Ikuma Dan
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese composer
.
, the descendant of a prominent family, his grandfather Baron Dan Takuma
having been President of Mitsui
before being assassinated in 1932. He graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
in 1946. One of his teachers was the opera composer Kosaku Yamada
.
During his career he completed six symphonies, all recorded and released on the Decca
label in Japan, and wrote seven operas as well as a number of filmscores, and many songs. He wrote celebratory music for the Japanese imperial family, actively promoted cultural exchange with China (from 1979 until his death in Suzhou
, China
, in 2001), and received the commission to write an opera (Takeru) for the 1997 opening of the New National Theatre, Tokyo, Japan's main opera house.
Dan is known in Japan for his 1951 opera Yūzuru
(Twilight Crane), which is regularly revived there.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
.
Biography
Dan was born in TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, the descendant of a prominent family, his grandfather Baron Dan Takuma
Dan Takuma
was a Japanese businessman who was Director-General of Mitsui, one of the leading Japanese zaibatsu . He was a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was married to the younger sister of statesman Kaneko Kentarō....
having been President of Mitsui
Mitsui
is one of the largest corporate conglomerates in Japan and one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world.-History:Founded by Mitsui Takatoshi , who was the fourth son of a shopkeeper in Matsusaka, in what is now today's Mie prefecture...
before being assassinated in 1932. He graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music
or is one of the oldest and most prestigious art schools in Japan. Located in Ueno Park, it also has facilities in Toride, Ibaraki, Yokohama, Kanagawa, and Kitasenju, Adachi, Tokyo...
in 1946. One of his teachers was the opera composer Kosaku Yamada
Kosaku Yamada
was a Japanese composer and conductor.In many Western reference books his name is given as Kósçak Yamada. During his music study in the Imperial German capital of Berlin from 1910-13 he hated the times when people laughed at him because his "normal" transliteration of his first name "Kosaku"...
.
During his career he completed six symphonies, all recorded and released on the Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
label in Japan, and wrote seven operas as well as a number of filmscores, and many songs. He wrote celebratory music for the Japanese imperial family, actively promoted cultural exchange with China (from 1979 until his death in Suzhou
Suzhou
Suzhou , previously transliterated as Su-chou, Suchow, and Soochow, is a major city located in the southeast of Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, located adjacent to Shanghai Municipality. The city is situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Taihu Lake and is a part...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, in 2001), and received the commission to write an opera (Takeru) for the 1997 opening of the New National Theatre, Tokyo, Japan's main opera house.
Dan is known in Japan for his 1951 opera Yūzuru
Yuzuru (opera)
, is a Japanese opera in one act composed by Ikuma Dan after the play of the same name by Junji Kinoshita.Ikuma Dan initially wrote incidental music for Kinoshita's play in 1949. Later, determined to transform the music into an opera, he approached Kinoshita who agreed to release the play under...
(Twilight Crane), which is regularly revived there.
Stage
- YūzuruYuzuru (opera), is a Japanese opera in one act composed by Ikuma Dan after the play of the same name by Junji Kinoshita.Ikuma Dan initially wrote incidental music for Kinoshita's play in 1949. Later, determined to transform the music into an opera, he approached Kinoshita who agreed to release the play under...
(Twilight Crane), opera in 1 act, text by Junji KinoshitaJunji Kinoshitawas perhaps the foremost playwright of modern drama in postwar Japan. He was also a translator and scholar of the plays of Shakespeare.-Life and Career:...
, (OsakaOsakais a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, 1952) - Kikimimizukin (The Listening Cap), opera in 3 acts, text by Junji Kinoshita (Osaka, 1955)
- Yōkihi (Yang Guifei), opera in 3 acts, text by Jirō OsaragiJiro Osaragiwas the pen-name of a popular Japanese writer in Shōwa period Japan, known primarily for his historical fiction novels, which appeared serialized in newspapers and magazines. His real name was .-Early life:Osaragi Jirō was born in Yokohama...
(Tokyo, 1958) - Futari Shizuka, dance drama (1961)
- Hikarigoke (Luminous Moss), opera in 2 acts, text by T. Takeda (Osaka, 1972)
- Chanchiki, opera in 2 acts, text by Y. Mizuki (Tokyo, 1975)
- Master Flute Player, ballet (1989)
- Susanō, opera (1994)
- Takeru, opera (Tokyo, 1997)
Orchestral
- Symphony No. 1 in A (1948-49/56-57)
- The Silk Road (1955)
- Symphony No. 2 in B flat (1955-56/88)
- Grand March "Celebration" for wind orchestra (1959)
- Symphony No. 3 (1960)
- Symphony No. 4 (1965)
- Symphony No. 5 (1965)
- Symphony No. 6 "Hiroshima" for soprano, nohkanNohkanThe is a high pitched, Japanese bamboo transverse flute or . It is commonly used in traditional Imperial Noh and Kabuki theatre. The nohkan flute was created by Kan'ami and his son Zeami in the 15th century, during the time when the two were transforming the Noh theatre forms Dengaku and...
, shinobueShinobueThe shinobue is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays important roles in noh and kabuki theatre music. It is heard in Shinto music such as kagura-den and in traditional Japanese folk songs...
and orchestra (1985) - Fantasia all'antica for two violins and string orchestra (1988)
- Grand March "The Royal Wedding" for wind orchestra (1992)
- Symphony No. 7 - unfinished
Chamber/Instrumental
- Fantasia No. 1 for violin and piano (1973)
- 3 Novelettes for piano (1983)
- Fantasia No. 2 for violin and piano (1983)
- Fantasia No. 3 for violin and piano (1984)
- Sonata for Flute and Piano (1986)
- Sonata for four bassoons (1988)
Film scores
- Samurai I: Musashi MiyamotoSamurai I: Musashi Miyamotois a 1954 color Japanese film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the first film of Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy of historical adventures. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi. The novel is loosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi...
(1954) - Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji TempleSamurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Templeis a color 1955 Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the second film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1955) - Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu IslandSamurai III: Duel at Ganryu Islandis a 1956 color Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshirō Mifune. It is the third film of the Samurai Trilogy. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawa's novel Musashi...
(1956) - The Last WarThe Last War (1961 film)The Last War, known in Japan as , is a tokusatsu film produced and released by Toho Studios in 1961. Its special effects were created by Eiji Tsuburaya who is also known for working on Godzilla and Ultraman....
(1961) - Rickshaw ManRickshaw ManRickshaw Man is a 1958 color Japanese film directed by Hiroshi Inagaki. Its original Japanese title is . It tells the story of a Matsugoro, a rickshaw man who becomes a surrogate father to the child of a recently widowed woman....
(aka "The Life of Wild Matsu") (1958)