A Memoir of Tōru Takemitsu
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T: There are other funny episodes related to Ms. Tsuruta. Before leaving Japan for the first time, she was in such a hurry to take a passport photo that she wore a haori over her suit. She asked Tōru, “Master, when I go overseas, which restroom should I use, men’s or women’s?” And Tōru replied seriously, “Well, Tsuruta-san, I think people will be surprised if you go into the women’s restroom wearing something like that, so why don’t you pretend you are a man and go into the men’s room, and then use a private stall?” And she said, “That would work.” We had a big laugh. When we went to the U.S. for the first time for the performance of November Steps, there were so many funny episodes. When Seiji Ozawa introduced shakuhachi player Katsuya Yokoyama and Ms. Tsuruta to the New York Philharmonic, he said, “This is Mr. Yokoyama and Mrs. Tsuruta.” But somebody in the orchestra corrected him, “Seiji, your English is wrong.” So from then on, he introduced them as “Mr. Yokoyama and Tsuruta-saaan.” [laughs] O: If Tsuji had not introduced Ms. Tsuruta to Takemitsu, she might have remained a businesswoman. Life is unpredictable, isn’t it? T: That’s right. When she started to work with Tōru, she had a lot of fun. She was truly an interesting person as a human being, and had a great deal of personality. Her life was full of up and downs. O: I guess that shows in her biwa sound. T: Ms. Tsuruta’s biwa sound was something no one can imitate. Her katari (chanting voice) was also very good. In her later years, she sold her house and put all of her fortune into the biwa association. O: When did Takemitsu first meet the shakuhachi player Katsuya Yokoyama? T: I think it was for the movie The Assassin. Around that time, Tōru was producing a music festival called ‘Music Space’ with Toshi Ichiyanagi, and he wrote Eclipse (1966) for biwa and shakuhachi for one of the concerts. Tōru invited Mr. Ozawa to the concert and he was extremely moved by it. I think it was owing to the sound of the biwa and shakuhachi rather than the music itself. O: So, Mr. Ozawa told Leonard Bernstein about it? T: Yes, after Mr. Ozawa spoke with Mr. Bernstein, Tōru received a commission from the New York Philharmonic for an orchestra piece with biwa and shakuhachi for their 125th anniversary. Tōru declined at first, thinking that it was impossible. But they responded quickly, “That’s fine. You don’t need to use traditional Japanese instruments, so please write a piece just for the orchestra.” Tōru got mad and said, “How can they make an offer and change their mind so easily?” [laughs] He said, “Now I will do it. The Japanese instruments don’t have to fit with the orchestra. I will make their contrast more prominent.”
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About the Book
Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) was the first Japanese composer to receive international recognition in the field of classical music, and is now widely regarded as one of the greatest composers of the late twentieth century. Largely self-taught, Takemitsu created his own unique sound world—one that was not bound by convention. In A Memoir of Toru Takemitsu, his wife of forty-two years reveals a candid, behind-the-scenes glimpse into his fascinating life, his legendary music, and his final days.
After rising to prominence in 1957 when Igor Stravinsky praised his Requiem for Strings, Takemitsu became best known in the West for his concert music, but was also a master composer of music for film, television, theater, and radio drama. Through six extensive interviews, Asaka Takemitsu reveals previously unknown information regarding the composer’s compositional processes and his private life—including the difficult period after the war and the subsequent post-war art movement in Japan, his bond with his friends, love of movies, and daily routine.
This inspiring memoir shares an unforgettable story of how a young boy without any musical training or affluence used the power of positive thinking to make his dream of becoming a composer come true.
About the Author
Asaka Takemitsu, wife of the late Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, cared for Toru when he was suffering from tuberculosis in his early twenties and married him in 1954. Since Takemitsu’s debut composition, Lento in Due Movementi, Asaka attended most of his premieres and continues to be a devoted listener of his music.
Tetsuo O’hara is an editor and design artist who has compiled complete works of Mozart, J.S. Bach, Hikaru Hayashi, and Toru Takemitsu. After serving as the editor-in-chief of Shogakukan publishing company, he established his own editorial offi ce in 2008.
Tomoko Isshiki received a doctor of musical arts degree in piano performance from the University of Houston, a master of music degree in piano performance and piano pedagogy from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor of arts degree from Meiji University in Tokyo in English literature.