Takashi Yoshimatsu: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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{{short description|Japanese classical music composer (born 1953)}}

{{nihongo|'''Takashi Yoshimatsu'''|吉松 隆|Yoshimatsu Takashi}} (born March 18, 1953) is a contemporary [[Japanese people|Japanese]] composer of classical music. He is well known for composing the 2003 remake of [[Astro Boy]].▼

{{Infobox person

| name = Takashi Yoshimatsu

| native_name = 吉松 隆

| native_name_lang = ja

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1953|3|18}}

| birth_place = [[Yoyogi, Tokyo]], Japan

| death_date =

| death_place =

| restingplace =

| occupation = [[Composer]]

| yearsactive = 1975–present

| spouse =

| website = {{url|http://yoshim.music.coocan.jp}}

}}

▲{{nihongo|'''Takashi Yoshimatsu'''|吉松 隆|Yoshimatsu Takashi}} (|born March 18, 1953)}} is a contemporary [[Japanese people|Japanese]] composer of classical music composer. He is well known for composing the score for the [[Astro Boy (2003 TV series)|2003 remake of [[''Astro Boy'']].

==Biography==

Yoshimatsu was born and raised in [[Yoyogi]], [[Tokyo]].{{R|shujunsha}} He did not receive formal musical training while growing up. Yoshimatsu was a fan of [[The Walker Brothers]] and [[The Ventures]] when he was 13, but symphonies of [[Ludwig van Beethoven]] and [[Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky]] fascinated him when he was 14. When he entered Keio High School, he had hoped to go to medical school, but eventually changed his aspirations to become a symphony writer. While studying at the Faculty of Engineering at [[Keio University]], he became an apprentice of [[Teizo Matsumura]]. Although he says that he was not influenced in any way by Matsumura's style, his 1974 solo piano piece, ''To the companion star of Sirius'' (Op. 1), shows a strong influence of contemporary music, including Matsumura's. He was introduced to Manabu Kawai, a professor at [[Tokyo University of the Arts]], who encouraged him to study [[harmony]] and [[counterpoint]], but he gave up taking lessons after a few months and left the university in March 1974.<ref name="shujunsha">{{Cite book|author=Takashi Yoshimatsu|title=作曲は鳥のごとく|publisher=Shunjusha|isbn=978-4-39-393574-3|date=2013-03-20}}</ref> At this time, while composing music as art music, he was also fascinated by [[progressive rock]] music such as [[Pink Floyd]], [[Yes (band)|Yes]], [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]], etc., and joined rock bands as a keyboard player.

Takashi Yoshimatsu was born in [[Tokyo]], [[Japan]], and like [[Toru Takemitsu]], the composer generally considered to be Japan's greatest in the western classical style, did not receive formal musical training while growing up. He dropped out of [[Keio University]] in March 1974, and joined an amateur band named NOA as a keyboard player, emulating the music of Pink Floyd. He became interested in the [[jazz]] and [[progressive rock]] scenes, particularly in the possibilities being explored through [[electronic music]].

In 1975, through Matsumura's introduction, Yoshimatsu met Isao Harada, and on November 28, 1978, he made his debut as a composer by presenting ''Forgetful Angel'' at a private concert hosted by Harada (although he received no fee for the composition). In the meantime, he entered various composition competitions about 20 times and was unsuccessful, but in 1980, ''Dorian'' for [[orchestra]] was selected for the Composition Prize of the Foundation for the Promotion of Symphony Music. Since then he composed a number of pieces before making his name with the [[serialism|serialist]] ''Threnody to [[Crested ibis|Toki]]'' in 1981.<ref name=ja>{{cite web|url=https://www.japanarts.co.jp/en/artist/TakashiYOSIMATSU/|access-date=24 May 2020|title=Takashi Yoshimatsu|publisher=JapanArts}}</ref> In Hiroshi Aoshima's book ''Composer's Way of Thinking'' ([[Kodansha]]'s New Library of Knowledge, 2004), there is a description that he won the [[Otaka prize]] for ''Threnody to Toki'' (p.&nbsp;263), but Yoshimatsu himself has denied this on his website.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|url=http://homepage3.nifty.com/t-yoshimatsu/~data/Q&A/Q&A004.html|title=Q&A vol.04|work=吉松隆 交響曲工房|author=吉松隆|publisher=吉松隆公式サイト|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304201125/http://homepage3.nifty.com/t-yoshimatsu/~data/Q&A/Q&A004.html|access-date=2007-12-28|archive-date=2016-03-04}}</ref>

He was a fan of the Walker Brothers and the Ventures when he was 13, but symphonies of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky fascinated him when he was 14. Since then he composed a number of pieces before making his name with the [[serialism|serialist]] '[[Threnody for Toki]]' in 1981.<ref name=ja>{{cite web|url=http://www.japanarts.co.jp/html/JA_artists/eng_profi/yoshimatsu_0817.html|accessdate=24 November 2011|title=Takashi Yoshimatsu|publisher=JapanArts}}</ref> Soon afterwards, he became disenchanted with [[atonal]] music, and began to compose in a free [[neo-romantic]] style with strong influences from jazz, [[Rock and roll|rock]] and [[Music of Japan|Japanese classical music]], underscoring his reputation with his 1985 guitar concerto. {{As of|2007}}, Yoshimatsu has presented six symphonies, 12 concertos: one each for [[bassoon]], [[cello]], [[guitar]], [[trombone]], [[alto saxophone]], [[soprano saxophone]], [[marimba]], chamber orchestra, traditional Japanese instruments, and two for [[piano]] (one for the left hand only and one for both hands), a number of [[sonata (music)|sonatas]], and various shorter pieces for ensembles of various sizes. His 'Atom Hearts Club Suites' for [[string orchestra]] explicitly pay homage to [[the Beatles]], [[Pink Floyd]] and [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]].▼

▲He was a fan of the Walker Brothers and the Ventures when he was 13, but symphonies of Beethoven and Tchaikovsky fascinated him when he was 14. Since then he composed a number of pieces before making his name with the [[serialism|serialist]] '[[Threnody for Toki]]' in 1981.<ref name=ja>{{cite web|url=http://www.japanarts.co.jp/html/JA_artists/eng_profi/yoshimatsu_0817.html|accessdate=24 November 2011|title=Takashi Yoshimatsu|publisher=JapanArts}}</ref> Soon afterwards, heYoshimatsu became disenchanted with [[atonal]] music, and began to compose in a free [[Neoromanticism (music)|neo-romantic]] style with strong influences from jazz, [[Rock and roll|rock]] and [[Music of Japan|Japanese classical music]], underscoring his reputation with his 1985 guitar concerto. {{As of|2007}}, Yoshimatsu has presented six symphonies, 12 concertos: one each for [[bassoon]], [[cello]], [[guitar]], [[trombone]], [[alto saxophone]], [[soprano saxophone]], [[marimba]], chamber orchestra, traditional Japanese instruments, and two for [[piano]] (one for the left hand only and one for both hands), a number of [[sonata (music)|sonatas]], and various shorter pieces for ensembles of various sizes. His 'Atom Hearts Club Suites' for [[string orchestra]] explicitly pay homage to [[the Beatles]], [[Pink Floyd]] and [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]].

The majority of his work is triadic and contains simple, repeated progressions, or in some cases pandiatonicism. Often extended tertian harmonies are followed by whole tone harmonies (such as in the first movement of Symphony No. 5; or the first movement of his "Cyber Bird" Concerto for alto saxophone, which, in addition, makes use of free atonal jazz; or the final movement of his "Orion Machine" Concerto; or in his Saxophone Concerto "Albireo Mode"). His works for Japanese traditional instruments (such as ''Subaru'', and ''Within Dreams, Without Dreams'') make use of traditional Japanese scales and tunings.▼

==Musical style==

He has published some essays and primers about classical music.<ref name=ja/> He likes to draw pictures and has illustrated his own books.▼

▲Takashi Yoshimatsu is a contemporary composer. The majority of his work is [[Triad (music)|triadic]] and contains simple, repeated progressions, or in some cases [[pandiatonicism]]. Often extended tertian harmonies are followed by whole tone harmonies (such as in the first movement of Symphony No. 5; or the first movement of his "Cyber Bird" Concerto for alto saxophone, which, in addition, makes use of free atonal jazz; or the final movement of his "Orion Machine" Concerto; or in his Saxophone Concerto "Albireo Mode"). His works for Japanese traditional instruments (such as ''Subaru'', and ''Within Dreams, Without Dreams'') make use of traditional Japanese scales and tunings.

▲He has published some essays and primers about classical music.<ref name=ja/> He likes to draw pictures and has illustrated his own books.

== Notable compositions ==

=== Orchestral works ===

{{Main|List of compositions by Takashi Yoshimatsu}}

==== Symphonies ====

*''Saxophone Concerto "Cyber Bird" for Alto Saxophone, Piano, and Orchestra, Op. 59 (1994)

* 1990 ''Kamui-Chikap Symphony (Symphony No. 1)'', Op. 40 (1990)

* 1991 ''Symphony No. 2 "At Terra"'', Op. 43 (1991)

* 1998 ''Symphony No. 3'', Op. 75 (1998)

* 2000 ''Symphony No. 4'', Op. 82 (2000)

* 2001 ''Symphony No. 5'', Op. 87 (2001)

* 2013 ''Symphony No. 6 "''Birds and Angels"'', Op. 113 (2013)

*''Guitar Concerto "Pegasus Effect"'', Op. 23 (1984)

==== Concertante works ====

*''Bassoon Concerto "Unicorn Circuit"'', Op. 36 (1988)

* 1980 ''Threnody to Toki'', for piano and string orchestra, Op. 12

*''Tenor Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine"'', Op. 55 (1993)▼

* 1984 ''Alto SaxophoneGuitar Concerto, "CyberPegasus BirdEffect"'', Op. 59 (1994)21

* 1988 ''PianoBassoon Concerto, "MemoUnicorn FloraCircuit"'', Op. 67 (1997)36

▲* 1993 ''Tenor Trombone Concertoconcerto, "Orion Machine"'', Op. 55 (1993)

*''Fugaku "Seven Scenes of the Sacred Mount Fuji"'', Op. 88)

* 1993 ''VioloncelloAlto Concertosaxophone concerto, "CentaurusCyber UnitBird"'', Op. 9159 (2003)

* 1997 ''SopranoPiano Saxophone Concertoconcerto, "AlbireoMemo ModeFlora"'', Op. 93 (2005)67

* 1998 ''PianoWhile Concertoan "CephusAngel Note"Falls into a Doze...'', (for thepiano leftand hand)string orchestra, Op. 102 (2007)73

* 2003 ''MarimbaCello Concertoconcerto, "BirdCentaurus RhythmicsUnit"'', Op. 10991 (2010)

* 2005 ''ThrenodySoprano saxophone concerto, to"Albireo Tokimode"'', Op. 1293 (1980)

* 2007 ''AtomConcert Hearts"Cepheus Club Suite INote"'', for Stringpiano Orchestra(left hand) and orchestra, Op. 70b (1997)102

*''Atom Hearts Club Suite IIa'' for String Orchestra, Op.79a (1999)▼

==== Other orchestral works ====

*''[[Pleiades Dances]] I'', Op. 27 (1986)▼

*''[[Pleiades Dances]]1979 II''Dorian'', Op. 28 (1987)9

*''[[Pleiades Dances]]1982 III''Chikap'', Op. 35 (1988)14a

* 1986 ''[[PleiadesThe Dances]]Age IVof Birds'', Op. 50 (1992)25

* 1991/1997 ''[[PleiadesWhite Dances]] VLandscapes'', Op. 51 (1992)47a

* 1993/1998 ''[[PleiadesDream Dances]]Colored VIMobile II'', Op. 71 (1998)58a

* 1994 ''[[PleiadesOde Dances]]to VIIBirds and Rainbow'', Op. 76 (1999)60

▲* 1997 ''Atom Hearts Club Suite IIaI'', for Stringstring Orchestraorchestra, Op.79a (1999)70b

*''[[Pleiades Dances]] VIII'', Op. 78a (1999)

* 1997 ''[[PleiadesAnd Dances]]Birds IXAre Still...'', Op. 85 (2001)72

* 1999 ''TapiolaAtom VisionsHearts Club Suite II'', (for thestring left hand)orchestra, Op. 92 (2004)79a

*''Ainola Lyrical2000 Ballads''And (forBirds thesing left hand)again...'', Op. 95 (2006)81

*''Gauche Dances2000 ''Prelude (forto the leftCelebration hand)of Birds'', Op. 96 (2006)83

* 2000 ''Fanfare 2001'', Op. 84

* 2008 ''Academic Festival Overture EX'', Op. 103

=== Chamber music ===

* 1999 ''Metal Snail Suite'', for eufonium and piano, Op. 80

=== Piano solo ===

* 1970 ''Blue Myth''

▲* 1986-2001 ''[[Pleiades Dances]] I'', Op. 27 (1986)

* 1997 ''Piano Folio...to a Disappeared Pleiad''

* 2004 ''[[Tapiola]] Visions for Left Hand,'' Op. 92

* 2006 ''Ainola Lyrical Ballads for Piano Left Hand,'' Op. 95

* 2006 ''Gauche Dances for Piano Left Hand,'' Op. 96

* 2008 ''6 Vignettes for Piano,'' Op. 105

* 2008 ''4 Romances from "[[Villon's Wife]]"''

=== Works for traditional Japanese instruments ===

* 1980 ''U-Getsu-Fu'', for [[shakuhachi]] and 17-snare [[Koto (instrument)|koto]], Op. 11

* 1986 ''Soh-Gyo-Fu'', for shakuhachi and 20-snare koto, Op. 26

* 1987 ''MIROKU effect'', for 11 traditional Japanese instruments and strings, Op. 33

* 1997 ''GAGAKU "Bird Dream Dance"'', for [[gagaku]] ensemble, Op. 69

* 2002 ''Fugaku ...7 scenes of The Sacred Mount Fuji'', for shakuhachi, 20-snare koto and orchestra, Op. 88

=== Works for guitar ===

* [[Compositions for Guitar by Takashi Yoshimatsu]]

==References==

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==External links==

*[{{Official website|http://homepage3yoshim.cocolog-nifty.com/t-yoshimatsu/|Official blog}} Takashi{{in Yoshimatsu]lang|ja}}

*{{Official website|https://www.japanarts.co.jp/en/artist/TakashiYOSIMATSU/|Japan Arts profile}} {{in lang|en}}

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]

[[Category:20th-century Japanese composers]]

[[Category:20th-century Japanese male musicians]]

[[Category:21st-century classical composers]]

[[Category:21st-century Japanese composers]]

[[Category:21st-century Japanese male musicians]]

[[Category:MusiciansComposers from Tokyo]]▼

[[Category:Composers for piano]]

[[Category:Japanese classical composers]]

[[Category:Japanese male classical composers]]

[[Category:Keio University alumni]]

[[Category:Living people]]

▲[[Category:Musicians from Tokyo]]