Popularity ranking of composer Toru Takemitsu’s works—he was a contemporary musician renowned as “Takemitsu of the world.”

Two MelodiesTakemitsu Tōru8rank/position

Toru Takemitsu – 2 Melodies for piano (1948)

Toru Takemitsu, one of Japan’s leading composers who contributed to the development of contemporary music in the postwar era, left works spanning a wide range of genres, including songs, choral pieces, and symphonies, and he also wrote many pieces for piano.

Two Melodies is a work he composed in 1948, before he formally began studying composition, and it was discovered among his belongings after his death.

Marked by its poignantly melancholic melody, this piece is relatively accessible among his piano works, making it a good recommendation for those attempting Takemitsu’s music for the first time.

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Two RentsTakemitsu Tōru9rank/position

Toru Takemitsu: “Lento in Due Movimenti” (1950) for piano

Futari no Lento (Two Lentos) is an early work that Toru Takemitsu composed as a young composer.

Even in this piece, his distinctive meditative atmosphere and sensibility for fusing Eastern and Western musical traditions are already evident.

Its serene, poetic melodies evoke natural landscapes, gently guiding the listener into a realm of deep introspection.

Imbued with philosophical depth that suggests the new musical horizons Takemitsu explored in his youth, this work is recommended not only for classical music fans but also for those interested in contemporary music.

It is an ideal piece for experiencing the allure of Toru Takemitsu.

Small skyTakemitsu Tōru10rank/position

Toru Takemitsu 'Small Sky' ■ Piano: Yuichiro Aratake ■ Piano sheet music available ■ Live version — solo piano, complete version

Composer Toru Takemitsu, who helped lead Japan’s contemporary music scene.

“Small Sky” is widely loved as a masterpiece with an appealing, familiar melody, and it is often performed as a piano solo.

Composed in 1962 as the theme for a radio drama, the piece delicately depicts impressions and inner stirrings when looking up at the blue sky, the evening sky, and the night sky, centering on memories and emotions from childhood.

Its warm melody, which seems to awaken innocent and pure feelings, is soothing to the heart—highly recommended for adults who feel nostalgic for their childhood.

Rain Tree Sketch II – In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen –Takemitsu Tōru11rank/position

Toru Takemitsu / Rain Tree Sketch II — In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen

Toru Takemitsu, a leading composer of contemporary Japanese music, also left remarkable works for piano, and his pieces are still frequently performed in concerts today.

He said he absorbed new harmonic language from the French composer Olivier Messiaen, and this piece is dedicated to Messiaen.

Rain Tree Sketch II — In Memoriam Olivier MessiaenTakemitsu Tōru12rank/position

2018 PTNA Special Class Semifinal – Saki Takeoka – Toru Takemitsu: Rain Tree Sketch II – In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen –

Toru Takemitsu, a composer of global renown, sought to fuse Japanese tradition with Western music and established a unique musical language.

His piano piece Rain Tree Sketch II – In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen is characterized by a quiet, meditative atmosphere.

Through compositional techniques that prize resonance, it evokes a profound world imbued with reverence for nature.

It is an homage to Olivier Messiaen, the French composer who influenced Takemitsu from a young age, and although it is a demanding work that requires precise control of tempo and dynamics, taking on its performance can open a path to new horizons in contemporary music.

Ghost StoryTakemitsu Tōru13rank/position

Composed by Toru Takemitsu, “Kaidan” (Ghost Story)

Toru Takemitsu was born on January 8, 1930.

A self-taught musician, he developed avant-garde musical activities for film and television.

The film Kwaidan, released in 1965 (Showa 40), adapts four ghost stories from Lafcadio Hearn’s collection Kwaidan: “The Black Hair,” “The Snow Woman,” “Hoichi the Earless,” and “In a Cup of Tea.” The use of sound effects is exquisite, allowing viewers to vividly imagine the scenes of terror.

What the dead man left behindSakushi: Tanikawa Shuntarō / Sakkyoku: Takemitsu Tōru14rank/position

What a Dead Man Left Behind - Ryoko Moriyama

This is a work for unaccompanied chorus with lyrics by Shuntaro Tanikawa and music by Toru Takemitsu.

It was created in 1965 for a “Citizens’ Rally for Peace in Vietnam.” Characterized by a simple structure and highly message-driven lyrics, it has been covered by various singers and is frequently performed at classical concerts and the like.