Masaru Kawasaki
Masaru Kawasaki 川崎 優 | |
---|---|
Born | (1924-04-19)19 April 1924 Hiroshima |
Died | 29 November 2018(2018-11-29) (aged 94) Tokyo |
Genres | Classical |
Occupation(s) | Composer, conductor, teacher, flautist |
Instrument | Flute |
Years active | 1955-2018 |
Website | sites |
Masaru Kawasaki (川崎 優, Kawasaki Masaru, 19 April 1924 – 29 November 2018) was a Japanese conductor and composer.[1][2] He was known for writing original compositions specifically for concert band, as did Toshio Akiyama and Ichitaro Tsujii,[3] but has also written many works for the flute.[4][5][6][7][8]
Biography
Born in Hiroshima,[9] Japan, as the son of an opera singer, he was in his second year[10] at music school when he was drafted into the Second Unit, Hiroshima Transport Corps[10] of the Japanese army, age 19.[11] This took him to Hiroshima, where he worked on sonar due to his good hearing (but poor sight).[11] He was there when the city was obliterated by the atomic bomb in 1945,[11] being only 1.5 km from the epicenter of the blast and suffering horrendous injuries which were still being treated 60 years later.[10][12] He is thus a Hibakusha.[10]
After the war he studied at Tokyo University of the Arts under Saburō Moroi,[6] graduating in 1949. Later, in 1965-66 he had the opportunity to study further at the Juilliard School of Music, in New York, under Vincent Persichetti and Václav Nelhýbel.[10]
He was professor of composition, music theory and flute at Tokoha Gakuen University,[13] lecturer in flute and woodwind ensemble at Tokyo University of the Arts,[13] and director of 'Tokyo Wind Symphony Orchestra' ja:東京吹奏楽団.[10]
He was active in WASBE, the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles and the Japanese Bandmasters Association.[13]
He also was musical director from 1979 to 1994 of the "International Youth Musicale" in Shizuoka, Japan,[13] and took part as adjudicator in many international music competitions. He himself won numerous awards, such as the Composition Prize of the Ministry of Education (1956),[7] NHK Presidential Composition Prize (1956; both at the National Arts Festival),[8] and UNESCO fellowship for Creative Artist (1966-1967).[6]
He has written opera, solo and ensemble pieces including many for wind band, and published many works for and about this format.[10]
Despite initially being reluctant to take up the atomic bombing as a theme in his music,[11][12] he eventually felt he had a "mission as an A-bomb victim"[12] and in 1975[12] composed the first in a series of "Prayer music",[12] the "Dirge" which was requested by[11] and dedicated to the city of Hiroshima[12] and has since been played every year on 6 August at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.[11][12] As of 2012 he was still composing pieces in this series,[8] and has said "I have made it a personal commitment to continue creating compositions in tribute to all the victims of the atomic bomb".[11]
He lived in Chigasaki, with his dog.[10] He had two sons from his wife Taeko Koide, and enjoyed gardening.[13] Some of his children and grandchildren have worked or attended university in the U.S.A.[11] and his own works have also been published in America.[6][12]
Selected works
Orchestral works
- 1955 Suite for Orchestra
- 1956 Suite Warabe-Uta for choir and orchestra
- 1957 Symphony on the thematic material inspired by Japanese folk songs
- 1997 Prayer music No.1 "Dirge"[6]
- 2010 Piccolo Concerto[7]
Wind Band Works
- 1963 March lay of Hope[14]
- 1966 March Forward for Peace[14]
- 1966 Warabe-Uta for Symphonic Band[14]
- 1969 March Expo' 70 (March Progress and Harmony)[14]
- 1969 The Sketch of Pastoral Scenery[14]
- 1970 Harmony with Progress march - reworking of EXPO March[14]
- 1971 Fantasy for Symphonic Band for the 1971 music festival in Uster, Switzerland
- 1973 Scherzando Suite for Symphonic Band for the 1974 Uster music festival[14]
- Prologue
- Pastorale
- Intermezzo
- Perpetual mobile
- Epilogue
- 1973 Fantasia on folk themes for wind band - to commemorate the 30th anniversary of publisher Ongaku no Tomo[14]
- 1974 Three little Fantasy on the thematic material inspired by Japanese children's song[14]
- Rabbit
- Evening grow
- Wild goose
- 1975 Dirge: Prayer Music for Band No. 1[14]
- 1976 Poem for Symphonic Band[14]
- 1976 Poetic Tune
- 1977 Elegy: Prayer Music for Band No. 2 - first performed in Uster[14]
- 1978 Fireworks Music on Festival - first performed in Geneva[14]
- 1979 Romantic Episode for the 1981 Uster music festival[14]
- 1982 Romance for Trumpet and Symphonic Band[14]
- 1982 Cupid March[14]
- 1983 Jugenparade
- 1986 Jugend Parade march[14]
- 1986 Song of Hiroshima: Prayer music No.3 for Symphonic Band[14]
- 1989 Der Alte im Märchenland
- Fantasy in Folk Song Style
Stage works
- 1957 The Fountain of Hawk Opera about a young Noh actor; for soprano, tenor, baritone, choir and piano[4][6]
Vocal/Choral Works
- 1956 The Sea for massed choirs[7]
- 1966 Mugon ka (Song Without Words)
- 1968 Tanpopo (Dandelion)
- 1973 Kozue (Treetop)
- 1973 Singing from the Bottom of my Heart for massed choirs
- 1975 Paean of Ocean Exposition
- 1977 Cherry Blossoms of Japan for massed choirs; text by Maria Hodgson
- 2006 Love You Dearly[6]
- 2006 Daddy’s Lullaby[6]
Chamber Music etc.
- 1958 Sonate nr. 1 for Flute and Piano
- 1961 Sonata No.2 for Flute and Piano[7]
- 1963 Essay on a Day for Flute and Piano
- 1965 String quartet primo[7]
- 1965 String quartet in two movements
- Allegro
- Adagio ma non troppo
- 1972 Two Movements for flute
- 1973 Two Pieces for Flute
- Andantino
- Lento
- 1975 Warabe-Uta for Flute and Piano
- Lullaby
- Zui Zui Zukkorobashi
- Sunset
- Rabbit
- Grip your hand and open your hand
- When this day breaks
- Pass by
- Wild Goose
- 1984 Cantabile for piano
- 1985 Uta-Vocalize Japanesque for Flute and Piano
- 1988 Nine Dodecaphonic Pieces for two flutes - exercises for twelve-tone music playing
- 1990 La Lagrima for Flute and Piano
- 1991 Three Lyric Pieces for Flute and Piano
- Lullaby
- Aria
- serenade
- 1992 In the Depth of Night for Flute and Cello
- 1994 He Kisses the Flute for Flute, Soprano and Piano
- 1995 Fantastic Composition for Flute and Piano
- 1996 Invitation to the Rhythm for Flute, Percussion and Piano
- 1998 Pretty Violinist for Viol and Piano
- 2001 Theme and Variations on 'Nel cor Piu non mi Sento' (flute/piano)[4]
- 2002 A Ballad for Solo Bass Clarinet[4]
- 2003 Omnibus Piece (flute/piano)[5]
- 2004 Flowing Tune "The Reverie" (flute/piano)[5]
- 2004 String Trio "La improvvisazione", first performed in Cremona[5][6]
- 2005 Longing (Akogare) (flute/piano)[6]
- 2006 La Preghiera (Inori), Prayer Music No. 4 for viola solo[6]
- 2006 Matins (Akatsuki no Inori), Prayer Music No. 5 for flute/piano[6]
- 2006 12 Pieces for piano in the Relaxed Mood (Kutsurogi no Piano)[6]
- 2010 Vespers (Yuube no Inori), Prayer Music No. 6 for flute/piano[7]
- 2012 After the long years (Iku seisou sugiru to mo), Prayer Music No.7 for flute/piano[8]
Works for flute choir or flute orchestra
- 1984 Crystal for flute orchestra
- 1986 Romantic Episode for flute orchestra
- 1987 March Cupid for flute orchestra
- 1992 La Storia dei fiori for flute choir (flutes 1/2/3, alto flute, bass flute)
- Crocuc
- Don't-forget me not
- Sweet pea
- Sun flower
- 1993 Two Pieces from Greek Myths for flute choir
- Seven maidens pursued by Orion
- Flowers born from the tears of Aphrodite
- 1994 Yuki-Onna for flute choir
- 1995 Fenice for flute choir
- 1996 Per gli amanti for flute choir
- 1997 Pinocchio for flute choir
- 1998 Composition for Flute Choir No. 1 "Hymn for Celesta"
- Prologue
- Dialogue
- Celestial Serenade
- 2000 Composition for Flute Choir No. 2 "Digital piano"
- A piece for Harpsichord in memory of Maestro Joaquin Rodorigo
- La Campana e il Canto
- 2003 Romance for flute orchestra[5]
Bibliography
- Wolfgang Suppan, Armin Suppan: Das Neue Lexikon des Blasmusikwesens, 4. Auflage, Freiburg-Tiengen, Blasmusikverlag Schulz GmbH, 1994, ISBN 3-923058-07-1
- Works by Japanese composers 1991-1992, Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 118 p.
- Works by Japanese composers 1989-1990, Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 112 p.
- Works by Japanese composers 1983-1984, Compiled by the Japan Federation of Composers, Tokyo: Japan Federation of Composers, 111 p.
- Paul E. Bierley, William H. Rehrig: The heritage encyclopedia of band music : composers and their music, Westerville, Ohio: Integrity Press, 1991, ISBN 0-918048-08-7
- David M. Cummings, Dennis K. McIntire: International who's who in music and musician's directory - (in the classical and light classical fields), Twelfth edition 1990/91, Cambridge, England: International Who's Who in Music, 1991. 1096 p., ISBN 0-948875-20-8
- Hitoshi Matsushita: A checklist of published instrumental music by Japanese composers, Tokyo: Academia Music Ltd., 1989. 181 p., ISBN 4-870170-39-6
- Norman E. Smith: March music notes, Lake Charles, La.: Program Note Press, 1986, ISBN 978-0-9617346-1-9
- Norman E. Smith, Albert Stoutamire: Band Music Notes.- Composer Information and Program Notes for over 600 Band Favorites, Revised Edition, Neil A. Kjos Music Company, San Diego, CA, 1977, 1979, 1989. ISBN 0-8497-5401-1
- Japanese composers and their works (since 1868), Tokyo: 1972
References
- ^ "川崎優 - pastport". pastport.jp.
- ^ "広島平和記念式典の哀悼曲作曲 川崎優さん死去、94歳" [Mourning composer of Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony Composition – Yu Kawasaki died, 94 years old], Asahi Shimbun, 6 December 2018 (in Japanese)
- ^ American Influences on Japanese Bands, Timothy J. Groulx in Music Education Research International, Volume 3, 2009, citing Wright, A. G. (1970). Marching Bands in Japan. Instrumentalist, 25(4), 50-51. and Wright, A. G. (1975). Marching Bands in Japan. Instrumentalist, 30(3), 32-34.
- ^ a b c d http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2002.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c d e http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2004.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2006.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c d e f g http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2009.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ a b c d http://www.suntory.co.jp/sfa/music/publication/pdf/list2011.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "広島平和記念式典の哀悼曲作曲 川崎優さん死去、94歳". 朝日新聞デジタル. 6 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "神奈川・川崎優さん〈核といのちを考える 遺す〉". 朝日新聞デジタル. 31 July 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Composer continues to honor victims of Hiroshima". Colorado Springs Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki". Asahi Shimbun.
- ^ a b c d e March music notes, Norman E. Smith, Program Note Press, 1986, page 235
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "川崎優 作品". so-net.ne.jp.
External links
- Official home page (English)
- Short video interview at age 90 (in Japanese)
- Recording of Dirge at the Hiroshima Peace Ceremony
- Published flute and ocarina works
- Organ arrangement of Dirge (sheet music)