Ichiyanagi, Toshi

Ichiyanagi, Toshi, notable Japanese composer; b. Kobe, Feb. 4, 1933. He studied composition with Kishio Hirao and piano with Chieko Hara. At 16, he took first prize in the Mainichi/NHK composition competition, which he won again in 1951. He pursued training in N.Y. at the Juilliard School of Music (1954–58), receiving instruction incomposition from John Cage and in piano from Beveridge Webster. He also was awarded the Koussevitzky Prize at the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood (summer, 1956). In 1967 he received a Rockefeller Foundation grant and was active in N.Y. as composer-in-residence. In 1976 he was the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst composer-in-residence in Berlin. In 1989 he founded and became artistic director of the Tokyo International Music Ensemble, a traditional Japanese orch. with Buddhist chanting shomyo. He led the ensemble on many tours abroad, including visits to Europe and the U.S. His writings include Oto o Kiku Ongaku no Asu o Kangaeru (Listeningto the Sound: Notion of Music; Tokyo, 1984) and Ongaku to io Itonami (Music and the Contemporary Age; Tokyo, 1998). In 1981, 1984, 1989, and 1990 he won the Otaka Prize, in 1985 he was made a member of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France, and in 1989 he won the Kyoto Music Grand Prize. Ichiyanagi’s compositions reflect his penchant for exploring both Western and non-Western musical traditions, as well as for a willingness to pursue experimental paths in both traditions.

Works

dramatic:Monto, opera (Tokyo, Oct. 13, 1995); The Last Will of Fire, opera (Tokyo, Nov. 16, 1995); film scores. ORCH.: Life Music (1964); The Field (1966); Up to Date Applause for Orch., Rock Band, and Tape (Tokyo, June 4, 1968); In the Reflection of Lighting Image for Percussion and Orch. (Osaka, July 25, 1980); 3 piano concertos: No. 1, Reminiscence of Spaces (NHK, Tokyo, Oct. 18, 1981), No. 2, Winter Portrait (1987; Tokyo, May 23, 1988), and No. 3, Cross Water Roads (Tokyo, Sept. 15, 1991);Engen for Koto and Orch. (Tokyo, March 26, 1982); Violin Concerto, Circulating Scenery (Tokyo, May 21, 1983); Paganini Personal for Marimba and Orch. (Sapporo, July 2, 1983); Time Surrounding for Percussion and Orch. (Tokyo, March 1984); 2 syms. for Chamber Orch.: No. 1, Time Current (1986; Paris, Feb. 20, 1987) and No. 2, Undercurrent (Nagoya, Sept. 19, 1993; also for Orch., Oslo, Oct. 3, 1997); Interspace for Strings (Sapporo, March 19, 1987); Berlin Renshi, sym. for Soprano, Tenor, and Orch. (Tokyo, Nov. 18, 1988); Existence for Organ and Orch. (Tokyo, June 9, 1989); Voices from the Environment (Tokyo, Sept. 24, 1989); The Origin, concerto for Koto and Chamber Orch. (Brussels, Oct. 3, 1989); Kyoto (Kyoto, Dec. 26, 1989); Luminous Space for Sho, Ondes Martenot, and Orch. (Tokyo, Nov. 12, 1991); Interplay for Flute and Strings (Mito, Nov. 7, 1992); Cosmos Ceremony for Ryuteki, Sho, and Orch. (Osaka, Oct. 22, 1993); Recollection of Reminiscence Beyond, Sym. No. 4 (Osaka, Sept. 17, 1994); Coexistence for Shakuhachi and Strings (Osaka, Oct. 26, 1994; also for Ondes Martenot and Orch., Osaka, Oct. 31, 1996, and for Orch., Osaka, Nov. 3, 1997); Inner Communications, Sym. No. 3 (1994; Yokohama, Jan. 16, 1995); Time Perspective, Sym. No. 5 (NHK, Tokyo, Aug. 17, 1997). CHAMBER: Violin Sonata (N.Y., Dec. 1954); Trio for 2 Flutes and Harp (1956); 1 unnumbered string quartet (1956; N.Y., Feb. 1957); 3 numbered string quartets: No. 1 (1964), No. 2, Interspace (Vancouver, Dec. 1986), and No. 3, Inner Landscape (Tokyo, Nov. 14, 1994); Vein of Sounds for Harp (Tokyo, Oct. 25, 1972); Scenes I for Violin and Piano (1978), II for Violin and Piano (1979), III for Violin (1980), IV for Violin and Piano (Tokyo, Jan. 23, 1981), and V for Violin and Piano (Tokyo, Oct. 27, 1982); Distance for Noh Performer and Instrumental Ensemble (Cologne, Oct. 1978); Perspectives for Noh Dance, Flute, Violin, Viola, Cello, Percussion, and Electronics (Berlin, Oct. 1978); Recurrence for Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Harp, Piano, Violin, and Cello (Middel-burg, Netherlands, July 1979); Kaze no Iroai for Flute (Tokyo, July 1980); Time in Tree, Time in Water for Percussion and Piano (Cologne, Sept. 19, 1981); Before Darkness Appears for Accordion and Piano (Tokyo, Dec. 1981); Flowers Bloomingin Summer for Harp and Piano (Tokyo, Oct. 15, 1982); Portrait of Forest for Marimba (Tokyo, Sept. 28, 1983); Wind Trace for Keyboard and Percussion (Tokyo, June 1, 1984); Cloud Figures for Oboe (Tokyo, Nov. 7, 1984); Generation of Space for Contrabass (Tokyo, June 1, 1985); Yami o Irodoru Mono for 2 Violins and Piano (Kusatsu, Aug. 28, 1985); Prāna, quintet for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Piano (Paris, Sept. 1, 1985); Présage for6 Ondes Martenot (1986; Marseilles, Feb. 18, 1987); Still Time III for Harp (Lerchenborg, Aug. 1987) and IV for Flute (Yokohama, April 10, 1996); Wind Stream for Flute (Sapporo, June 30, 1989); The Source for Marimba (1989; Tokyo, June 21, 1990); Troposphere for Ondes Martenot and Marimba (Yokohama, Sept. 14, 1990); Trio Inter-link for Violin, Piano, and Percussion (Tokyo, Nov. 26, 1990); Friends for Violin (Tokyo, Dec. 17, 1990); Intoxicant Moon for Ondes Martenot (Yokohama, Sept. 6, 1991); Aki o Utsu Oto for Marimba (Tokyo, Oct. 28, 1991); Interrelation for Cello and Piano (Tokyo, Dec. 12, 1991); Aquascape for Marimba, Flute, Piano, and 2 Percussion (Tokyo, Jan. 11, 1992);Cosmos for Coexistence for Marimba and Piano (Osaka, Jan. 18, 1992); Reflection for 9 Players (Osaka, Oct. 28, 1992); Intercross for Violin and Piano (Paris, Jan. 30, 1993); Rhythm Gradation for Timpani (Tokyo, April 22, 1993); Omniscape for Violin (Tokyo, Sept. 7, 1993); Trio Fantasy for Piano, Violin, and Cello (Yono, Oct. 15, 1994); Cosmic Harmony for Cello and Piano (Kronberg, Oct. 22, 1995); Existence for Clarinet and Piano (Yokohama, Aug. 17, 1997); “Mirage” for English Horn and Double Bass (Tokyo, Sept. 1, 1998). keyboard: piano:Two Existence for 2 Pianos (Tokyo, June 14, 1980); Cloud Atlas (1984 et seq.); Inter Konzert (Tokyo, April 30, 1987); Piano Nature (Tokyo, May 31, 1989); Inexhaustible Fountain (Osaka, Jan. 29, 1990); Farewell to…(Tokyo, Feb. 6, 1992); In Memory of John Cage (1992-93; Tokyo, April 8, 1993); Imaginary Scenes (Tokyo, Nov. 17, 1995). organ:Multiple Spaces (Bremen, May 25, 1976); Dimensions (Yokohama, Oct. 12, 1990); Fantasy (Tokyo, Sept. 1992). VOCAL: Extended Voices for Voices and Synthesizer (1967); Syntax for Chorus (Tokyo, Sept. 30, 1977); Aru Toki for Soprano and Piano (Tokyo, Nov. 1981); Heso no Uta for Children’s Chorus (Tokyo, Nov. 11, 1984); Nadare no Toki for Chorus, Marimba, and Piano (Tokyo, March 22, 1985); Requiem for Men’s Chorus (Tokyo, Dec. 1985); Genshiryoku Sensuikan “Onagazame” no Seitekina Kokai to Jisatsu no Uta for Chorus (Tokyo, Feb. 24, 1989); Music for Art Kites for Soprano and Flute (Shizuoka, Aug. 13, 1989); Desire for Chorus (Tokyo, Jan. 20, 1992); Hikari no Toride, Kaze no Shiro for Chorus (Nakaniida, Aug. 2, 1992); White Horse for Men’s Chorus (Tokyo, Nov. 25, 1993); My Song for Mezzo-soprano and Marimba (Tokyo, Sept. 14, 1994); Scenes of Poems I for Chorus and Cello (Osaka, Sept. 18, 1994) and II for Chorus (Nakaniida, Aug. 9, 1998); Sora ni Kotori ga Inakunatta Hi for Chorus (Tokyo, March 20, 1995); Voice Perspectives for Voice and Sho (Cologne, Dec. 6, 1996); Oral Poetry of the Native American for Chorus and Flute (Tokyo, March 24, 1997). electronic:Tokyo 1969 (NHK, Tokyo, Jan. 1969); Theater Music (1969); Mandalama (1969); Environmental Music 1, 2, and 3 (1970); Music for Living Space (1970); The World (1975). other:Ôgenraku for Gagaku Ensemble and Shomyo (Tokyo, Oct. 30, 1980; also for Gagaku Ensemble, Tokyo, April 9, 1996); Wa for 2 Kotos, Piano, and Percussion (Berlin, Sept. 12, 1981); Enenraku for Gagaku Ensemble (Tokyo, Oct. 30, 1982); Rinkaiiki for Sangen (Tokyo, Feb. 9, 1983); Galaxy for Sho (Tokyo, Feb. 23, 1983); Hikari-nagi for Ryuteki and Percussion (Tokyo, May 14, 1983); Density for Shakuhachi, 2 Kotos, and Sangen (Tokyo, March 1984); Cloud Shore, Wind Roots for Reigaku and Gagaku Ensemble (Tokyo, Sept. 28, 1984); Yochô for Ryuteki and Piano (Tokyo, May 7, 1985); “Interspace” for Sho and Harp (Tokyo, April 12, 1986); Still Time I for Sho (1986), II for Kugo (Tokyo, March 7, 1986), and III for Hokyo (Hong Kong, March 4, 1998); “The Shadows Appearing Through Darkness”, sym. for Reigaku, Gagaku, and Shomyo (Tokyo, Sept. 29, 1987); Katachi naki Mugen no Yoka for Koto (Sapporo, Oct. 15, 1987); Voices of Water for Hitsu (Tokyo, March 11, 1988); Sensing the Color in the Wind for Shakuhachi and 2 Kotos (Tokyo, March 16, 1988); Ten, Zui, Ho, Gyaku for Shakuhachi and Ondes Martenot (Tokyo, March 16, 1988); Prāna for Ryuteki, Hichiriki, Sho, Kugo, Hensho, and Dancer (Tokyo, Nov. 25, 1988); Transfiguration of the Moon for Violin and Show (Tokyo, Dec. 4, 1988); Transfiguration of the Flower for Koto, Sange, and Shakuhachi (Tokyo, Dec. 16, 1988); Water Relativity for Hitsu and Kin (Tokyo, Feb. 23, 1989); Wind Gradation for Ryuteki and Piano (Los Angeles, April 22, 1989); Jitsugetsu Byobu Isso-Kokai, sym. for Gagaku, Reigaku, and Shomyo (Tokyo, Sept. 29, 1989); The Way I for 2 Ryutekis, 2 Hichirikis, 2 Shos, Shakuhachi, Biwa, 2 Kotos, 2 Percussion, and Dancer (N.Y., Feb. 21, 1990) and II for 4 Hichirikis, 4 Ryutekis, 5 Shos, Biwa, 2 Kotos, Shakuhachi, 3 Percussion, 10 Shomyos, and Dance (Frankfurt am Main, Oct. 2, 1990); Projection for Koto (Tokyo, May 27, 1991); Compound Time-Resonance, Luster, and Color for Shakuhachi and 2 Kotos (Tokyo, March 4, 1992); Brightening Wind for Sho and Piano (Tokyo, April 3, 1992); Tenryuji for Ryuteki, Shakuhachi, Sho, Koto, Ondes Martenot, and Percussion (Kyoto, Sept. 19, 1992); Toki Sayuru for Koto and Piano (Tokyo, Dec. 10, 1993); Uchu Kuyo Bosatsu for Gagaku, Reigaku, and Shomyo (Tokyo, July 18, 1994); Music for Violin, Sho, and Piano (N.Y., Feb. 24, 1995); Spiritual Light for Gagaku, Reigaku, Shomyo, and Cello (Yokohama, Nov. 17, 1996); Land Mystery for Shakuhachi and Koto (Tokyo, April 11, 1997); “Mirage” for Shakuhachi and Piano (London, Oct. 22, 1998).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire