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[Ryuichi Sakamoto] Piano Works | A Selection of Moving and Healing Masterpieces
Ryuichi Sakamoto—known worldwide as “Sakamoto” and affectionately as “the Professor”—effortlessly crossed genre boundaries, from film scores to experimental sounds.
Among his vast body of work, pieces centered on the piano shine with a special brilliance.
Their melodies, with each note quietly seeping into the heart, seem to have the power to make us momentarily forget the clamor of everyday life.
In this article, we’ve selected a wide range of tracks—from beloved favorites to hidden gems known only to connoisseurs.
Take your time and savor these piano works, which reveal new emotions every time you listen.
[Ryuichi Sakamoto] Piano Works | A Selection of Moving & Soothing Masterpieces (1–10)
Aubade 2020NEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This piano piece, emblematic of a late-style aesthetic, conjures a beautiful scene at daybreak.
It was originally composed in 2009 as music for Asahi Soft Drinks’ Mitsuya Cider commercial.
Over time, it found new life in an online concert in April 2020, and was later included on the album “Opus,” released in August 2024.
The piece delicately captures the passage of time as light gradually seeps in from the darkness and the landscape grows brighter.
Its transparent sonorities, as if the sounds were drifting through space, gently soothe the heart.
Highly recommended for those who wish to step away from the busyness of daily life and find calm in a quiet atmosphere.
When you want to sit with yourself in silence, why not give it a listen?
BachataNEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
Here’s an introduction to a piano piece named after a Central and South American dance form, included on the classic album BTTB released in November 1998.
This work is highly appealing in the way it elevates the supple sway of Latin music into a quiet, introspective resonance.
The dance-like rhythm pulsed by the left hand intertwines with the wistful melody spun by the right, drawing you in more deeply the more you listen.
It’s perfect for those who want to step away from the noise of daily life and take time to face themselves, as the piece repeats quietly while holding passion within.
Over its relatively long duration of about eight minutes, why not listen closely and savor the subtle shifts in the gradations of emotion?
OpusNEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
A beautiful piano piece in which tension resides within stillness and the resonance of silence seeps into the heart.
Included as the first track on the acclaimed 1998 album “BTTB,” it gently guides listeners toward a poised, back-to-basics sound world.
The intimacy created by the repetition of short phrases and the shifting harmonies maintains an exquisite balance that never becomes overly romantic.
This piece was also performed in the final concert film produced in 2023, moving audiences around the world.
It is the perfect track for those who wish to quietly step away from the clamor of everyday life and savor the flow of sound and silence itself.
Why not listen with a calm mind and let the beautiful piano tones wash over you?
choral no.1NEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This is a beautiful miniature whose chords, like a quiet prayer, envelop the heart deeply.
Included on the acclaimed album “BTTB,” released in November 1998, this piece was composed as preparation for an opera the following year.
Its greatest appeal lies in the solemn, crystalline resonance that seems to render a choral hymn with a single piano.
With minimal artificial processing and a recording that preserves the rich reverberation of a concert hall, you can fully savor the lingering tones and even the spaces between sounds.
Within its brief span of roughly two and a half minutes, a finely honed world unfolds.
Please give it a listen when you wish to reflect quietly or calm your mind.
sonatineNEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
A masterpiece that symbolizes a return to origins, BTTB was created entirely with newly written pieces.
Released in November 1998 and followed by a 20th-anniversary edition in 2018, the album’s second track is a warm solo piano work.
Its crystalline harmonies and elegant melodic lines evoke the music of Ravel, the great master of French modernism.
There is even an anecdote that the performer intentionally left in slight mis-touches to express a human breath and gentle fluctuation within an otherwise perfectly balanced framework.
This piece can be regarded as a highly refined miniature that distills elegance and contemporary intellect into a brief span of time.
It is a work I strongly recommend to those who wish to step away from the bustle of everyday life and savor, at leisure, a quietly penetrating, beautiful resonance.
20220302NEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This piece, included on the album “12” released in January 2023, is a musical sketch jotted down like a diary entry in March 2022.
Set to a gentle triple meter reminiscent of the sarabande, a baroque dance, its delicate melody seems to dissolve into a quiet space note by note, resonating deeply with the heart.
The work drew significant attention when it was re-included on the soundtrack for the film “Monster,” released in May 2023.
Its unadorned, tranquil atmosphere—stripped of flashy embellishments—is perfect for moments when you want to step away from the bustle of daily life and quietly face yourself.
With a warmth that seems to gently embrace the emotions deep within, it’s an ideal listen for nights when you want to rest your mind and body at a slow, unhurried pace.
HibariNEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This is a piece that captivates the ear with a mysterious layering of piano resonating in the quiet.
Opening the album “out of noise,” released in March 2009, this track is crafted using a unique method in which improvised phrases are played simultaneously with slight offsets.
It was inspired by a novel beloved by pianist Glenn Gould, giving it an appealing literary background as well.
The organic fluctuations that arise as the melodies drift apart and rejoin lead the listener into a world of deep contemplation.
The piece was also used in the 2023 film “Monster,” and the following year it was included on the restructured album “out of noise – R.” If you want to savor the margins of sound and silence itself, this is a work well worth lending your ears to.
High HeelsNEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This piece was created as the main theme for Pedro Almodóvar’s 1991 film High Heels, and its official soundtrack was released in January 1992.
Within its elegantly melancholic melody, a distinctly European refinement and a hint of Latin passion gently waft, creating a deeply sensual atmosphere.
It was re-recorded with a chamber arrangement for piano and strings on the May 1996 album 1996, and it has long been cherished in concert performances.
I highly recommend this work to anyone who wants to step away from daily life and immerse themselves in a romantic, slightly mature mood.
Through the beautiful resonance of the piano, why not savor a richly expressive performance while envisioning the intertwined drama of love and hate among the characters?
Asience (Fast Piano Version)NEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
This is a celebrated piece composed in July 2003 as the commercial music for Kao’s haircare brand “ASIENCE,” and it opens the album “/04,” released in November 2004.
Its oriental melody, evoking the shadows of East Asia, is captivating, overflowing with a refined urban resonance and overwhelming drive.
The piece has such a striking impact that it changes the atmosphere within the first few seconds, and the layering of chords that seem to drift between tonalities evokes new emotions with every listen.
It’s perfect for those who want to step away from the noise of everyday life and fill their hearts with the rich timbre of a high-quality piano.
Why not surrender yourself to the flowing, beautiful phrases and savor a truly luxurious moment?
Yamazaki 2002NEW!Sakamoto Ryuichi
Titled with a product name and a year, this piece is a beautiful piano work that cherishes the spaces between sounds.
Composed in 2002 as music for a Suntory Whisky commercial and included that October in a collection of CM music, it was later re-presented as a standalone listening piece on the acclaimed 2004 album “/04.” The poised right-hand melody overlaps with left-hand arpeggios, evoking matured silence and the accumulation of time.
With few notes, it paints deep scenes, showcasing Sakamoto’s characteristically delicate expression.
Because it requires no flashy virtuosity, it’s ideal for those who want to savor the quiet resonance of each note as it gently permeates the heart.
Why not try playing it when you want to spend a leisurely, unhurried time?