Toru Takemitsu / Olivier Messiaen
November Steps / Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum
Philips (Japan) 196x
PPR-1 (LP) gatefold jacket
sleeve : EX- (light dirt inside gatefold)
media : EX/EX (some sections have slight surface noise)
This work features "November Steps," a historically significant piece by Toru Takemitsu, Japan's great composer who ventured into various experimental compositions beyond the confines of contemporary music, and Olivier Messiaen's "Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum," performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink. The release year is unknown, but it is likely an original pressing from the 1960s. Of particular note is side A's "November Steps" by Takemitsu, which features Katsuya Yokoyama on shakuhachi and Kinshi Tsuruta on biwa. The ethereal world created by the shakuhachi and biwa floating in a silent space is akin to the spirit of Noh established by Zeami. This is a masterpiece among masterpieces, with an avant-garde spirit that shows no signs of aging.
A: Toru Takemitsu "November Steps"
B: Olivier Messiaen "Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum"