[Ryuichi Sakamoto] Piano Works | A Selection of Moving and Healing Masterpieces
Ryuichi Sakamoto, the composer Japan proudly presented to the world, passed away on March 28, 2023, after a long battle with illness.
Known globally as “Sakamoto,” he released works across a wide range of genres, including classical, folk music, and technopop.
His pieces will surely continue to be performed by many musicians for years to come.
In this article, we’ve selected piano pieces from the works of this great composer, Ryuichi Sakamoto.
We’ve gathered pieces everyone has likely heard at least once—such as that unforgettable tune from a commercial and the movie theme that has become a Christmas standard.
Please enjoy to the very end!
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[Ryuichi Sakamoto] Piano Works | A Selection of Moving & Soothing Masterpieces (1–10)
IetaSakamoto Ryuichi
“Ieta,” written specifically for a contact lens commercial featuring Haruna Kawaguchi and released digitally in 2022, is a piece Ryuichi Sakamoto composed while undergoing medical treatment, saying, “I can still compose.” Within its transparent, shimmering sound, one can glimpse a sense of sorrow, loneliness, and emptiness—feelings that nonetheless convey Sakamoto’s strength as he fought illness, faced uncertainty, and continued living as an artist until the end.
If you only ever heard it in passing as a commercial jingle, take this opportunity to savor the song’s depth in full.
Before LongSakamoto Ryuichi
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano piece “Before Long” is a captivating work with a calm and delicate atmosphere.
Featured at the beginning of the landmark 1996 album “NEO GEO,” it was composed at the request of American music producer Bill Laswell for “something like a prelude.” The graceful piano melody intertwined with soothing synthesizer sounds creates a musical flow that carries a lingering sense of quiet time, resonating deeply with the listener.
Simple yet profound, it is a piece that fully showcases Sakamoto’s uniquely crafted sonic world.
andanteSakamoto Ryuichi
“andante,” included in composer Ryuichi Sakamoto’s final album 12, is a simple and beautiful piano piece that evokes the pulse of life.
The term “andante,” meaning “slowly and calmly,” aptly captures the world of this piece.
Its wistful melody offers a glimpse of Sakamoto’s stance as he faced his battle with illness, as if rendering the delicate shifts of his heart in sound.
The consistent tempo and resonant touch highlight the work’s elegant poise.
With a coexistence of vital melody and silence that guides listeners into a meditative realm, it is a piece that prompts reflection on life and death.
[Ryuichi Sakamoto] Piano Works | A Selection of Moving and Soothing Masterpieces (11–20)
IntermezzoSakamoto Ryuichi
Ryuichi Sakamoto continued to create original works across a wide range of genres, including classical, folk music, and technopop.
“Intermezzo,” included on the album BTTB, is a piece known for evoking the spirit of Johannes Brahms’s Intermezzi, with Sakamoto’s own interpretations and inventive touches shining throughout.
Sakamoto, who said he had loved Brahms’s musicality since childhood, produced global hits in technopop, yet this masterpiece rooted in classical music is also a must-listen.
AmoreSakamoto Ryuichi
“Amore,” a track on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s 1989 original album Beauty, is a piece that adds vocals and electric guitar to a track that was originally released under the title “Undo.” When he played it for Jeremy Thomas, the British film producer known for The Last Emperor, Thomas started singing along with the words “Amore, amore,” which led to the decision that “it’s definitely better with lyrics!” and the vocals were added.
The piano solo version, whose bittersweetness really tugs at the heart, is also wonderful—be sure to give it a listen!
The Sheltering SkySakamoto Ryuichi
Among Ryuichi Sakamoto’s piano works, one of the most popular is The Sheltering Sky, composed as the theme for the film of the same name.
Its delicate, emotive piano melody and ambient soundscape are striking, showcasing Sakamoto’s distinctive musical sensibility.
The piece beautifully evokes the vast desert vistas and the characters’ solitude, and it continues to be cherished as a memorable masterpiece that lingers in the listener’s heart.
Its bittersweet melody—so moving it could bring you to tears—and its romantic tone make it perfect for immersing yourself in your own world at the piano.
With a relaxed tempo and relatively few notes, it’s also welcoming for beginners.
Why not conjure a scene from the film and perform your own version of The Sheltering Sky?
Mizu no Naka no BagatelleSakamoto Ryuichi
Ryuichi Sakamoto is a composer Japan is proud to share with the world.
“Mizu no Naka no Bagatelle” is a piece performed during his online solo piano concert on December 12, 2020, and is also included on the album “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 12122020,” which features recordings from that concert.
Considered part of a best-of selection curated by Sakamoto himself, this work is an instrumental with no lyrics.
As you imagine the scenes it evokes, you can feel Sakamoto’s delicate yet richly expressive sensibility conveyed through the music.
Experience the beauty of this piece, which can also be played on the piano, for yourself.