2/13/2018

The 22nd anniversary of Toru Takemitsu's passing

On 22nd of this month, the 22nd anniversary of the great composer, Toru Takemitsu's passing, will come. As time passes, I feel more of how magnificient and profound his being as a composer has been. I have introduced the relationship between him and Matthew's Passion by Bach last year. Here.

It has been snowy last night again;I have started writing this draft some 10 days ago. Everything has been covered by snow. In the quietness of this snowed world, I recalled of the episode that he had listened alone to this greatest piece ever in the music history 2 days prior to his death. That episode overlapped with that music still remains in my mind as one of the dearest memories.

Here is one of his favorite musics composed by him. It was originally composed as an anti war song against the Vietnamese war back in 1965. It still sounds like an elegy for human beings. We could do only little in our lives. They are still precious. This song seems to appeal this simple truth with most affectionate emotion.


A translation of the song by Shuntaroh Tanigawa found in the internet;
ALL THAT THE MAN LEFT BEHIND WHEN HE DIED

A man died and left behind a widow and a child.
Oh, that was all the man left behind him when he died.
Oh, not another thing did he leave when he died.
His grave was left unmarked;
there was not a single gravestone.

The widow died and left behind a child and a flower.
Oh, that was all the widow left behind her when she died.
Oh, not another thing did she leave when she died.
Her clothes had turned to dust;
there was not a single garment.

The child died and left behind his legs, a twisted tangle.
Oh, that was all the child left behind him when he died.
Oh, not another thing did he leave when he died.
His tears had dried to dust;
there was not a single mem'ry.

A soldier died and left behind the pieces of his rifle.
Oh, that was all the soldier left behind him when he died.
Oh, not another thing did he leave when he died.
The Earth was still at war;
there was no sign of peace there.

And now in this empty world there's only you and me.
Oh, we are all the people left behind them when they died.
Oh, not another thing did they leave when they died.
Just you and me alive;
not another souls remains here.

When hist'ry died it left behind today and tomorrow.
Oh, that was all the hist'ry left behind it when it died.
Oh, not another thing did it leave when it died.
Today, this shining day,
not another thing remains here.
Contributed by Riccardo Venturi 2009/6/21 - 18:15


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