Toru Takemitsu -『海へII』(Toward the Sea II) (1981) (Score, Analysis) 

Introduction to the composer: Tōru Takemitsu (武満徹) (1930-1996) was a Japanese composer, who combined the idioms of the Western classical music with Eastern aesthetics and philosophy. His works stretch over many styles, from early electronic works filled with randomness, to more harmonious works from later periods. Introduction to the work: The second version of Toward the Sea is one of the pieces that got me into Takemitsu. Some time ago, somebody commented on one of my videos (I forgot which one) that some of my pieces’ harmonies are similar to Takemitsu. I never heard of him, so I searched some of his music, and at the time, I didn’t like it. However, recently, while searching for some piano music in my school’s music library, I discovered the score for Takemitsu’s Rain Tree Sketch. I decided to give it a listen, and this time, I liked it very much. Perhaps since I’m much more familiar with contemporary music, and my bound of “harmony” is much broader than then. Anyway, searching for his pieces to gain some inspiration, I came into contact with this piece. And I loved it. The texture…the mood…! I call it the very best of all of the sea-related pieces I have heard. The work is divided into three parts, “The Night”, “Moby Dick”, and “Cape Cod”. The first movement was completed first (in 1980), and the others were completed at a much later time. The first movement, “The Night”, was written for Greenpeace, for their Save the Whales campaign. During that campaign, Greenpeace approached several composers for music for this campaign, and Takemitsu was one of them. He produced the first movement of this piece, which was premiered by Robert Aitken and Leo Brouwer in Toronto in February 1981. The remaining two movements were completed after this premiere. According to Takemitsu himself, he wanted this piece not about saving the whales, but rather a praise for the sea that gave birth to life. He further states that adding the two later movements was kind of a mocking gesture toward Greenpeace. In a later writing, he recalled his experience of seeing a humpback whale in Hawaii, stating that it was a transformative experience, where he was appalled and paralyzed by the unearthly sight. Based on this, he had some reverence to the whales and sea itself, but was against banning whale-catching entirely. Perhaps he thought whale-hunting was also a part of nature? Other than Greenpeace, there was another circumstance that led to the creation of this piece. In 1980, the director Noriaki Tsuchimoto approached Takemitsu for music for his documentary film, 『水俣の図・物語』 (The Minamata Mural). Tsuchimoto and Takemitsu also worked before in 『不良少年』(Bad Boys), a film by Susumu Hani. Takemitsu replied to the request, saying that he wanted to create a piece that laments the people’s greed that pollutes the ocean. Tsuchimoto gave much liberty to Takemitsu, suggesting that he will fit the film into the music, not the other way around. Takemitsu provided “The Night” (transcribed for string orchestra) from this piece, and “A Way A Lone” for the film. The composer himself later commented that the music was too bright for the film, but the audience’s response was the opposite - they commented that the music was too heavy and dark. In conclusion, it might be appropriate to see this piece as a lament for the destruction of the ocean (Mov.1), and a reverence for the ocean, using the whale as a symbol for the ocean. The first “Toward the Sea” (for Alto Flute and Guitar) premiered in Tokyo on 31 May 1981 (by Hiroshi Koizumi and Norio Sato). The program was “Landscape of the Water”, and included other pieces of Takemitsu such as “Rain Tree Sketch”, “Bryce”, “Waves”, “Waterways”. Also, the piece’s title was 海へ向かって at the time, which means “Toward the Sea” or “Facing the Sea”. The second version (for Alto Flute, Harp, and String Orchestra (8-7-6-5-4)) was transcribed in 1981, and premiered in Sapporo on 27 June 1982 (Hiroshi Koizumi, Ayako Shinozaki, and Hiroyuki Iwaki with Sapporo Symphony Orchestra). In this concert, “A Way A Lone II” and “Dream Time” also premiered. The last version for Alto Flute and Harp was completed in 1989. It is said that Ayako Shinozaki (harpist from the premiere of the second version) asked for this transcription. However, this is debated, and the circumstance around this version is very unclear, even without the date of the premiere. Takemitsu produced many pieces related to water - Garden Rain (1974), Bryce (1976), Waves (1976), Marginalia (1976), Waterways (1978), Far Calls. Coming, Far! (1980), A Way A Lone (1980), Rain Tree (1981), A Way A Lone II (1981), Rain Coming (1982), Rain Tree Sketch (1982), Rain Spell (1982), Riverrun (1984), Wavelength (1984), The Sea Is Still (1986), Rain Dreaming (1986), I Hear the Water Dreaming (1987), Wavelength II (1987), Quotation the Dream: Say Sea, Take Me! (1991), Rain Tree Sketch II (1992), and Between Tides (1993). In some pieces, he made the relationship to water obvious, but in some, he hid the references, so which pieces belong in the “Water Music” differs by researchers. I used the list from Wikipedia, but you might see different combinations in other places.

Takemitsu really is one of the top 3 composers of the 2nd half of the 20th Century. He deserves far more recognition.

One might describe this piece as Impressionistic, and yet it's so original in its evocative textures and storytelling. I'll definitely be coming back to this piece again and again...

I never tire of this piece. Wonderful performance!

This was beautiful. Thank you for the analysis.

Takemitsu's language is inspired by his homeland in terms of spirit, themes of evocation and atmosphere, but technically the influence of Debussy ans Messiaen is immense. Here, the combination of fulte (alto); harp and viola and harp.

He is my favorite composer:)

Meraviglioso! Grazie per la condivisione

Atmospheric....and yet....not Desultory. BRAVO from Acapulco!

Incredible...

sodelicious..............................

Nice analysis! I'm not sure how I feel about the harp writing here - it's too clearly meant for a guitar. But the weight of the strings especially in the first two movements makes a lot of it more convincing than the original.

최고야, 훌륭해, 하프가 쓰였어? ........ 아이고 훌륭한 분석 감사 합니다. Have you ever heard the story of naked king? 메세지도, 스토리도 , 철학도 없고 그냥 3류 호러 영화 음향효과 를 시간별로 늘어 놓고 서로 아유 멋있네, 훌륭하네,.... 분석이 좋으시네

Remind me isang yun