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Ayaka Hirahara’s latest album, my Classics, includes Caccini’s “Ave Maria.” Caccini (Giulio Caccini, 1545-1618) was a Baroque composer patronized by the Medici family of Florence, but doubts remain about whether he composed this “Ave Maria.” Like Albinoni’s Adagio1, its style is completely unlike that of the period. Please listen for yourself2.

What about this is Baroque????

It is neo-Romantic. I thought it sounded Russian and looked into it—and bingo. The work was composed by the Soviet composer and lutenist Vladimir Fyodorovich Vavilov (1925-1973) around 1970, and he himself published it and recorded it for the Melodiya label in 19723. For some reason, after his death it came to be attributed to Caccini. That is a complete violation of the author’s moral rights. Are royalties even being paid to Vavilov’s descendants…? Vavilov apparently has many other famous works, which I would like to introduce separately. Incidentally, he died in poverty from pancreatic cancer.

Now, about the relationship between this “Ave Maria” by Caccini—or rather Vavilov—and X Japan’s “Kurenai”….

First, look at musical example 1.

(Musical example 1) Chorus of X Japan’s “Kurenai”

X Japan 紅

It is that famous melody, which I also love.

Next, look at musical example 2.

(Musical example 2) Theme of Vavilov’s “Ave Maria”

Vavilov (Cassini) Ave Maria

Yes. They can be played together perfectly without any conflict….

So the chorus of “Kurenai” was an arrangement of Vavilov’s “Ave Maria”….

Listen to Vavilov’s “Ave Maria”
“Ave Maria, Ave Maria,” resounding late on an autumn night

 

Footnotes

  1. Albinoni’s Adagio—or should we call it Giazotto’s Adagio?was composed by Remo Giazotto in 1958. It is not Baroque at all; it is neo-Romantic. And yet music critics call it a Baroque masterpiece….
  2. Sumi Jo is excellent.
  3. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ave_Maria_(Giulio_Caccini)

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