Mizokami, Hideo 1936 - 2002
Author: Nakatsuji, Maho
Last updated：April 24, 2018
Author: Nakatsuji, Maho
Hideo Mizogami
Hideo Mizogami was born in Fukuoka on August 15, 1936 (Showa 11). While studying in the composition department at Kunitachi College of Music, his Collection of Choral Pieces for Female Voices was published. He graduated from the same university in 1959. In the 1960s, he provided music for NHK's Uta no Ehon (Picture Book of Songs) and composed music for television dramas such as Judo Icchokusen. He also published vocal works such as “Mizuiro no Hana” (Light Blue Flower) and “Moshi Moshi Konnichiwa” (Hello, Hello). In 1979, he completed the cantata Hakodate Genso (Hakodate Fantasy), which has a performance time of one hour.
His international activities include holding exhibitions of his works in Beijing in June 1989 and in Italy in July of the same year. Furthermore, his Piano Sonata was performed at the Perugia Contemporary Music Festival, and his organ piece Unchu Kuyo Bosatsu “Raku” (Bodhisattvas Offering Music in the Clouds), Koo (Resonance) for piano four hands and percussion ensemble, and Cyclorama for piano four hands, string orchestra, and percussion ensemble have been performed worldwide.
Looking at Hideo Mizogami's activities and works, two aspects stand out:
- ① A leader in rhythmic music education.
- ② A composer who expanded the repertoire of piano four-hand pieces.
Regarding ①, the rhythmic music education method devised by Émile Jaques-Dalcroze has been emphasized in early childhood education in Japan. Mizogami served as the director of the Institute of Rhythmic Music and a standing board member of the All Japan Rhythmic Music Education Research Association, and also endeavored to utilize the piano in childcare and early education.
Regarding ②, it is noteworthy that the duo of Sachiko and Kunio Kodama performed Mizogami's works worldwide. The Picture Book Without Pictures, Suite No. 1 (published by Zen-On Music Company Ltd. in 1974) is a four-hand piece based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, with music set to 11 of the 33 original short stories. As this work was somewhat difficult, The Picture Book Without Pictures, Suite No. 2 was composed to allow more people to enjoy it (Suite No. 2 is included in Piano Duo Collection: Original Works by Japanese Composers Vol. 1, published by Zen-On Music Company Ltd. in 1996). The two suites, imbued with moonlight and the scent of roses, are rich in variety with frequent dialogues and interplay between primo and secondo.
Author : Nakatsuji, Maho
Last Updated: April 24, 2018
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Author : Nakatsuji, Maho
Hideo Mizokami was born in Fukuoka prefecture on August 5 in 1936. The scores of his work, “Women’s Choral Music Collection”, was published when he was studying at Kunitachi Ongaku Daigaku (Kunitachi College of Music). Mizokami graduated from the college in 1959. He composed pieces for the NHK program, “Uta no Ehon (Picture Book of Songs)” and provided television music for drama series such as “Jūdo Icchokusen (Jūdo as the Crow flies)” in 1960s. He also wrote vocal music such as “Mizuiro no Hana (A Flower of Sky Blue)” and “Moshi-moshi Konnichiha (Hello, Good Afternoon)”. The cantata “Hakodate Gensō (Hakodate Fantasy)”, which has a duration of one hour, was completed in 1979.
The international activities of Mizokami can for example be seen from the exhibitions of his works which were held in June 1989 in Beijing and in July the same year in Italy. Mizokami’s “Piano Sonata” was played at the Persia Contemporary Music Festival, and his work for organ “Unchū Kuyō Bosatsu ‘gaku’ ” as well as “Koō” for piano duet and percussion and “Cyclorama” for piano duet, percussion, and strings have moreover been performed all around world.
Key Aspects of Mizokami's Work
When looking at the activity and work of Mizokami, two aspects stand out in particular:
- Firstly, he was a leader of Japanese eurhythmic music education.
- Secondly, he was a composer who extended the repertories of piano pieces for four hands.
Regarding the first point, eurhythmics as proposed by E. J. Dalcroze was regarded as an important part of Japanese preschool education. Mizokami was the head of the Eurhythmics Music Institute and a regular board member of the All Japan Eurhythmics Music Education Society.
Concerning the second point, the performances by Sachiko Kodama and Kunio Kodama of Mizokami’s compositions are notable. “E no nai Ehon (Picture Book without Pictures)”, published by Zen-On Publishing Company in 1974, is a piano piece for four hands based on the children’s stories by H. C. Andersen. The composition sets eleven of the thirty-three short stories from the original work to music. Since this work can be somewhat difficult to play, Mizokami composed “E no nai Ehon Daini-kumikyoku (Picture Book without Pictures the Second Suites)” in order to make more people able to perform and enjoy the piece. These two works, having a touch of the moon light and the scent of roses, present various forms of musical dialogues and are rich in variations.