Toru Takemitsu “Miniatur IV : Art of Toru Takemitsu”

Toru Takemitsu

Miniatur IV : Art of Toru Takemitsu

Deutsche Grammophon (Japan) 1975

MG 2476 (LP)

sleeve : EX-(slightly dirts.)

media : EX+/EX+(some slightly noises.)

This is the fourth installment of the "Miniature" series by Toru Takemitsu, a celebrated Japanese composer in the world of music, released in 1975. The ensemble includes Michael Ranta, Hidehiko Sato, Sutomu Yamash’ta, and Yasunobu Yamaguchi, four percussionists who participated, and it is supervised by Toru Takemitsu himself. On side A, it features "Four Seasons," composed in 1970 for the Modern Music Festival held at the Steel Pavilion <Space Theater> of the 1970 Osaka Expo, performed using a steel sound sculpture created by François Baschet. On side B, it includes "Munarī by Munarī," composed in 1967 based on the book "Invisible Book" by the prolific Italian designer Bruno Munari, which leaves behind numerous works across various fields. In this composition, performers combine materials in various ways to create their own music. Both pieces are highly improvisational, devoid of any dull moments, and are filled with a beautifully tense atmosphere where various percussion instruments and voices paint images in space. Highly recommended.

A: 四季(シーズンズ)