Eclipse (Takemitsu)
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| Eclipse | |
|---|---|
| by Tōru Takemitsu | |
| Catalogue | W43 (Siddons) |
| Composed | 1966 |
| Performed | 4 May 1966: Tokyo |
| Scoring | Biwa and shakuhachi |
Eclipse (Japanese: エクリプス) is a composition for shakuhachi and biwa by Japanese composer Tōru Takemitsu. It was composed in 1966.
Before Takemitsu started to compose Eclipse, he was reticent to use Japanese traditional instruments, because, as he puts it, their sound "always recalled the bitter memories of war".[1] He started to use these instruments in 1962 Masaki Kobayashi's Harakiri. Since this first collaboration, Takemitsu started using these instruments more often, as seen in Shinoda's Assassination and Masaki Kobayashi's Kwaidan. He finally composed Eclipse in 1966 and premiered it that same year with Kinshi Tsuruta at the biwa and Katsuya Yokoyama at the shakuhachi.[2][3] The premiere took place in the Nissay Theatre in Tokyo, on May 4, 1966. It is published by Éditions Salabert and has received a catalogue number W43 by James Siddons.[4]
When Seiji Ozawa played Leonard Bernstein a tape of Eclipse, Bernstein suggested combining the instruments in a composition with the western orchestra. From this recommendation, Takemitsu eventually composed November Steps, to which this composition is strongly associated.[5] This composition was originally performed by the same biwa and shakuhachi performers and, therefore, Eclipse is regarded as a forerunner to November Steps.[4]
