Masaaki Hayakawa
INORI for Hiroshima
Fontec (Japan) 1978
RFO-1043 (LP) Original pressing. w/obi, insert.
sleeve : NM-
media : NM-/NM-(some slightly noises.)
In 1961, composer Masaaki Hayakawa, who also served as the permanent conductor of the Vivaldi Ensemble, recorded a composition dedicated to the repose of the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. This composition was included in the 1978 album released by the Fontec label, co-founded by Koji Kojima of Kojima Recordings/ALM Records. The A-side, titled "Prayer," is a concerto for soprano singing the poem "Lamentation" by poet Kazuko Yamada, percussion, and double bass. The performance features percussion ensemble led by Tomoyuki Okada, Akira Imamura (bass), and Miyoko Yamamoto (soprano). The poem's content is deeply moving, and the avant-garde performance with resonances from metallic percussion instruments and striking sounds echoing three-dimensionally in the acoustic space is remarkable. On the B-side, "Requiem Chant," the Tokyo Vivaldi Ensemble features Kuniyama Yamamoto's shakuhachi. The contrast between the dramatic development and the shakuhachi's tones creates a wonderful piece. Both compositions represent a profound and spiritually rich approach. The sound quality is also superb.
A: 祈り
B: レクイエムシャーンティ