At the invitation of my friend, composer Kazuhiko Koyama, I attended “An Evening of Songs by Hideo Mizokami and His Students” at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan. The concert commemorated the late Hideo Mizokami, formerly a professor of composition at Kunitachi College of Music, and consisted entirely of works by him and his students.
Toshio Akaishi’s “Mackerel Sky” brought out the appeal of Yoshiko Kuroda’s poem wonderfully. It vividly conveyed the feeling of opening one’s arms to embrace the mackerel sky. A very smooth, tonal work.
Tetsuo Ueno’s “Good Night” (poem by Tetsuo Ueno) was a madrigal-like song accompanied by lute.
Yoshiko Umezu’s “Sea of Space (SORA NO UMI)” (poem by Choko Innami) was a slightly Impressionistic work using the whole-tone scale.
Fumihiko Kato’s “By the Water” (poem by Tatsuji Miyoshi) was the most avant-garde work of the entire concert. It consciously used melismatic singing found in both Europe and Japan and the sustained continuation of vowels, with phrases from the poem entering here and there almost as spoken words. Each vowel was assigned a particular musical figure. An interesting experiment, but I felt it had not quite been fully digested yet. The poem’s inherent rhythm became somewhat difficult to perceive.
Kazuhiko Koyama’s “Now in This Garden” (poem by Tatsuji Miyoshi) was a beautiful piece with higher-order harmonies. There were 2 Miyoshi settings in succession, and this one seemed better suited to the poem. I suppose this piece would also be described as tonal.
Shigeru Sasaki’s “White Grave Marker” (poem by Shoji Miyazawa) left such a strong impression through its poem that I actually remember little of the music. I also do not remember much of Noriyasu Tanaka’s “Winter” (poem by Seung-ryang Lee), unfortunately. (I dropped the program on the way home, so I cannot recall it very well….)
Yoshifumi Nakajima’s selection “From A Prescription Book of Poems for Life” (poems by Shuji Terayama) had more distinctive rhythms than the other pieces and even quoted Mozart, demonstrating his skill. I liked it quite a bit. The poetry is truly excellent. Even now, I find myself realizing how remarkable Shuji Terayama was. A genius.
The first half concluded with Yosuke Yamashita’s “Banked Fire” (poem by Takamine Harada). Perhaps the setting contributed—the composer’s close friend’s poem was set to music, sung by the friend’s widow, and accompanied by Mr. Yamashita himself—but it was extraordinary. It brought me to tears. When the piece ended, I pretended my hay fever was acting up, blew my nose, and quietly wiped my eyes.
The second half featured works by the day’s central figure, the late Hideo Mizokami. I found the folk-song-like “Three Chants” (poems by Kansuke Naka) and “Three Songs on Poems by Chuya Nakahara” interesting. Coincidentally, both were performed by tenor Kosuke Taguchi.
The finale was “The Theater That Is Always Open” (poems by Patrizia Cavalli). If only I understood Italian. A song loses half its appeal when one cannot make out the lyrics. A pity.
Oh yes, and Tatsuji Miyoshi’s “Sunflower” is a fine poem.
It had been a long time since I attended a concert that made me glad I had gone. It was also quite well attended.
A Composer Who Loved Words
An Evening of Songs by Hideo Mizokami and His StudentsDate: April 24, 2005 (Sunday)
Starts: 2 p.m.
Venue: Tokyo Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall
Admission: ¥3,500 (unreserved seating)●Works by the Students
Toshio Akaishi, from Two Songs on Poems by Yoshiko Kuroda
Mackerel SkyTetsuo Ueno
Good Night (poem by Tetsuo Ueno)Ryoko Umezu
Sea of Space (poem by Choko Innami)Fumihiko Kato
VP-006 “By the Water” (poem by Tatsuji Miyoshi)Kazuhiko Koyama
Now in This Garden (poem by Tatsuji Miyoshi)Shigeru Sasaki
Song “White Grave Marker” (poem by Shoji Miyazawa)Noriyasu Tanaka
Winter (poem by Seung-ryang Lee)Yoshifumi Nakajima
From “A Prescription Book of Poems for Life” (poems by Shuji Terayama)Yosuke Yamashita
Banked Fire (poem by Takamine Harada)●Works by Hideo Mizokami
Three Flower Songs (poems by Tatsuji Miyoshi)
1. Violet
2. Frail Flower
3. SunflowerThree Chants (poems by Kansuke Naka)
1. Roaring Mountain Wind
2. Tawara-gumi
3. Blue-and-white FlycatcherWords of Rain (poem by Michizo Tachihara)
Pale Blue Flower (poem by Masumi Saegusa)
Three Songs on Poems by Chuya Nakahara
1. Homecoming
2. Song of a Summer Day
3. Evening GlowThe Theater That Is Always Open (Patrizia Cavalli)
1. This was what you wanted,
This light love
2. The frenzied, endless light
3. From behind, from afar, in passing
4. You have never spoken to me—speak
5. Now I understand that you truly are the sea
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