# Akira Miyoshi



## Trout

It is a shame that Miyoshi's recent passing went hardly noticed on TC as it seems that he is a very fascinating and important Japanese composer, having won acclaim and a number of Otaka prizes for his works. Like Takemitsu, his music comprises of a blend of native Japanese and Western techniques, especially those of some of their eminent French contemporaries. Miyoshi studied with and was very much influenced by Henri Dutilleux, but still created a style that was all his own.

I have listened to a few of his pieces from the available piano, chamber, and orchestral recordings, which is not much, but fantastic nevertheless. I am enjoying Yukiko Kojima's performance of some of Miyoshi's piano works, especially _Chaînes (Préludes)_ which definitely has some hints of Messiaen yet with a sense of free-flowing passion (not on Youtube, but can be found on Spotify).









However, the work that hit me over the head was his _Concerto for Orchestra_ very much along the lines of Ruggles with its percussive intensity and bursts of orchestral eruptions amid calmer and flowing interludes. It is available on Youtube here: 



, but unfortunately, I cannot find an available CD version of it online (perhaps others know of some better distributors for more obscure music). This is what the cover looks like, though:










Anyway, any thoughts on Miyoshi and his works? I would love to delve further into his oeuvre, so any mentions of favorite works or performances would be greatly appreciated. But any opinions regarding the works I posted or others are totally welcome as well.


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## Mahlerian

I have this CD in its Apex reissue, but the cover here is better.









Anyway, the Miyoshi piece on it, String Quartet No. 3 "Constellation in Black", is only about 5 minutes long, and it's a pretty well-developed miniature with expressionist overtones. I feel it's overshadowed by the Yashiro, Hosokawa, and Takemitsu pieces on the disc.

I have heard the piano disc. I enjoyed it, but it didn't really strike me all that much. I'll have to try the Concerto for Orchestra.


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## Trout

Thanks Mahlerian for your swift and helpful reply, as always. I hope you enjoy the _Concerto for Orchestra_ and that it is seen as more than as simply a _Rite of Spring_ pastiche.

Out of curiosity, it seems you have mentioned Yashiro favorably quite a few times on the forums. Would he be your next favorite Japanese composer? I would be very interested to know more about him, but perhaps a new Guestbook thread would be more appropriate.


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## Mahlerian

I've checked Amazon.co.jp, and found two CD printings of the above recording, both out of print and available only from sellers who won't ship internationally (and at high prices, too).



Trout said:


> Thanks Mahlerian for your swift and helpful reply, as always. I hope you enjoy the _Concerto for Orchestra_ and that it is seen as more than as simply a _Rite of Spring_ pastiche.


Thanks, I'll listen later.



Trout said:


> Out of curiosity, it seems you have mentioned Yashiro favorably quite a few times on the forums. Would he be your next favorite Japanese composer? I would be very interested to know more about him, but perhaps a new Guestbook thread would be more appropriate.


I don't know if I would say I have a second favorite Japanese composer. I enjoy pieces from a number of others (Matsumura, Yashiro, Akutagawa, Mayuzumi, Hosokawa, Miyoshi), but all of them besides Takemitsu strike me as fine second tier composers rather than fully individual masters. I would love to find another Japanese composer to love as much as Takemitsu, but not yet.

That said, Yashiro is a worthy composer with a very small output, and I could take some time to hear the pieces I haven't yet (shame on me) and create a thread.


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## Trout

Mahlerian said:


> I've checked Amazon.co.jp, and found two CD printings of the above recording, both out of print and available only from sellers who won't ship internationally (and at high prices, too).


That's a shame that it is not feasible to obtain a copy. Hopefully it will be re-issued or re-recorded soon in light of the late Miyoshi.



Mahlerian said:


> I don't know if I would say I have a second favorite Japanese composer. I enjoy pieces from a number of others (Matsumura, Yashiro, Akutagawa, Mayuzumi, Hosokawa, Miyoshi), but all of them besides Takemitsu strike me as fine second tier composers rather than fully individual masters. I would love to find another Japanese composer to love as much as Takemitsu, but not yet.
> 
> That said, Yashiro is a worthy composer with a very small output, and I could take some time to hear the pieces I haven't yet (shame on me) and create a thread.


If you plan on creating it, I would definitely be looking forward to it. I find it quite fascinating that there are a number of Japanese composers that draw their inspiration from fairly similar sources, yet veer off in some disparate directions which makes me excited to continue discovering these composers.


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