listened to the Ifukube CD (Sinfonia Tapkaara, Ritmica Ostinata and Symphonie Fantasia) in full for the first time - and even allowing for the fact that it normally takes me a while to warm to new music it's a big thumbs up! I'd sampled some tracks online and it was the immediacy of the first and last works that hit me then, and listening in full I wasn't disappointed. Full of vibrant rhythmic orchestration, I'm sure it will grow on me even more with repeated listens.
> 
> I did have some trouble digesting the Ritmica I must admit, but I'm not really a big fan of piano music, and I'm certainly no worthy critic of it.
> 
> I'll certainly be seeking out more of Ifukube's works, and those of his Japanese contemporaries - definitely an area to be explored.


Naturally, I'm glad you liked it!

"Immediacy" was a word you used which I very much agree with. Unlike Sibelius, whose music I believe to be not very "immediate," Ifukube's music is. We often use the term "minimalist" to describe Ifukube's sound, and I think it works to a large extent. The composer admired a certain type of simplicity and impact in music that can only come from having the bare essentials. This is an aesthetic he learned from the Ainu, and perhaps there is something "Japanese" abotu it to. A sort of Zen simplicty, perhaps?

Ritmica seems to divide people who have heard it...I had no idea it could be so controversial. If you don't like piano music, I suppose that will hamper your opinion no matter what. Personally, I find its percussive energy irresistable.


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## Sid James

Hey, Tapkaara, do you have any suggestions for people like me, who have heard the Naxos cd, but are interested in exploring Ifukube further? Do you know any other cd's that I might be able to order from Australia, at a reasonable price. Or is this unrealistic? I would be interested in exploring his music further than this, maybe grab hold of another cd or two. I also have a friend who lives in Japan, who may be able to buy/send something to me here, but I don't want the price to be astronomical, if you know what I mean...


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> Hey, Tapkaara, do you have any suggestions for people like me, who have heard the Naxos cd, but are interested in exploring Ifukube further? Do you know any other cd's that I might be able to order from Australia, at a reasonable price. Or is this unrealistic? I would be interested in exploring his music further than this, maybe grab hold of another cd or two. I also have a friend who lives in Japan, who may be able to buy/send something to me here, but I don't want the price to be astronomical, if you know what I mean...


Unfortunately Ifukube CDs are not that easy to get outside of Japan. Japanese Cds certainly exist and there all lots of them: he is easily one of the most recorded Japanese composers ever. But CDs, as well as pretty much everything in Japan, tend to be expensive and then there is also the cost of over-seas shipping.

Ifukube's 1935 maiden symphonic work Japanese Rhapsody is also available on Naxos on a disc called Japanese Orchestral Favourites. I'm sure that would be an easy buy in Australia.

For piano works as well as another recording of Ritmica Ostinata, I suggest this disc:

http://akiraifukube.org/cd_information.htm

It is available in the US in Japan, so either way, you will have to purchase it over-seas.

HMV Japan (www.hmv.co.jp) is by far the best place to buy Ifukube discs. The site can be viewed in English. Just search his name. Again, Japanese discs are usually about $10 (US) more than regular full priced CDs, plus shipping is about $12 to the US...not sure if it is different for Australia. But they ship very quickly and if I order something on a Monday, I ususally have it by Thursday or Friday.

Also, it depends if you want orchestral or chamber works. If you would like some suggestions for that kind of stuff, let me know.


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## Tockley

OK, I had never heard of this composer, but I'm a huge fan of Takemitsu (in fact he is my favorite composer). I'm listening to the symphony concertante for piano and orchestra right now by Ifukube and I dig it. 

So now the important question is did he write anything for flute?


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## Tapkaara

Tockley said:


> OK, I had never heard of this composer, but I'm a huge fan of Takemitsu (in fact he is my favorite composer). I'm listening to the symphony concertante for piano and orchestra right now by Ifukube and I dig it.
> 
> So now the important question is did he write anything for flute?


The Symphony Concertante is available to hear on YouTube. It is a three movement piano concerto written in 1941. It is a nationalist work (sorry Starry) written as a tribute the the mechanization of Japan. It is one of my favorite works of the composer.

Did he write for flute? Not really. At least not in a solo concertante sense.

There is a piece he wrote called Bintatara (loosely translated means "crazy dance"). It is scored for 16 traditional Japanese instruments including the shakuhachi, which is a traditional bamboo flute.

Hi chamber works usually do not include flute. He like piano, harps, timpani and bassoon in many of his chmaber works.

He has written quite a bit for the koto, however.

So aside from instances where the flute is part of a larger ensemble, I would not characterize him as a "flute-intensive" composer.


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## bassClef

Tapkaara said:


> Ritmica seems to divide people who have heard it...I had no idea it could be so controversial. If you don't like piano music, I suppose that will hamper your opinion no matter what. Personally, I find its percussive energy irresistable.


I wouldn't say I don't like piano music categorically, but it's not my big thing. I can enjoy a Beethoven sonata or even some Debussy or Satie solo piano. I read elsewhere that you didn't rate this particular performance of Ritmica, so perhaps I should try another - I did find this one enjoyable in parts even on first listen, so I probably just need more time to tune into it.


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## Tapkaara

jezbo said:


> I wouldn't say I don't like piano music categorically, but it's not my big thing. I can enjoy a Beethoven sonata or even some Debussy or Satie solo piano. I read elsewhere that you didn't rate this particular performance of Ritmica, so perhaps I should try another - I did find this one enjoyable in parts even on first listen, so I probably just need more time to tune into it.


You are right. I am not a fan of this performance of Ritmica. It's the weakest recording of the work available, I think. The pianist (Saranceva) plays very well, no doubt, but she has too much restraint and is not percussive enough on the keys. Plus, Yablonsky's tempi seem so slow and rounded. It's just a very safe performance. Too bad, because it's not safe music. It should be wild.


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## starry

No doubt you can have a work influenced by nationalism. But that doesn't mean that all works of a particular composer have to be put under that, or indeed that every composer from a particular country has to be looked at that way either just because of where they are born. The artwork is still created and owned by the individual composer and is not owned by any people/nation (under whatever political or ethnic concept).


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## bassClef

Tapkaara said:


> You are right. I am not a fan of this performance of Ritmica. It's the weakest recording of the work available, I think. The pianist (Saranceva) plays very well, no doubt, but she has too much restraint and is not percussive enough on the keys. Plus, Yablonsky's tempi seem so slow and rounded. It's just a very safe performance. Too bad, because it's not safe music. It should be wild.


If it was wild I'd probably like it much more!


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> No doubt you can have a work influenced by nationalism. But that doesn't mean that all works of a particular composer have to be put under that, or indeed that every composer from a particular country has to be looked at that way either just because of where they are born. The artwork is still created and owned by the individual composer and is not owned by any people/nation (under whatever political or ethnic concept).


Ultimately in music, someone's work is a product of the composer. But the composer may be a product of a certain inspiration, so it think they may be more of a link between music and national identity than you do, Starry.

Ifukube is often labeled a nationalist composer. This is an apt title, though not all-inclusive. While Ifukube's music is a product of the composer, the composer is a product of where he grew up. Growing up in Hokkaido, northern Japan, he heard Ainu music and much traditional Japanese folk music. This obsessed him and he wanted very distinctly to import this type of ethnic aesthetic into his sound. So, his music, much of it anyway, sounds very ethnic.

Perhaps ethnic is different from nationalist in some way, but I hope you can see my point. if Ifukube was raised in Germany, this may have certainly skewed him away from having a "Japanese" or "Asian" sound, and thus the music that he would have created would have sounded different. Because of that, I think, again, the national influence may sometimes be stronger and more legitimate than you think.


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## Tapkaara

jezbo said:


> If it was wild I'd probably like it much more!


I know I like it wild!


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## Tapkaara

The first part of the Discography is now open on my site. I have added a pretty nice listing, with images, of CDs that have been released over the years of Ifukube's concert works. (Film soundtracks and such will come later.)

Anyway, here it is:

http://akiraifukube.org/discography_concert_works.htm

You will note that almost all of these are Japanese CDs. It's a shame that he has been recorded in Japan so much, but not much elsewhere.

Also, a lot of the discs are rather old and out of print, so this by no means represents what is currently available.


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## bassClef

Nice collection there Tapkaara - you have all these CDs yourself? How do you get hold of those that aren't generally available worldwide?


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## Tapkaara

jezbo said:


> Nice collection there Tapkaara - you have all these CDs yourself? How do you get hold of those that aren't generally available worldwide?


I own most of these myself, but not all. Anything I don't own is just a repackaging of a previous recording or something like that. These images were provided by a collector I know who is very much a completist. He is helping me put the discography together.


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## starry

Tapkaara said:


> Ultimately in music, someone's work is a product of the composer. But the composer may be a product of a certain inspiration, so it think they may be more of a link between music and national identity than you do, Starry.
> 
> Ifukube is often labeled a nationalist composer. This is an apt title, though not all-inclusive. While Ifukube's music is a product of the composer, the composer is a product of where he grew up. Growing up in Hokkaido, northern Japan, he heard Ainu music and much traditional Japanese folk music. This obsessed him and he wanted very distinctly to import this type of ethnic aesthetic into his sound. So, his music, much of it anyway, sounds very ethnic.
> 
> Perhaps ethnic is different from nationalist in some way, but I hope you can see my point. if Ifukube was raised in Germany, this may have certainly skewed him away from having a "Japanese" or "Asian" sound, and thus the music that he would have created would have sounded different. Because of that, I think, again, the national influence may sometimes be stronger and more legitimate than you think.


If the composer had we are talking about here had been born in Germany his music may have sounded slightly different, but the likelihood is that it would still have been western classical music and would still have been music reflecting his own personality and his musical preferences (much affected by the period he lived in than the place). Now if he had been born 300 years earlier no doubt his music would have sounded very different, but that isn't specifically nationalistic it's to do with period.

There's all kinds of influences that can affect a composer's work, the only thing bringing all these influences together is the figure of the composer himself. The amount of intended 'nationalist' influence on a composer is likely to vary from composer to composer, also what view of nationalism or their country a composer might have will vary too.

What sounds ethnic is again a matter of opinion, is it purely national or how much is this actually as much a regional sound influenced in the past by neighbouring places? What does ethnic mean anyway? Ultimately all races are probably derived from the same area of Africa, so ethnicity is merely an historical, political and social construction, it's not like people are different species. Similarly national boundaries and states change over time, expand or shrink, appear or vanish. And yet people will look anachronistically at some music and say it belongs to a particular 'state'.

You could say music comes out of a particular period perhaps and reflects such ideologies or societies of that period (but that doesn't have to be specifically nationalistic). Of course nationalism doesn't have to be linked to ethnicity, but it very often is even today even in countries which are not directly ethnic nationalistic. Take that away and what makes music nationalist for people....people are of a particular personality? Doesn't that take away from the individual personality of people, you have all kinds of different people living together. The local colour of the music might be slightly different perhaps? Is that really something that substantial, more important than the overall style [modern classical] of his music? I don't think so.


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## Tapkaara

Starry: How do you account fot the features of Ainu music in Ifukube's work? Or how do you account for the Japanese aesthetics (scales, melodies, instrumentation) in his work? Is it a coinidence that a Japanese composer who grew up among the Ainu and other Japanese in Japan composed music that sounded like this? Or would this have been exactly the same had he grown up else where? It's not like this is a fleeting feature of his work...it's pretty stong.


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## Tapkaara

Hey World Violist...did you listen to the rest of that Naxos CD yet?


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## Tapkaara

Just bought my plane ticket to Japan for July 2010. I will be attending an all Ifukube concert in Nikko, Japan. The world premiere of Deux Caracteres pour Violon et Piano as well as The Fire of Prometheus for Two Pianos and Four Hands. Then Symphonic Fantasia no. 1 and then Ritmica Ostinata for Piano and Orchestra.

Can't wait!!!


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## starry

Tapkaara said:


> It's a shame that he has been recorded in Japan so much, but not much elsewhere.


The very reason his work has been recorded so much in Japan and not much elsewhere is because of the very nationalistic bias of people towards music which you think is so important and good, ironic indeed. Of course it's also possible his work might not be as great as some make out, but few of us have really heard enough to make much of a judgement.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> The very reason his work has been recorded so much in Japan and not much elsewhere is because of the very nationalistic bias of people towards music which you think is so important and good, ironic indeed. Of course it's also possible his work might not be as great as some make out, but few of us have really heard enough to make much of a judgement.


Vive le Japon! Vive le nationalisme!


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## starry

Whatever. At least I can look at music as music. I wonder if you are overrating this composer.


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## Air

starry said:


> Whatever. At least I can look at music as music. I wonder if you are *promoting* this composer.


Corrected.

If not for Tapkaara's constant dedication, I'm sure Ifukube would be much more obscure than he already is.
He wouldn't even have a website dedicated to him.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> Whatever. At least I can look at music as music. I wonder if you are overrating this composer.


Air has it right. I _promote _this composer because I think he was a truly talented, unique musician and his works are worthwhile. But like anything else, his works may not be your cup of (green) tea, and that is perfectly OK. But I do not believe that I have ever "overrated" this composer. I do not try to jam it down people's throats that he is the greatest thing ever. I do seek, however, to promote him and if you like him, great. If you don't, that's fine too. I think my motives are fairly clear here and you are misinterpreting them.

Your motives are also very clear, I think. I know you have it in for me, Starry, because I staunchly disagree with your simplistic "one world culture" theory, or whatever it is you yourself try to _promote_. I believe that artists (painters, composers) can be influenced by their native culture and can have certain aspects of their art that are representative of said culture. You do not believe in this. I guess you have it in for Ifukube because his music is very "Japanese."

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm not sure what your motives as far as Ifukube is concerned. I doubt you have heard any or much of his music. But I guess you are trying to hit me where it counts to rile me because you know I am a big fan of this little-known composer. Of course, you have every right to make the commentary you want in this thread, but I do think you come off a little baffoonish in the process. But hey, even I come off as a baffoon in the Mozart threads...but at least I have heard Mozart.


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## starry

Look at your comment at post 60 and then decide who is buffoonish. It's you who wants to make things personal not me. 'One world culture theory'  I look at music as music, art as art. I've heard Japanese music, seen Japanese films etc (and liked them)....very influenced by the West, while also in some ways representing a society which it was created in, as well as representing the creativity of the individual artist. I take the complex view. You try and deny artistic influences which cross political boundaries and even the creativity of the individual it seems, I really don't understand why. Maybe you like music for some exotic foreign pleasure you think it has (I assume not because your a fervent nationalist or ethnic nationalist like some) and taking a wider view of it doesn't fit into that.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> Look at your comment at post 60 and then decide who is buffoonish. It's you who wants to make things personal not me. 'One world culture theory'  I look at music as music, art as art. I've heard Japanese music, seen Japanese films etc (and liked them)....very influenced by the West, while also in some ways representing a society which it was created in, as well as representing the creativity of the individual artist. I take the complex view. You try and deny artistic influences which cross political boundaries and even the creativity of the individual it seems, I really don't understand why. Maybe you like music for some exotic foreign pleasure you think it has (I assume not because your a fervent nationalist or ethnic nationalist like some) and taking a wider view of it doesn't fit into that.


I do not deny the artists can be influenced by a variety of sources.

If you see a Japanese film that has "western influence" or if you hear music of a Japanese composer that has "western influence," that is an acknowledgment that certain ethnic/national groups have artistic aspects that could be considered unique or representative of that culture. How else could you identify it as "western" instead of "oriental?"

If you hear an orchestral work by Ifukube, for example, where he uses a western symphony orchestra, you can most certainly say there is a western cultural element there because that specific type of orchestra that he is using was developed in Europe. But if he uses that orchestra and writes "folksy" melodies, let's say, in pentatonic and hexagonic scales that are unique to/representative of traditional Japanese music, then I think one must also acknowledge a Japanese/Asian influence.

And yes, I do enjoy Ifukube for the "exotic foreign pleasure" I know it has. While it may be played with a western symphony orchestra, there is much in Ifukube that simply does not sound western. Nothing in Beethoven's woodwind writing that I know of imitates the sound of a shakuhachi flute, let's say. So to hear such a timbre coaxed out of a western style ensemble is indeed fascinating to me.

I once played some Ifukube for a Japanese oboe player I knew who had never heard of the composer. She told me after the listening session, and I quote, "His music is very, very Japanese." How could she have come to such a conclusion? She didn't say it sounded very Indian, or African, or Scottish, or Norwegian, or Albanian, or even Chinese. She also mentioned how amazed she was as a "western style" musician that an orchestra could be made to sound in such an authentically ethnic way.

Yes, music is music and art is art and all of that, but there are many cultures in the world and not all cultures share exactly the same artistic traditions. To deny such a thing is like trying to convince someone the earth is flat. It's a strange kind of obsession I do not understand. (Ethnomusicology must not exist to you, I assume.) And let's face it, Starry, we are not going to convince ourselves that you are right and I am wrong or whatever, so let's drop this pointless exchange and I'll let you have the last word.


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## starry

'The west' is not a political state or an ethnicity. It's just a handy term to cover an area in which a style may happen to have arisen under some circumstances. There is no inevitability I think behind the creation of a style, all kinds of factors such as individual creativity and influence have a large effect on this as well as what may suit a particular society (due to economic, political, social factors). Styles also change and develop over time, indeed they can almost seem to be superceded by another style (eg baroque to classical). Eventually over time there can be a multiplicity of styles which an artist can choose from in many societies.

I still think it's ironic you bemoan the lack of interest in Ifikube abroad. This is most likely the fact that some would think as he is Japanese he is not accessible or of interest to an audience elsewhere compared to a nearer composer. I don't think like that, I'm willing to listen to music from anywhere and find things in it which I feel can be relevant to me.

Many cultures have interacted throughout history. Of course some at times may have been more isolated, but generally there is at least a regional influence rather than merely a national one alone.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

Tapkaara said:


> Is anyone else out there familiar with the music of Japan's Akira Ifukube?


Hi Tap, I never heard of Akira Ifukube before this thread/your mentioning. I almost certainly have heard his music though, most likely as film scores in the _Godzilla_ shows, which I enjoyed watching whenever I did. I never bothered then to find out who the film score composer was.

As for his music, well I think it's definitely more accessible/enjoyable than say, the atonal junk of other composers. But on the whole it doesn't do too much for me (coming from the time when folks used the quill and wore whigs).

I did listen to the _Ritmica Ostinata_ on youtube. I liked "Part three" best.






Thanks for a good thread though.


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## Tapkaara

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> Hi Tap, I never heard of Akira Ifukube before this thread/your mentioning. I almost certainly have heard his music though, most likely as film scores in the _Godzilla_ shows, which I enjoyed watching whenever I did. I never bothered then to find out who the film score composer was.
> 
> As for his music, well I think it's definitely more accessible/enjoyable than say, the atonal junk of other composers. But on the whole it doesn't do too much for me (coming from the time when folks used the quill and wore whigs).
> 
> I did listen to the _Ritmica Ostinata_ on youtube. I liked "Part three" best.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for a good thread though.


Probably the two most influential Japanese composers were Takemitsu and Ifukube. Interesting, then, that they existed at opposite ends of the musical spectrum. Takemitsu was surely the avant-gardist whereas Ifukube was something of a Japanese Khachaturian. That is, he clutched onto a somehwat "old fashioned asthetic" while the musical world around him sought to evolve into experimental territory.


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## Sid James

Interesting discussion here...

About 6-12 months ago, when I bought cd's by both Takemitsu & Ifukube, the latter hit me more (especially _Ritmica Ostinata_). But lately I've been listening to alot of atonal/serialist composers, and the Takemitsu stands out as at least 50% more engaging. I still like composers who composed music that sounded outdated before it was written (like Ifukube), but lesser than the ones who were more experimental. Their work talks to me on many more subtle levels & gradations of emotion than the more "blatant" romaniticised aesthetic. Of course not all people are like this. But as I said, I still like the Naxos Ifukube disc, even though the works sounded like they were written 20-40 years before their time.

I also like contemporary Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, for example, whose works sound like they came out of the 1970's (Ligeti, Glass & Reich were big influences, but so too were more traditional composers like Chopin, believe it or not). Still, these more outdated & conservative works can have endurance - look at Bruch's _Violin Concerto No. 1_, which is more in the repertoire than many more innovative C20th concertos. Composers like Bruch, Kats-Chernin & Ifukube look more into the past than the future, but I suppose that doesn't mean they can't have some appeal to modern audiences. But I for one am more interested in pushing the boundaries, going to "uncharted" waters, deep sea diving rather than just wading in the water. But that's me personally, of course...


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## starry

I don't know why Takemitsu is more popular, it could be of course because he simply did more good music or it could just have been the fashion to like more of a modern style. The modernist style has been the prevailing style over most of the last 50/60 years so that is what gets the limelight I suppose. Ultimately what should matter is whether the music succeeds and is good in what it tries to do rather than just about what style it is in.


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> Interesting discussion here...
> 
> About 6-12 months ago, when I bought cd's by both Takemitsu & Ifukube, the latter hit me more (especially _Ritmica Ostinata_). But lately I've been listening to alot of atonal/serialist composers, and the Takemitsu stands out as at least 50% more engaging. I still like composers who composed music that sounded outdated before it was written (like Ifukube), but lesser than the ones who were more experimental. Their work talks to me on many more subtle levels & gradations of emotion than the more "blatant" romaniticised aesthetic. Of course not all people are like this. But as I said, I still like the Naxos Ifukube disc, even though the works sounded like they were written 20-40 years before their time.
> 
> I also like contemporary Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin, for example, whose works sound like they came out of the 1970's (Ligeti, Glass & Reich were big influences, but so too were more traditional composers like Chopin, believe it or not). Still, these more outdated & conservative works can have endurance - look at Bruch's _Violin Concerto No. 1_, which is more in the repertoire than many more innovative C20th concertos. Composers like Bruch, Kats-Chernin & Ifukube look more into the past than the future, but I suppose that doesn't mean they can't have some appeal to modern audiences. But I for one am more interested in pushing the boundaries, going to "uncharted" waters, deep sea diving rather than just wading in the water. But that's me personally, of course...


While I can sometimes dive into those "uncharted" waters of some composers, I am certainly someone who loves an "old-fashioned" musical aesthetic. There is something pure and honest in Ifukube that appeals to me so greatly. While many in the Japanese musical world in the 1940s, 50s ,60s and 70s laughed at him for being some kind of anachronistic joke, Ifukube continued to write the music that he felt was wholesome and meaningful regardless of his critics. (This can also be said about Sibelius.) The fact that he stayed true to himself and stuck to an old fashioned style is so endearing to me. And yes, I am a sucker for this style.


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## starry

I'm not sure if Sibelius was considered so old fashioned. There was plenty of rhetorical 'romantic' sounding orchestral music until at least the 40s, perhaps even into the 50s. Yes the roots of the more introspective modern style had been planted by composers like Schoenberg but I don't think it became dominant until later.


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## Tapkaara

starry said:


> I'm not sure if Sibelius was considered so old fashioned. There was plenty of rhetorical 'romantic' sounding orchestral music until at least the 40s, perhaps even into the 50s. Yes the roots of the more introspective modern style had been planted by composers like Schoenberg but I don't think it became dominant until later.


Actually, I think Sibelius was a traditionalist and a modernist all in one. But he was perceived as old fashioned my many in his time, particularly by the likes of those who thought Schonberg et al were the modern prophets of classical music.


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## muxamed

Sorry, but after hearing some works by Ifukube the only thing I can say is that there is nothing really special there, nothing memorable. Maybe I should give it another try.


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## Tapkaara

muxamed said:


> Sorry, but after hearing some works by Ifukube the only thing I can say is that there is nothing really special there, nothing memorable. Maybe I should give it another try.


Well, if you honestly feel that way, I can at least appreciate your honest appraisal of his music. At least the music that you have heard.


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## Sid James

Tapkaara said:


> While I can sometimes dive into those "uncharted" waters of some composers, I am certainly someone who loves an "old-fashioned" musical aesthetic. There is something pure and honest in Ifukube that appeals to me so greatly. While many in the Japanese musical world in the 1940s, 50s ,60s and 70s laughed at him for being some kind of anachronistic joke, Ifukube continued to write the music that he felt was wholesome and meaningful regardless of his critics. (This can also be said about Sibelius.) The fact that he stayed true to himself and stuck to an old fashioned style is so endearing to me. And yes, I am a sucker for this style.


I don't blame you for being a "romantic" for want of a better term. Many people are. In a way, it's just as important to understand the past as trying to come to grips with the present. The two are inextricably linked. Who knows? There may be many commonalities between what seem like vastly different styles (Takemitsu & Ifukube). They are, in a way, different sides of the same coin. Both men were knowledgeable about the trends in C20th music. Takemitsu about so called "impressionism" (though I hate that term, but it's the best label we have) & Schoenberg's atonality. Perhaps a bit of serialism as well, & Messiaen. Ifukube, on the other hand, explored other trends in modernism, perhaps more influenced by the Russians like Stravinsky, Prokofiev & Scriabin (yes, even the latter - in _Poem of Ecstasy_ there is much repetition, as in Ifukube). Both of them enriched our understandings of the modern world, in a very "Japanese" way...

& I think the term "neo-romantic" is also a bit of a useless label. Here we had the musical world labelling American Samuel Barber as that kind of composer, when he actually turned out some significant (but not ground-breaking) "atonal" works like the _Piano Sonata _& opera _Antony & Cleopatra_. Perhaps Ifukube also had some more experimental works in his output (which was long, and must have been similarly varied - composers rarely stick to just one style or approach all the way through). & we must not forget that Ifukube must have broken some new ground in his film music, as Japanese cinema really started getting off the ground when he reached his maturity. So there are undoubtedly many sides and facets to all of these composers, we just have to dig deep (maybe) to find them out...


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## Tapkaara

Andre said:


> I don't blame you for being a "romantic" for want of a better term. Many people are. In a way, it's just as important to understand the past as trying to come to grips with the present. The two are inextricably linked. Who knows? There may be many commonalities between what seem like vastly different styles (Takemitsu & Ifukube). They are, in a way, different sides of the same coin. Both men were knowledgeable about the trends in C20th music. Takemitsu about so called "impressionism" (though I hate that term, but it's the best label we have) & Schoenberg's atonality. Perhaps a bit of serialism as well, & Messiaen. Ifukube, on the other hand, explored other trends in modernism, perhaps more influenced by the Russians like Stravinsky, Prokofiev & Scriabin (yes, even the latter - in _Poem of Ecstasy_ there is much repetition, as in Ifukube). Both of them enriched our understandings of the modern world, in a very "Japanese" way...
> 
> & I think the term "neo-romantic" is also a bit of a useless label. Here we had the musical world labelling American Samuel Barber as that kind of composer, when he actually turned out some significant (but not ground-breaking) "atonal" works like the _Piano Sonata _& opera _Antony & Cleopatra_. Perhaps Ifukube also had some more experimental works in his output (which was long, and must have been similarly varied - composers rarely stick to just one style or approach all the way through). & we must not forget that Ifukube must have broken some new ground in his film music, as Japanese cinema really started getting off the ground when he reached his maturity. So there are undoubtedly many sides and facets to all of these composers, we just have to dig deep (maybe) to find them out...


I think there is much wisdom in all of that. I especially like how you said the Ifukube and Takemitsu are two sides of the same coin. I think this is very true!

I think there is at least one way in which Ifukube could be considered "ground-breaking." He is sort of a proto-minimalist. I wonder who the first true minimalist in music is...

But this is not to say Ifukube was a ground-breaking composer. It is my opinion that he was not.


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## jurianbai

Been seeing his name pop out often here but only got chances to hear the music today.

Violin Sonata 1985 1





2 





3





I don't care whether this is traditional or modern (as in previous discussion) but this is simple yet beautiful.


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## Tapkaara

jurianbai said:


> Been seeing his name pop out often here but only got chances to hear the music today.
> 
> Violin Sonata 1985 1
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 2
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 3
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I don't care whether this is traditional or modern (as in previous discussion) but this is simple yet beautiful.


Ah, the Violin Sonata!

Yes, a very simple work and therein, I think, lies its beauty. There is something very "Japanese" in the directness an lack of pretension in his oeuvre. Something "zen," perhaps.


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## jurianbai

And here the motto from the official website.










or

"Good music is always simple."

Calligraphy in the old style by
Akira Ifukube

http://www.akiraifukube.org/library.htm


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## Tapkaara

jurianbai said:


> And here the motto from the official website.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> or
> 
> "Good music is always simple."
> 
> Calligraphy in the old style by
> Akira Ifukube
> 
> http://www.akiraifukube.org/library.htm


Indeed, that was his motto. Itself a "simple" declaration of the nature of good music!

Of course, good music can also be very complex and that is not to say there is no complexity in Ifukube. But again, there is always a directness no matter how simple or complex any of his works that I cannot help but feel drawn to. He likes to get to the point. I like that. Simply put!


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## bassClef

I'm not advocating illegal music downloading as a means to an end here, but I recently came across this:

http://avaxhome.ws/music/classical/the_artistry_of_akira_ifukube_2005_box_set.html

As a way to hear in full (and in high quality) works which you might otherwise not be able to hear, or to preview them before a possible purchase, I don't have a big problem with downloading. I don't know how difficult this Ifukube box set is to get hold of (it is in my country), but I'm certainly going to be previewing most of these disks! This might be a way for more of you to hear some of this exciting composer too.


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## Tapkaara

Since I have been away for a while, I'd like to recommend (again) to everyone to visit the official English language website about Akira Ifukube, managed, of course, by me!

I also invite y'all to check out a sample of some music on YouTube. The Japanese pianist Reiko Yamada and the American pianisy Patrick Godon (both now based in Chicago) released late last year the following disc: Akira Ifukube - Works for Piano, Volume II. It contains the world-premiere recording of the full score for Fire of Prometheus. This is a ballet score, though the orchestral version is considered lost. A two-piano version by the late composer does exist, however, and the two pianists are the first to record it. (It's is the first time this music has been recorded in any capacity.)

Yours truly wrote the liner notes for volumes I and II of this growing 'Works for Piano" series. A snippet from the ballet has been uploaded to YouTube and it can be heard here:






It's the scene in the ballet where Prometheus gives fire to humankind for the first time.

Written in 1950, it can possibly be considered a somewhat early "minimalist" work. I hope you folks will enjoy it.


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## bassClef

Tapkaara said:


> Akira Ifukube - Works for Piano, Volume II.


I'm not big on piano pieces but I really enjoyed this. What I'd give to hear the orchestral version!


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## Tapkaara

I'd LOVE to hear the orchestral version, too! Actually, the composer's arrangement of the music for two pianos is quite effective and I can hear a "sort of" orchestral sound in it. Glad you liked it.


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## bassClef

Yep it's easy to imagine how effective it would be orchestrated. Perhaps someone may re-orchestrate it, or would that be sacrilege?


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## Tapkaara

bassClef said:


> Yep it's easy to imagine how effective it would be orchestrated. Perhaps someone may re-orchestrate it, or would that be sacrilege?


Actually, a re-orchestration was recently completed by the Japanese composer Shigeyuki Imai. Imai was himself a colleague of the late Ifukube. I hope it is recorded one day, certainly!


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## Tapkaara

I've been revisiting Ifukube's music for Gojira (1954) lately and do not cease to be impressed by the originality and power of this score. One of the best segments from the score, from the tragic ending:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8TDb...F5C40&index=11


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## bassClef

Tapkaara said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8TDb...F5C40&index=11


"The URL contained a malformed video ID."


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## Tapkaara

Oops, let me try this again:


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## Tapkaara

One of Ifukube's most famous themes:


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## Tapkaara

May 31, 2011 is the 97th anniversary of the birth of Akira Ifukube. I added a little blurb about it on my Ifukube blog. Please check it out:

http://akiraifukube.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-birthday-ifukube-sensei.html


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## Lukecash12

A little homage to Ifukube:

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?p=PL6DA0BB014699D7F0

For explanations of each piece in the play list:

http://akiraifukube.org/library.htm


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## Tapkaara

YouTube is actually a good place to sample his music. Discs of his works are harder than normal to get outside of Japan.


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## Tapkaara

As I am sure most of you know I administer the Akira Ifukube website at www.akiraifukube.org. But did you know I also manage a blog about this Japanese composer?

I encourage everyone in her to check it out, let me know what you think and subscribe if you can. I only have 7 blog followers at the time of this writing...maybe I can pick up a few more.

The blog is at: www.akiraifukube.blogspot.com.

Arigato!


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## Tapkaara

I have been asked by the international shortwave service of NHK Radio Japan to give a phone interview about Akira Ifukube. I am a shortwave radio listener and enjoy listening to NHK's nightly English language service here in the States. I wrote to them asking them to do a show about Ifukube as he is well known internationally as a film composer. (Many of the films he scored are fairly popular.) They wrote me back saying the are interested that an American could be so enamored by a Japanese composer and want to talk to me about my website and other Ifukube-related activities.

It's exciting!

Certainly, I cannot expect that anyone on this forum has a shortwave radio, but if the interview will be available to hear online, I shall give details on the when and how.

I believe the interview will be done over the phone this Wednesday night, U.S. time. I'll provide more details once I have them.


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## Tapkaara

OK, I have the official confirmation.

NHK Radio Japan's international English service will be talking to me about Akira Ifukube on their 30-minute Friends Around the World program, hosted by Mick Corliss and Kay Fujimoto. It will be broadcast on Sunday, August 13. That means it can be heard in the U.S. on Saturday night a little after 10:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. If you have a shortwave radio, you can hear it on 6110 KHz. For those without a shortwave radio (most of you, I am sure!), I believe you can listen to it streamed online via NHK World's website. And if you miss it, it is archived for one week on their website. Just look for Friends Around the World and click on the LISTEN button after the broadcast. Here is the link:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/program/index.html


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## bassClef

Good luck Erik! Post a web link once it's available please


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## Tapkaara

bassClef said:


> Good luck Erik! Post a web link once it's available please


Will do. And thank you for being interested!


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## Tapkaara

My interview about Akira Ifukube with NHK Radio Japan can now be heard online! Go to this link:

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/program/index.html

Scroll to the program "Friends Around the World" and click on LISTEN.

The show starts with a talk about the Obon festival in Japan (unrelated to my interview). After that, the interview begins.

Enjoy!


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## schigolch

I've visited the Ifukube english web sites, and they are great. Congratulations!.

I like most of what I've heard of Ifukube's works. This is just a small piece, but looks wonderful to me:


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## Tapkaara

schigolch said:


> I've visited the Ifukube english web sites, and they are great. Congratulations!.
> 
> I like most of what I've heard of Ifukube's works. This is just a small piece, but looks wonderful to me:


The SAKHALIN LULLABIES are very interesting. Probably the only pieces of classical music in the native tongues of that far eastern island of Russia!


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## tdc

Tapkaara said:


> My interview about Akira Ifukube with NHK Radio Japan can now be heard online! Go to this link:
> 
> http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/program/index.html
> 
> Scroll to the program "Friends Around the World" and click on LISTEN.
> 
> The show starts with a talk about the Obon festival in Japan (unrelated to my interview). After that, the interview begins.
> 
> Enjoy!


Nice interview. I had no idea about all the new places and people you encountered through your Ifukube website, very cool, and good for you. I am currently listening to Ifukube's _Japanese Rhapsody_ the piece that turned you into a fanatic  - very nice stuff.


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## Tapkaara

tdc said:


> Nice interview. I had no idea about all the new places and people you encountered through your Ifukube website, very cool, and good for you. I am currently listening to Ifukube's _Japanese Rhapsody_ the piece that turned you into a fanatic  - very nice stuff.


Thank you!


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## Sid James

*Tapkaara/Eric *-

I enjoyed your interview, thanks for posting. It's good to hear the "personal side" as well of our favourite composers. I have enjoyed that Naxos disc (with the symphony) quite a bit since purchasing it a while back. You were right in saying that Japan has had a considerable "classical tradition" for quite a while now - esp. since 1945 - & I think it's good to explore other regions' music outside the usual Europe/USA focus. I aim to get more of Naxos Japanese Classics series, at this stage I've only got the Ifukube & also the Takemitsu orch. works disc (under Marin Alsop, a good one, I was told that it was highly praised as one of the finest accounts of these works). It's good that Naxos are doing this, as it looks like some of the country-focused labels like Denon (& also Hungaroton) have unfortunately stopped distributing in Australia. It's a pity, but we have to focus on the positive more than negative (& I also aim, when time is available, to check out the clips of his stuff on youtube). All good!...


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## Tapkaara

Indeed Sid, there is a whole world of Japanese composers! Naxos is a great place to start but, of course, there are many other composers from Japan on quite a few other labels. I have been, more often than not, very impressed by the quality of the classical music from this country and the fact that they have had a Western classical tradition in the country for only about 100 years now fascinates me. In a sense, Japanese composers had to learn very quicky (some more successfully than others) how this art form works, and then on top of that, have a stamp of originality.

In my opinion, Ifukube was one of the most successful Japanese cokposers in that he could create a very unique style. Unlike many Japanese composers that were contemorary to him, he did not try to imitate to the letter European music. He created his own blend of East and West, as I stated in the interview, and I admire his audacity to do so; the most popular musical scholarship in Japan at the time was to imitate Europe. Ifukube forged his own path...much like Sibelius...I suppose this is a qulaity in both composers that is so endearing to me.

Thanks for listening to the interview!


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## bassClef

Tapkaara said:


> My interview about Akira Ifukube with NHK Radio Japan can now be heard online! Go to this link:
> 
> http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/radio/program/index.html
> 
> Scroll to the program "Friends Around the World" and click on LISTEN.
> 
> The show starts with a talk about the Obon festival in Japan (unrelated to my interview). After that, the interview begins.
> 
> Enjoy!


Arggh I think I missed it, I've been in Scotland for a week with no internet. Are old broadcasts archived? I'd like to hear it.


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## Tapkaara

bassClef said:


> Arggh I think I missed it, I've been in Scotland for a week with no internet. Are old broadcasts archived? I'd like to hear it.


Hey Bass, if you'd like to hear it, IM your email address and I can send the audio file. (I love Scotland, by the way!)


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## bassClef

Thanks, got it. Nice interview, and a nice story - it must have been an amazing thrill to be contacted by Ifukube's family.


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## Tapkaara

bassClef said:


> Thanks, got it. Nice interview, and a nice story - it must have been an amazing thrill to be contacted by Ifukube's family.


Indeed it was! It's very fun to go from being a fan of something to being "involved" with it. And thank you for your interest to hear the interview.


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## Tapkaara

OK, I am going to try to resurrect this thread.

As you all know, I literally obsess over two composers: Jean Sibelius and Akira Ifukube (1914 - 2006). If anyone knows at least one Japanese composer, I am sure it's Takemitsu.. All other Japanese composers, unfortunately, seem to be relegated to the background completely occluded by Takemitsu's international fame.

Indeed, Takemitsu is far from being the only composer from Japan with a reputation. If one could nominate a group of composer who are the "next famous" after Takemitsu, Akira Ifukube would certainly be in that group.

I run the website www.akiraifukube.org, the official English language website of the composer. The site has been featured in the Japanese press at least twice, one on NPR'S Music Through the Night Programing and recently in August 2011 where I was interview about the website and the composer on NHK World, the international broadcast service of Japan's public broadcast service.

I penned the English liner notes to two recent CDs of the composer's piano music, both recordings featuring world premiere recordings. Through my website, I have been lucky to be the first person ever to write about several of his works in English and I have also published exclusive, never-before-seen (by the public) photos of the composer courtesy of the composer's family.

I am in the process now of doing a major updating to the website and I am in the midst of doing a great deal more of research into the history of the composer's life. I hope to make the updates active by early next year.

Ifukube wrote in a minimalist style influenced by Japanese folk music and the music of the Ainu, the indigenous people of northern Japan, where he grew up. As a composer, he's best know as a film composer, having written the score for Godzilla (1954) and many of its subsequent sequels. He scored two Japanese films that were nominated for the Academy Award for best Foreign Film.

If anyone is interested to know more about Ifukube, my website is a great place to start. To hear some music samples, here are some brief YouTube clips:


























This is all just a smattering and I make no attempt to fully represent his music with these clips. Plenty of his stuff is on YouTube, though, so anyone curious enough to explore more is in luck.

I do not expect anyone to love his music or even like it. Like the music of all composers, it is not for everyone. But, hopefully, some of you will enjoy it.


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## bassClef

I commend your efforts to get this composer more widely recognised. I can only add that, thanks mainly to your enthusiasm, I am now regularly enjoying listening to some of his compositions, and I would urge others to invest a little effort trying him out, the rewards are great. Don't be put off by the Godzilla label, it's not cheap and tacky music - even his film scores contain some amazingly rich music.


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## Tapkaara

bassClef said:


> I commend your efforts to get this composer more widely recognised. I can only add that, thanks mainly to your enthusiasm, I am now regularly enjoying listening to some of his compositions, and I would urge others to invest a little effort trying him out, the rewards are great. Don't be put off by the Godzilla label, it's not cheap and tacky music - even his film scores contain some amazingly rich music.


I am very happy that at least one other person on this forum has found enjoyment in his works!!

It's possible that when people think of Godzilla they do think of old, silly sci-fi films and become skeptical of what Ifukube has to offer. The first Godzilla movie from 1954 was a very serious noir film and Ifukube took the subject quite seriously. The first video clip I posted right above here "Godzilla under the Sea" is a great example of the dirge-like quality of his music from that film. Very feew monster movies from that period had music as sincere as this!

I am really trying to get some activity on this thread. I feel like a shop keeper ready to get customers but everyone keeps walking by.


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## aleazk

I'm listening to the other pieces now, but i found the part after 2:25, in "deux caracteres", to be simply brilliant. Thanks!


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## Tapkaara

aleazk said:


> I'm listening to the other pieces now, but i found the part after 2:25, in "deux caracteres", to be simply brilliant. Thanks!


Deux caracters actually has three parts, despite its name. I posted the first movement here. You can hear the rest of it on YouTube. Glad you enjoyed it. This recording is from one of the discs that I collabroated on.

It always reminded me ever so slightly of Bartok.


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## Philip

The first clip of the above Youtube links is just lovely, this is the kind of film music that i enjoy most. Although, at the same time, it makes me feel extremely tense and uneasy. The ambiance created by the character of these old recordings is always very nostalgic.

I think Ifukube was right when saying that simpler music is often the most beautiful.


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## Tapkaara

Philip said:


> The first clip of the above Youtube links is just lovely, this is the kind of film music that i enjoy most. Although, at the same time, it makes me feel extremely tense and uneasy. The ambiance created by the character of these old recordings is always very nostalgic.
> 
> I think Ifukube was right when saying that simpler music is often the most beautiful.


Without going into much detail, that clip if from the climax of the film where Godzilla is killed but also one of the main characters commits suicide in the process. So yes, I would say there is defintely unease and tensity in the music. I am very pleased that you picked up on that!

And yes, that is the original 1954 recording from the film. Even by 1954 standards, I think their recording equipment at the time was quite primitive, so the recording actually sounds much older. The film was made only 9 years after WWII, and I think Japan still had a ways to go before they began to enjoy comparable...and perhaps superior...technology than the West. I agree, though, there is a sense of nostaligia to hear such things!


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## TrevBus

Once I discovered Shiro Fukai on the Naxos label of Japanese composers, I have tired to collect them all. I don't know that I have but I have a lot and enjoy them. Akira Ifukube is also one of them. Like all on the disc but esp. Sinfonia Tapkaara. Here some more on the Naxos label. The last 3 are on the Camerata label.

Isotaro Sugata
Koscak Yamada
Akio Yashiro
Humiwo Hayasaka
Qunihico Hashimoto
Toshiro Mayuzumi
Saburo Moroi(my favorite.)
Teizo Mtsumura
Hisato Ohzawa
Masao Ohki(Sym.#5-'Hirsoshima'---Dissonant but heartbreaking and moving)
Hiroshi Ohguri(Violin Concerto--WOW!!!!)
Komei ABE

Sadao Bekku 
Teruyuki Noda (a bit difficult but after further listning, compelling)
Shuko Mizuno


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## PetrB

Tapkaara said:


> Well, let's try to get this thread going once again!
> 
> Ifukube was known for his famous film scores, and perhaps his most famous is the one from Gojira (Godzilla) in 1954. Unlike many monster/sci fi films of the day, the original Gojira is a very dark and serious film, and Ifukube's music matches the mood of the film very well.
> 
> In the original film, Godzilla is an analogy for the powers and horrors of atomic weapons. Made 9 years after the end of WWII, Ifukube treats the subject matter very seriously, I think.
> 
> Ifukube's music for this movie is dark and brooding. His trademark use of ostinato is very noticable, creating, I think, a primitive, hypnotic effect.
> 
> After doing a YouTube search, I found some extracts from the score and I present them here:
> 
> Godzilla's Attack on Tokyo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Godzilla on the Ocean Floor:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> End Music:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Godzilla's Roar and foot falls:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Yes, these effects were also created by the composer. The roars were created when the composer took a resin coated lether gloved and ran it across the loosed string of a double base. He then slowed the playback speed of the tape and we have the monster's famous cry. The foot falls were done by striking an amplifier box wood a knotted length of rope.
> 
> Keep in mind this was recorded in Japan in 1954, and even the best surving tapes are lo-fi at best. The sound is muddy and gritty, so bear with it.


Youtube Account DELETED....


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## Tapkaara

PetrB said:


> Youtube Account DELETED....


Here is Godzilla on the Ocean Floor.


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