TORU TAKEMITSU "Garden Rain" (JAP, 1973/1977)

a balance between sound absense and silence...

1.GARDEN RAIN(1974) - rec 1974 - Phillip Jones brass ensemble

2.-4.LE SON CALLIGRAPHIE I-III(1958/60) - rec 1974 - (violins, violas, cellos) japanese musicians conducted by Hiroshi Wakasugi

5.HIKA/ELEGY(1966) - rec 1975 - Ida Kavafian, violin & Peter Serkin, piano


6.-8.FOLIOS I-III(1974) - rec 1974 - Kiyoshi Shomura, guitar

9.DISTANCE(1972) -rec 1974 Heinz Hollinger,oboe & Tadamaro Ono,sho

10.VOICE(1971) -rec 1973 - Aurele Nicolet, flute

11.STANZA II(1971) -rec 1973 - Ursula Holliger, harp/tape

12.-13.EUCALYPTS I&II(1970) - rec 1973 - (Heinz Holliger, oboe, Aurele Nicolet,flute, Ursula Holliger,harp/tape, conductor Jurg Wittenbacher)

TORU TAKEMITSU (1930-1996), perhaps the greatest modern classical composer of 20th century in Japan, started writing music strongly influenced by western composers. After 1960 Takemitsu, in a way, rediscovered the music of his country, developed new performing technics and tried unusual combinations of eastern & western instruments."GARDEN RAIN" consists of compositions recorded in studio the period 1973-75. With exception of LE SON CALLIGRAPHIE which is here the earliest and the most "western" piece, & HIKA/ELEGY, the rest material composed near recording time and was designed specifically for these players. "GARDEN RAIN" unfolds the composer`s increasing interest for water, wind, trees, gardens as parts and symbols of natural. Its diverse palette reveals the individual road TAKEMITSU took between tradition & innovation, giving life, according to his aesthetic philosophy, to "sounds as intense as the silence".

Garden Rain (86mb)