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Tokyo, Japan (1930 – 1996)

Tōru Takemitsu (武満 徹 Takemitsu Tōru, October 8, 1930–February 20, 1996) was a Japanese composer of music, who explored the compositional principles of Western classical music and his native Japanese tradition both in isolation and in combination.

Born in Tokyo, Takemitsu first became interested in Western classical music around the time of World War II. He had heard Western music on American military radio while recuperating from a long illness. He also listened to from his father’s ample collection.

Takemitsu was largely self-taught in music. He was greatly influenced by the music of Claude Debussy and Olivier Messiaen. In 1951 he founded the Jikken Kobo, a group which introduced many contemporary western composers to Japanese audiences.

Takemitsu at first had little interest in traditional Japanese music, but later incorporated Japanese instruments such as the shakuhachi (a kind of bamboo flute) into the orchestra. November Steps (1967), a work for shakuhachi and biwa (a kind of Japanese lute) solo and orchestra was the first piece to combine instruments from east and west. In an Autumn Garden (1973-79) is written for the kind of orchestra that would have played gagaku (traditional Japanese court music). Works such as Eclipse, (1966) for shakuhachi and biwa, Voyage (1973), for three biwas should also been mentioned as works that are decidedly derived from traditional genres.
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  • Billy-Pilgrim

    Beautiful music!

    January 2012

  • Tonkatoy1986

    Brilliant

    September 2011

  • gl00mer

    His music fills my mind with ideas and alternatives, which is only one of the many reasons why I love his compositions

    July 2011

  • kmysko

    I guess "From me flows what you call Time" is truly touching music. genius

    June 2011

  • progtrance7

    trve that bro

    December 2010

  • WindingNumber

    If I could only hear the works of one composer for all time, it'd be really hard for me to pick anyone but Takemitsu. Master of every mode of 20th century expression.

    December 2010

  • phylloxr

    `Legacy to the Future`.... the most underrated masterpiece of his, I think.

    December 2010

  • AztecPortal

    His soundtrack to "Kwaidan" is brilliant !

    November 2010
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