Toshi Ichiyanagi Toshi Ichiyanagi

Toshi Ichiyanagi (一柳 慧 Ichiyanagi Toshi, born 4 February 1933) is a Japanese composer of avant-garde music. He studied with Tomojirō Ikenouchi, Kishio Hirao, and John Cage.

Ichiyanagi was born in Kobe, Japan. One of his most notable works is the 1960 composition Kaiki, which combined Japanese instruments, shō and koto, and western instruments, harmonica and saxophone. Another work, Distance (1961), required the performers to play from a distance of three meters from their instruments. Anima 7 (1964) stated that chosen action should be performed "as slowly as possible".

Ichiyanagi was married to Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1963.

Ichiyanagi is the recipient of the 33rd Suntory Music Award (2001). He has been honored with Japan's Order of Culture.

Works

Operas

• 1968 From the Works of Tadanori Yokoo (electronic music)
• 1989 Hiraizumi Enjo
• 1995 The Last Will of Fire
• 1995/98 Momo
• 2002 Hikari

Orchestral works

• 1962 Asma for piano and orchestra
• 1964 The Field for koto and orchestra
• 1965 Life Music for modulators, tape and orchestra
• 1968 Up To Date Applause for orchestra, rock band and tape
• 1973 Chi for noh flute and orchestra
• 1980 In the Reflection of Lighting Image for percussion and orchestra
• 1981 Piano Concerto No. 1 "Reminiscences of Space"
• 1982/86 Engen for koto and orchestra
• 1983 Violin Concerto "Circulating Scenery"
• 1983–86 Paganini Personal for marimba and orchestra
• 1984 Time Surrounding for percussion and orchestra
• 1986 Symphony for Chamber Orchestra "Time Current"
• 1987 Interspace for string orchestra
• 1987 Piano Concerto No. 2 "Winter Portrait"
• 1988 Symphony "Berlin Renshi" for soprano, tenor, orchestra
• 1989 Voices from the Environment
• 1989 Symphonic Movement "Kyoto"
• 1989 Concerto for Koto and Chamber Orchestra "The Origin"
• 1989 Existence for organ and orchestra
• 1991 Piano Concerto No. 3 "Cross Water Roads"
• 1991 Luminous Space for sho, ondes martonot and orchestra
• 1992 Interplay for flute and string orchestra
• 1993 Symphony for Chamber Orchestra No. 2 "Undercurrent"
• 1993 Cosmos Ceremony for ryuteki, sho and orchestra
• 1994 Symphony No. 4 "Recollection of Reminiscence Beyond"
• 1994 "Coexistence" for shakuhachi and string orchestra
• 1995 Symphony No. 3 "Inner Communications"
• 1996 Coexistence for ondes martenot and orchestra
• 1997 Symphony No. 5 "Time Perspective" – on the theme of opera Momo
• 1997 Symphony No. 2 "Undercurrent"
• 1997 Coexistence for orchestra
• 2001 Bridging
• 2001 Symphony No. 6 "A Hundred Years From Now"
• 2001 Between Space and Time for chamber orchestra
• 2002 Returning to Sounds Environment for shakuhachi and orchestra
• 2003 To the Memory of Nugshead for wind orchestra

Chamber works

• 1954 Sonata for violin and piano
• 1956 Trio for 2 flutes and harp
• 1957 String Quartet
• 1960 Stanzas for string instrument(s)
• 1961 For Strings
• 1961 Duet for piano and string instrument(s)
• 1962 Sapporo for any number of players up to fifteen
• 1962 Activities for brass instruments
• 1964 String Quartet No. 1
• 1966 Modulator for Japanese instruments, string instruments, piano and modulator
• 1967 Appearance for 3 players and 2 operators
• 1978 Distance for noh flute, noh performer and ensemble
• 1978 Perspective for noh dancer, flute, violin, viola, cello, percussion and electric music
• 1978 Scenes I for violin and piano
• 1979 Scenes II for violin and piano
• 1979 Recurrence for flute, clarinet, percussion, harp, piano, violin and cello
• 1981 Time in Tree, Time in Water for percussion and piano
• 1981 Scenes IV for violin and piano
• 1981 Before Darkness Appears for accordion and piano
• 1982 Scenes V for violin and piano
• 1982 Paganini Personal for marimba and piano
• 1982 Flowers Blooming in summer for harp and piano
• 1984 Wind trace for three keyboard percussion (marimba, vibraphone and antique cymbal)
• 1985 Piano Quintet "Prāna"
• 1985 Yami o Irodoru Mono for 2 violins and piano
• 1986 Présage for 6 ondes martonots
• 1986 String Quartet No. 2 "Interspace"
• 1986 Interspace for sho and harp
• 1988 Transfiguration of the Moon for sho and violin
• 1988 Ten, Zui, Ho, Gyaku for shakuhachi and ondes martonot
• 1990 Troposphere for ondes martonot and marimba
• 1991 Interrelation I for cello and piano
• 1990 Trio Interlink for violin, piano and percussion
• 1992 Aquascape for marimba, flute, piano and 2 percussions
• 1992 Cosmos of Coexistence for marimba and piano
• 1992 Reflection for 9 players
• 1993 Intercross for violin and piano
• 1994 String Quartet No. 3 "Inner-landscape"
• 1994 Trio Fantasy for piano, violin and cello
• 1995 Cosmic Harmony for cello and piano
• 1995 Music for Violin, Shô and Piano
• 1997 Existence −In Memory of Kuniharu Akiyama− for clarinet and piano
• 1998 Interrelation II for violin and piano
• 1998 Mirage for English horn and double bass
• 1998 Mirage for accordion and harpsichord
• 1999 String Quartet No. 4 "In the Forest"
• 1999 Metamorphosis for bassoon quartet
• 2001 Piano Quintet "Bridging"
• 2002 Ballade for cello and marimba

Works for keyboard

• 1959–61 Music for Piano No. 1 – No. 7
• 1972 Piano Media for piano
• 1975 Bi no Bi for piano
• 1976 Multiple Spaces for organ
• 1976 Time Sequence for piano
• 1980 Two Existence for 2 pianos
• 1985–99 Cloud Atlas I–X for piano
• 1987 Inter Konzert for piano
• 1989 Piano Nature for piano
• 1990 Inexhaustible Fountain for piano
• 1990 Dimensions for organ
• 1992 Fantasy for organ
• 1992 Farewell to... – To the Memory of Luigi Nono for piano
• 1992 In Memory of John Cage for piano
• 1995 Imaginary Scenes for piano
• 2001 Piano Space for piano
• 2003 Piano Poem for piano

Works for other instruments

• 1960 Music for Electric Metronomes
• 1969 Expansions for rock band and modulators
• 1972 Vein of Sounds for harp
• 1972 Arrangements for percussion
• 1980 Scenes III for solo violin
• 1980 Wind Nuance for flute
• 1983 Portrait of Forest for solo marimba
• 1984 Cloud Figures for solo oboe
• 1984 Wind Trace for 3 keyboard percussion players
• 1986 Perspectives for solo violin
• 1987 Still Time III for harp
• 1989 Wind Stream for flute
• 1989 The Source for marimba
• 1990 Friends for violin
• 1991 Aki o Utu Oto for marimba
• 1991 Intoxicant Moon for ondes martenot
• 1993 Rhythm Gradation for timpani
• 1993 Omniscape for violin
• 1995 Generation of Space for double bass
• 1996 Still Time IV for flute
• 1996 Perspectives II for percussion
• 2000 In a Living Memory for flute solo
• 2001 "Innervoice" on the theme of Gagaku for marimba

Vocal works

• 1973 Voice Field for children's chorus and percussion
• 1983 Kinderkreuzzug for mixed chorus
• 1989 Music for Art Kites for soprano and flute
• 1991 Song of Morning for female chorus and sho
• 1994 Scenes of Poems I for mixed chorus and cello
• 1994 My Song for mezzo-soprano and marimba
• 2008 Coexistence for male chorus and traditional Japanese instrumental ensemble

Japanese instrumental works

• 1986 Still Time II for solo kugo (ancient harp)
• 1990 The Way for Japanese instruments
• 1998 Still Time V for solo hōkyō (similar to Chinese fangxiang)

Electronic music

• 1962 Parallel Music
• 1969 Tokyo 1969 for various modulators, street sounds and rock band
• 1966 Life Music for various modulators, magnetic tape and orchestra

Theater pieces

• 1961 Event and Musique Concrète happening
• 1963–73 Pratyāhārā Event
• 1966 Chair Event happening

Film scores

• 1969 Eros + Massacre
• 1975 Shiki Soku Ze Ku, directed by Toshio Matsumoto