Gauche the Cellist
Encyclopedia
is a short story
by the Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa
. It is about Gauche, a struggling small town cellist who is inspired by his interactions with anthropomorphized animals to gain insight into music. The story has been translated into English and Italian, and was adapted into a critically acclaimed anime
in 1982 by Isao Takahata
. It had previously been adapted to the screen several times.
s and is often berated by his conductor during preparations for an upcoming performance of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony
(the Pastoral Symphony).
Over the course of four nights, Gauche is visited at his mill
house home by talking animals as he is practicing. The first night, a tortoiseshell cat
came to Gauche and, giving him a tomato, asked him to play Schumann
's "Träumerei." Gauche was irritated, as the tomato was from his garden outside, so he berated the cat and instead played "Tiger Hunt in India." This startled the cat and made it leap up and down in astonishment. The cat ran away in fright.
The second night as he was practicing, a cuckoo
came to him asking to practice scales to Gauche's cello accompaniment. Gauche repeatedly played "cuckoo, cuckoo," accompanied by the bird. Eventually, he felt that the cuckoo's song was better than his cello. Gauche chased the bird away, causing it to fly into his window, hitting its head.
The third night as he was practicing, a raccoon dog (Japanese: 狸, tanuki)
came to him asking to practice the timpany to Gauche's cello accompaniment. As Gauche played "The Merry Master of a Coach Station," the tanuki hit the cello with a drum stick
. The tanuki pointed out to Gauche that he played slowly despite trying to play speedily. The two left on good terms as the day broke.
The fourth night as he was practicing, a mother mouse came in with her baby, asking him to heal her sick son. When Gauche told her that he wasn't a doctor, she replied that the sound of his music had already healed a number of animals. Gauche put the sick little mouse into a hole of his cello and played a rhapsody
. When Gauche was finished, the little mouse was able to run around. The mother mouse cried, thanked Gauche, and left.
The Sixth Symphony
concert was a great success. In the dressing room, the conductor
asked a surprised Gauche to play an encore. Upon hearing the applauding audience, Gauche thought he was being made a fool of and again played "Tiger Hunt in India." Afterward, everybody in the dressing room congratulated him.
When he came back to his house, he opened the window where the cuckoo had hit its head and felt sorry for his actions. The ending scenes shows the animals and Gauche at peace, playing to the music of the Pastoral symphony.
. It was directed and written for the screen
by Isao Takahata
, who would later found Studio Ghibli
with Hayao Miyazaki
. Kōichi Murata was the executive producer. Gauche's voice actor
was Hideki Sasaki and the cat's voice actor was Fuyumi Shiraishi
. The lead key animator, Shunji Saida, took cello lessons so that he could accurately capture finger movements. The 63 minute film took 6 years to complete and was highly acclaimed as one of the best film adaptations of Miyazawa's works.
A Region 2 NTSC
DVD was released in Japan in 2000 by Pioneer with English subtitles. Pioneer re-released for the Japanese market in 2003. A Region 2 PAL
DVD was released in France by L.C.J. in 2001, containing a French audio track. Studio Ghibli and Buena Vista Home Entertainment re-released it as a double-disc DVD in 2006, the 110th anniversary of Miyazawa's birth (Ghibli released its adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa's Taneyamagahara no Yoru on the same date). The 2006 release contained Dolby Digital
audio and English subtitles.
The story had previously been adapted for the screen three times, in 1949, 1953, and 1963. The 1949 adaptation was animated and was directed by Yoshitsugu Tanaka and produced by Ichirou Ono of Nippon Eiga . The 1953 adaptation was produced using puppets and dolls and was directed by Kenjiro Morinaja. The 1963 adaptation was animated and was directed by Matsue Jinbo and produced by Masatsugu Hara of Gakken
Eiga Kyoku.
Gauche the Cellist was translated into English by John Bester
, along with several other short stories, in Once and Forever, the Tales of Kenji Miyazawa, published by Kodansha International in 1994. It was released in both hardcover (ISBN 4770017804) and paperback (ISBN 4770021844) editions. Both editions are out of print.
It has also been translated into English by Roger Pulvers and published in Japan by the Labo Teaching Instruction Center (ISBN 978-4898110072).
Youko Matsuka translated the work into simplified English and published it in Japan through her Matsuka Phonics Institute (ISBN 978-4896432213) under the title "Gorsch the Cellist."
The work has also been translated into Italian by Muramatsu Mariko, along with other works, in Il violoncellista Goshu e altri scritti, published by La Vita Felice in 1987 (ISBN 8886314779).
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by the Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa
Kenji Miyazawa
was a Japanese poet and author of children's literature in the early Shōwa period of Japan. He was also known as a devout Buddhist, vegetarian and social activist.-Early life:...
. It is about Gauche, a struggling small town cellist who is inspired by his interactions with anthropomorphized animals to gain insight into music. The story has been translated into English and Italian, and was adapted into a critically acclaimed anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
in 1982 by Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata
is a Japanese anime filmmaker that have earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the romantic-drama Only...
. It had previously been adapted to the screen several times.
Synopsis
Gauche is a diligent but mediocre cellist who plays for a small town orchestra (The Venus Orchestra, Japanese:金星音楽団, Kinsei Ongaku Dan) and the local cinema in the early 20th century. He struggles during rehearsalRehearsal
For other uses, see Rehearsal or Dress rehearsal A rehearsal is a preparatory event in music and theatre that is performed before the official public performance, as a form of practice, and to ensure that all details of the performance are adequately prepared and coordinated for professional...
s and is often berated by his conductor during preparations for an upcoming performance of Beethoven's Sixth Symphony
Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony , is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was completed in 1808...
(the Pastoral Symphony).
Over the course of four nights, Gauche is visited at his mill
Gristmill
The terms gristmill or grist mill can refer either to a building in which grain is ground into flour, or to the grinding mechanism itself.- Early history :...
house home by talking animals as he is practicing. The first night, a tortoiseshell cat
Tortoiseshell cat
Tortoiseshell describes a coat coloring found mostly in female cats. Cats of this color are mottled, with patches of orange or cream and chocolate, black or blue. They are sometimes called torties...
came to Gauche and, giving him a tomato, asked him to play Schumann
Robert Schumann
Robert Schumann, sometimes known as Robert Alexander Schumann, was a German composer, aesthete and influential music critic. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most representative composers of the Romantic era....
's "Träumerei." Gauche was irritated, as the tomato was from his garden outside, so he berated the cat and instead played "Tiger Hunt in India." This startled the cat and made it leap up and down in astonishment. The cat ran away in fright.
The second night as he was practicing, a cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
came to him asking to practice scales to Gauche's cello accompaniment. Gauche repeatedly played "cuckoo, cuckoo," accompanied by the bird. Eventually, he felt that the cuckoo's song was better than his cello. Gauche chased the bird away, causing it to fly into his window, hitting its head.
The third night as he was practicing, a raccoon dog (Japanese: 狸, tanuki)
Tanuki
is the common Japanese name for the Japanese raccoon dog . They have been part of Japanese folklore since ancient times...
came to him asking to practice the timpany to Gauche's cello accompaniment. As Gauche played "The Merry Master of a Coach Station," the tanuki hit the cello with a drum stick
Drum stick
A percussion mallet is an object used to beat drums and other percussion instruments. Some specialized mallets are called beaters, drumsticks.Note: See Rute .-Drum sticks:...
. The tanuki pointed out to Gauche that he played slowly despite trying to play speedily. The two left on good terms as the day broke.
The fourth night as he was practicing, a mother mouse came in with her baby, asking him to heal her sick son. When Gauche told her that he wasn't a doctor, she replied that the sound of his music had already healed a number of animals. Gauche put the sick little mouse into a hole of his cello and played a rhapsody
Rhapsody (music)
A rhapsody in music is a one-movement work that is episodic yet integrated, free-flowing in structure, featuring a range of highly contrasted moods, colour and tonality. An air of spontaneous inspiration and a sense of improvisation make it freer in form than a set of variations...
. When Gauche was finished, the little mouse was able to run around. The mother mouse cried, thanked Gauche, and left.
The Sixth Symphony
Symphony No. 6 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, also known as the Pastoral Symphony , is a symphony composed by Ludwig van Beethoven, and was completed in 1808...
concert was a great success. In the dressing room, the conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
asked a surprised Gauche to play an encore. Upon hearing the applauding audience, Gauche thought he was being made a fool of and again played "Tiger Hunt in India." Afterward, everybody in the dressing room congratulated him.
When he came back to his house, he opened the window where the cuckoo had hit its head and felt sorry for his actions. The ending scenes shows the animals and Gauche at peace, playing to the music of the Pastoral symphony.
Adaptations
In 1982, the novel was adapted into animation by a Japanese animation studio, Oh! ProductionOh! Production
, sometimes credited as Oh! Pro or Oh Pro, is an anime production studio in Amanuma, Suginami, Tokyo, Japan. It was established in May 1970 by animators Norio Shioyama, Kōichi Murata, Kazuo Komatsubara, and Kōshin Yonekawa.-Created by Oh! Pro:...
. It was directed and written for the screen
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by Isao Takahata
Isao Takahata
is a Japanese anime filmmaker that have earned critical international acclaim for his work as a director. Takahata is co-founder of Studio Ghibli with long-time collaborative partner Hayao Miyazaki. He has directed films such as the war-themed Grave of the Fireflies, the romantic-drama Only...
, who would later found Studio Ghibli
Studio Ghibli
is a Japanese animation and film studio founded in June 1985. The company's logo features the character Totoro from Hayao Miyazaki's film My Neighbor Totoro...
with Hayao Miyazaki
Hayao Miyazaki
is a Japanese manga artist and prominent film director and animator of many popular anime feature films. Through a career that has spanned nearly fifty years, Miyazaki has attained international acclaim as a maker of animated feature films and, along with Isao Takahata, co-founded Studio Ghibli,...
. Kōichi Murata was the executive producer. Gauche's voice actor
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
was Hideki Sasaki and the cat's voice actor was Fuyumi Shiraishi
Fuyumi Shiraishi
is a Japanese voice actor.-Voice Roles:*Ashita no Joe *Osomatsu-kun 1966 *Obake no Q-Taro 1985 *Kaibutsu-kun 1968 *Mobile Suit Gundam 1979-1980 *Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam 1985...
. The lead key animator, Shunji Saida, took cello lessons so that he could accurately capture finger movements. The 63 minute film took 6 years to complete and was highly acclaimed as one of the best film adaptations of Miyazawa's works.
A Region 2 NTSC
NTSC
NTSC, named for the National Television System Committee, is the analog television system that is used in most of North America, most of South America , Burma, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and some Pacific island nations and territories .Most countries using the NTSC standard, as...
DVD was released in Japan in 2000 by Pioneer with English subtitles. Pioneer re-released for the Japanese market in 2003. A Region 2 PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
DVD was released in France by L.C.J. in 2001, containing a French audio track. Studio Ghibli and Buena Vista Home Entertainment re-released it as a double-disc DVD in 2006, the 110th anniversary of Miyazawa's birth (Ghibli released its adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa's Taneyamagahara no Yoru on the same date). The 2006 release contained Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital
Dolby Digital is the name for audio compression technologies developed by Dolby Laboratories. It was originally called Dolby Stereo Digital until 1994. Except for Dolby TrueHD, the audio compression is lossy. The first use of Dolby Digital was to provide digital sound in cinemas from 35mm film prints...
audio and English subtitles.
The story had previously been adapted for the screen three times, in 1949, 1953, and 1963. The 1949 adaptation was animated and was directed by Yoshitsugu Tanaka and produced by Ichirou Ono of Nippon Eiga . The 1953 adaptation was produced using puppets and dolls and was directed by Kenjiro Morinaja. The 1963 adaptation was animated and was directed by Matsue Jinbo and produced by Masatsugu Hara of Gakken
Gakken
is a Japanese publishing company founded in 1947 by Hideto Furuoka, which also produces educational toys. Their annual sales is reported at ¥ 821 billion ....
Eiga Kyoku.
Translations
John Bester
John Bester , born and educated in England, is one of the foremost translators of modern Japanese fiction. He is a graduate of the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies.-Works:...
, along with several other short stories, in Once and Forever, the Tales of Kenji Miyazawa, published by Kodansha International in 1994. It was released in both hardcover (ISBN 4770017804) and paperback (ISBN 4770021844) editions. Both editions are out of print.
It has also been translated into English by Roger Pulvers and published in Japan by the Labo Teaching Instruction Center (ISBN 978-4898110072).
Youko Matsuka translated the work into simplified English and published it in Japan through her Matsuka Phonics Institute (ISBN 978-4896432213) under the title "Gorsch the Cellist."
The work has also been translated into Italian by Muramatsu Mariko, along with other works, in Il violoncellista Goshu e altri scritti, published by La Vita Felice in 1987 (ISBN 8886314779).
The original work
- Full text of Gauche the Cellist in the original Japanese from the Aozora electronic library
- Full text in Japanese with english translation
- Amazon.com page for Once and Forever, the Tales of Kenji Miyazawa, published by Kodansha International, 1994, ISBN 4-7700-1780-4
Criticism
- 梅津時比古, "セロ弾きのゴーシュの音楽論" (Musical theory of Gauche the Cellist), Tokyo Shoseki, 2003, ISBN 978-4-487-79862-9
- 梅津時比古, "ゴーシュという名前" (The Name of Gauche), Tokyo Shoseki, 2005, ISBN 978-4487801114
- 横田庄一郎 (Yokota Shoichiro), "チェロと宮沢賢治" (Kenji Miyazawa, Cello), Shoichiro , Ongaku no tomo sha, 1998, ISBN 978-4276210448
- 佐藤泰平 (Taihei Satou), "宮沢賢治の音楽" (Kenji Miyazawa's Music), Chikuma Shobo Publishing、1995 ISBN 978-4480813695
Adaptations
- IMDB page on Isao Takahata's 1982 animation of Gauche the Cellist
- JMDB pageJapanese Movie DatabaseThe , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...
on Isao Takahata's 1982 animation of Gauche the Cellist - IMDB page on Yoshitsugu Tanaka's 1949 animation of Gauche the Cellist
- JMDB pageJapanese Movie DatabaseThe , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...
on Yoshitsugu Tanaka's 1949 animation of Gauche the Cellist - IMDB page on Kenjiro Morinaga's 1953 puppet adaptation of Gauche the Cellist
- JMDB pageJapanese Movie DatabaseThe , commonly referred to as JMDB, is an online database of information about Japanese movies, actors, and production crew personnel. It is similar to the Internet Movie Database, but lists only those films originally released in Japan. The site was started in 1997, and contains movies from Meiji...
on Matsue Jinbo's 1963 animation of Gauche the Cellist