Classical music by Japanese composers. Recommended classical music.
When we hear the term “classical music,” many of us immediately think of works by well-known foreign composers.
These pieces are often used in various everyday contexts with different arrangements, and there are many works that people have naturally heard at least once and can name right away.
However, if you’re asked to name classical works by Japanese composers, fewer people may be able to answer quickly.
Here, we focus on classical music composed by Japanese composers and highlight representative works.
This is recommended even for those who regularly enjoy classical music but haven’t listened much to works by Japanese composers.
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Classical music by Japanese composers. Recommended classical music (31–40)
BanquetMayuzumi Toshirō
Toshiro Mayuzumi was a composer who supported Japan’s film music scene in the postwar era, and a musician with a broad range that spanned contemporary and classical music.
Among Mayuzumi’s works, one that unfolds with particular drama is Banquet.
It’s a striking piece featuring a thrilling saxophone performance atop an orchestral sound.
You can fully experience its humorous sonority infused with Latin and jazz elements.
It’s a Japanese classical masterpiece packed with dynamic yet delicate appeal.
If you’re looking for classical music that conveys strength, be sure to give it a listen.
Piano ConcertoMiyoshi Akira
It’s a piece with a breathless sense of speed and dynamism that also evokes a jazz-like atmosphere.
A wide variety of percussion instruments are used, giving it a rich palette of timbres.
The piano is treated quite percussively as well.
The powerful brass fanfare near the end is also highly memorable.
Symphony No. 1Betsugu Sadao
Mr.
Sadao Bekku studied under Milhaud and Messiaen.
When it comes to symphonies by Japanese composers, it’s no exaggeration to say Bekku is the name to know.
From the first movement to the finale, the entire work is packed with highlights.
In particular, the richness of color in the second movement and the cohesiveness of the third are truly striking.
Requiem for Mixed ChorusChihara Hideki
Hideki Chihara has written many works centered on Japanese identity and the universality of prayers from East and West.
This piece also adopts texts from ancient Japanese songs, interwoven with Latin Requiem verses.
It is a highly melodic work that cherishes the Japanese spirit of song.
Fantasia Sakura SakuraHirai Kōsaburō
Let me introduce a solo piano piece that revives traditional Japanese music for the modern era.
Based on a long-loved melody, this work has been reborn as a fantasia for solo piano by Japanese composer Kozaburo Hirai.
It opens with a gentle introduction, then in the middle section adds drum-like rhythms that evoke the bustle of a festival.
Finally, it draws to a quiet close.
It’s as if scenes of spring in Japan are painted through sound.
Highly recommended for those interested in traditional Japanese music or looking to enjoy classical music from Japan.
Do give it a listen.
Classical music by Japanese composers. Recommended classical music (41–50)
EARTHMuramatsu Takatsugu
This piece, performed as a flute and piano duo, is a grand work themed around the Earth’s environment and the beauty of nature.
The flute’s gentle melodies and the piano’s rich resonance intertwine exquisitely, evoking the sensation of traveling through the great outdoors.
The structure begins with a quiet introduction, gradually unfolds into a dramatic development, and finally moves toward a tranquil close.
This dynamic contour brings deep emotional expression to the music and captivates listeners.
It’s a recommended piece for those who want to feel their love for nature and the Earth through music, and for anyone who wishes to fully savor the charm of the flute.
Lament from Symphony No. 5 “Hiroshima”Ōki Masao
Symphony No.
5 “Hiroshima” is an orchestral work composed by Masao Ohki, inspired by The Hiroshima Panels collaboratively created by Iri Maruki and Toshi Maruki.
A sense of overwhelming terror—evoking the city after the atomic bombing and the condition of the survivors—permeates the entire piece.
Including the final movement, “Elegy,” there is no solace anywhere in the symphony; it seems to speak in sound of the utter horror of the atomic bomb.
It is a symphony that can be painful to listen to, yet it contains vital history that must not be forgotten.
