Performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Conducted by Tadaaki Otaka On my disc this is three separate tracks: "Orion", "and", Pleiades". I combined them to one. From album "Takemitsu：A Flock Descends" （1996）
I heard Takemitsu's work on CBC one day years and years ago. I looked high and low finally finding the November Steps CD. I can accomplish many things while this is playing in the background.
One of the most original creative voices in the 20th century, in my view. There is a mysticism in his work that I find reminiscent to a degree of Scriabin, although I know of no acknowledged influence by him. The 'cello line has a sensuous and sinuous intensity, with microtonal inflections that are genuinely affecting and always at the right places to maximise impact. A most captivating ending of great beauty upon pedal Cs in basses (a recurrent fixity). Magical.
Re. influences: I've read that his harmonies were influenced by Messiaen's harmonic theories. (I don't know if that's something he himself revealed or something that analysts noticed while analyzing his work.) His style, of course, is quite different from Messiaen's. It's similar in many ways to the other avant-garde composers of his generation. But still absolutely unique and recognizable as not possibly by anybody but him.
I must spend more time with Takemitsu. 'it is now without the beligerance .The violence is there in the scoring and idea and but the discords are more beautiful ,sensuous and telling than almost anwhere or any other composer i know. Has Ustvolskaya heard this gentle natural man ! Oh how eloquent and subtle this is !
« comment se forment les planètes ? Quels paramètres vont dicter si une planète peut ou non se former autour d’une étoile ? Pour répondre à ces questions, il faut les regarder quand elles sont très jeunes. Le James Webb Space Telescope a braqué son regard sur «d203-506», un disque protoplanétaire dans la nébuleuse d'Orion. »
This evocation of remote worlds is not so common in Takemeitsu's works. The presnatation m omits the fact that there is a cello colo, a very good initiative. Tj his work with cello solo is rather different from converos of y the same period. The cloisest example that I could find is Dutilleux" "Tout un monde loinyain" (a whole remote world). Yje evovation is similar, the musical styl is similar too. Takemitsu was quite close to some kiand of Frznch XXth century music, Dutilleux and Messiaen in particular. As a French listerner, I am specifically sensitive to it>. There is also a more distant and cautious influence of the modern American "school" (quite moderate minimalism and repetitivity)
To be honest, I will not be entertained at a concert performing Takemitsu's music or most of the so called modern contemporary music for this matter. This kind of music can be fairly effective as background score to films, though.
