RAG MusicRanking
Wonderful Music Rankings

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

Toru Takemitsu was a contemporary composer who began studying music on his own after the end of the war and made his debut as an avant-garde composer in 1950.

In the 1960s, he composed numerous film scores, all of which received high acclaim, leaving a significant impact on the Japanese music scene.

Moreover, thanks to the international attention drawn—particularly in the United States and Canada—by November Steps, a work incorporating traditional Japanese instruments, he came to be recognized as a composer of global stature.

This time, we’ll introduce a ranking of Takemitsu’s popular pieces—so please enjoy his avant-garde music.

Popularity ranking (21–30) of pieces by Tōru Takemitsu—the contemporary composer celebrated worldwide as “Takemitsu of the world.”

Closed Eyes 2Takemitsu Tōru22rank/position

Toru Takemitsu (1930–1996): Les yeux clos II
Closed Eyes 2Takemitsu Tōru

Takemitsu Toru, one of Japan’s leading contemporary composers, created the seminal work Closed Eyes 2.

Inspired by paintings of the 19th‑century French artist Odilon Redon, this late piano piece was written after Takemitsu had secured worldwide acclaim.

It features a masterful balance of consonance and dissonance, with a sensuous motif that seems to float.

It begins quietly, as fragmented song in the middle register gradually builds to a climax, and in the end returns to the bell-like resonance of the opening.

Though a technically demanding work—requiring subtle control of resonance with all three pedals and an exquisitely delicate touch—it offers a profound, ethereal world suffused with Takemitsu’s deep insight.

A highly recommended masterpiece for pianists familiar with contemporary music.

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Closed Eyes — In Memory of Shuzo TakiguchiTakemitsu Tōru23rank/position

Toru Takemitsu / Closed Eyes – In Memory of Shuzo Takiguchi T. Takemitsu / Les yeux clos
Closed Eyes — In Memory of Shuzo TakiguchiTakemitsu Tōru

The life of Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu can be seen as a trajectory that, while buffeted by the shadow of war, carved out a unique realm by blending Eastern and Western music.

His piano piece Closed Eyes is a serene, meditative work written in memory of the poet Shuzo Takiguchi.

The delicate touch and resonant harmonies create a fantastical sonority, almost like a painting.

It is a gem I highly recommend to anyone wishing to spend a time of introspection through Takemitsu’s music.

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