Shimizu, Osamu

Shimizu, Osamu, Japanese composer; b. Osaka, Nov. 4, 1911; d. Tokyo, Oct. 29, 1986. He studied traditional Japanese instruments, and also took courses in theory and composition with Hashimoto and Hoso-kawa at the Tokyo Music School (1936–39). He was active in the music dept. of Tokyo Radio, and also wrote articles on music.

Works

DRAMATIC: Opera : The Tale of the Mask-Maker Shuzenji (Osaka, Nov. 4, 1954); The Charcoal Princess (Osaka, Nov. 1, 1956); The Man Who Shoots at the Blue Sky (Osaka, Nov. 26, 1956); Gauche, the Violoncellist (Osaka, Oct. 11, 1957); The Singing Skeleton (Osaka, March 15, 1962); Shunkan, the Exile (Osaka, Nov. 18, 1964); The Merciful Poet, operetta (1965); Muko Erabi (The Marriage Contest), comic opera (Los Angeles, Oct. 3, 1968); Daibutsu- Kaigen (The Great Image of Buddha), historic opera on the inauguration of the bronze statue of Buddha on April 9, A.D. 752 (Tokyo, Oct. 2, 1970); Ikuta Gawa (The River Ikuta; Tokyo, Nov. 10, 1971). Ba11et : The Sun (1955); The Crane (1956); The Earth (1957); Araginu (1958); Fire in the Field (1962); Love Poems (1966). ORCH.: Ballad for Violin and Orch. (1941); Dance Suite on the Themes of Flowers (1944); Poème for Flute and Orch. (1950); 4 Movements on Indian Melodies (1950); 3 syms.: No. 1 (Tokyo, Dec. 8, 1951), No. 2 (1957), and No. 3 (1961); Suite (1953); Taiheiraku (1971). CHAMBER :String Quartet (1940); Ballad for Flute and Piano (1940); Quartet for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1958). VOCAL: Olympic Hymn, for the opening of the Olympic Games (Tokyo, Oct. 10, 1964); numerous cantatas, including Ren-nyo (Tokyo, April 8, 1948), La Paix (Tokyo, April 22, 1949), and Hymn to Dengyo-Daishi (1966); much choral music; many songs.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire