Akutagawa, Yasushi 1925 - 1989
Author: Sudoh, Eiko
Last updated：April 21, 2018
Author: Sudoh, Eiko
Born in Tokyo in 1925 as the third son of the literary giant Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. Among the belongings of his father, who committed suicide when Akutagawa was two years old, he particularly cherished records of Stravinsky's The Firebird and Petrushka, eventually aspiring to become a composer. In 1943, he entered the Tokyo Music School (now Tokyo University of the Arts). He studied composition under Kunihiko Hashimoto during the wartime period and under Akira Ifukube after the war.
In 1949, he completed his postgraduate studies at the Tokyo Music School. The following year, his Music for Symphony Orchestra won the Grand Prize in the NHK 25th Anniversary Orchestral Competition, bringing him immediate recognition. In 1953, his Triptyque for String Orchestra premiered at Carnegie Hall and received the Warsaw Music Prize. In the same year, he formed "Sannin no Kai" (The Group of Three) with Ikuma Dan, Toshiro Mayuzumi. They actively organized concerts, primarily featuring orchestral works, and led the post-war Japanese composition scene. In 1954, he visited Shostakovich and others in the Soviet Union, a country he admired.
Furthermore, based on his belief that "music belongs to everyone," he founded the amateur orchestra "Shin Kyō Kō Gakudan" (New Symphony Orchestra) in 1956. He supported its activities as a conductor for 30 years. From 1977 onwards, he served as a host for music programs such as NHK's Ongaku no Hiroba and N-Kyō Hour, dedicating himself to the popularization of music. In 1981, he became the chairman of the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC) and was actively involved in copyright protection movements. In 1982, he formed "Anti-Nuclear Japanese Musicians" and organized anti-nuclear concerts, contributing significantly to the development of the Japanese music scene through numerous social activities.
His early style, as seen in the piano piece La Danse (1948), is characterized by the urban and sophisticated expression inherited from his teacher Hashimoto, and the wild rhythmic ostinato inherited from Ifukube. From the late 1950s to the 1960s, he released works with avant-garde sounds, such as Ellora Symphony (1958) and the opera Orpheus in Hiroshima (1967). Subsequently, in works like Concerto Ostinato for cello and orchestra (1969) and Rhapsody (1971), while utilizing avant-garde techniques, he rediscovered his inherent suppleness, lightness, and vibrant ostinato. The piano collection for children, 24 Preludes (1979), fully expresses the charm of Akutagawa's works. His other works span a wide range, including film scores, children's songs, musicals, ballets, and choral pieces.
He received the Torii Music Prize and the Medal with Purple Ribbon. He passed away in 1989 at the age of 63. The following year, the "Akutagawa Award for Music Composition" was established in his honor.
Author : Sudoh, Eiko
Last Updated: April 21, 2018
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Author : Sudoh, Eiko
Yasushi Akutagawa was born in Tokyo in 1925 as the third son of a great writer Ryunosuke Akutagawa. He loved to listen to the records of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird” and “Petrushka” which belonged to his father who committed suicide when Akutagawa was two years old. From a very young age, he set his heart on becoming a composer. In 1943, he entered Tokyo Music School (currently named Tokyo National University of Arts), and studied composition with Kunihiko Hashimoto during the war and with Akira Ifukube after the war.
Akutagawa completed Tokyo Music School in 1949. During the following year, his “Music for Symphony Orchestra” won the Special Prize for Orchestral Works by NHK Celebrating Its 25th Anniversary, and he gained a lot of attention. In 1953, “Triptyque for String Orchestra” was premiered at Carnegie Hall and received the Warsaw Music Award. In the same year, he formed “Sannin no kai (Group of Three)” with Ikuma Dan and Toshirō Mayuzumi. The group actively had concerts, mainly for orchestral works, and became the motive power for the Japanese music world after the war. In 1954, Akutagawa visited Dmitri Shostakovich and other composers in the Soviet Union which he had yearned to do.
Akutagawa founded the amateur orchestra “New Symphony Orchestra” in 1956 from his idea that “music is for everyone”. He supported its activities as a conductor over 30 years. After 1977, he was devoted to spreading music as a host of TV programs such as NHK “Music Plaza” and “NHK Symphony Orchestra Hour”. In 1981 he took the post of president of Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers, and struggled with the copyright advocacy movement. In 1982, he formed “Antinuclear / Japanese Musicians” and hold antinuclear concerts. As above, he made a great contribution to the development of the Japanese music world through many social activities.
Akutagawa’s initial style was characterized by an urbanized and stylish expression like his teacher Hashimoto, and by a wild rhythmic ostinato like Ifukube, as seen in the piano piece “La Dance” (1948). From the late ’50s to the ’60s, he released avantgarde works such as “Ellora Symphony” (1958) and the Opera “Orpheus in Hiroshima” (1967). After that, he regained original softness, lightness, and vital ostinato while taking advantage of avant-garde techniques as seen in “Concerto Ostinato for Cello and Orchestra” (1969) and “Rhapsody” (1971). In the piano music collection for children “24 Preludes” (1979), you can see these musical charms a lot. He also wrote diverse works, such as film music, children’s songs, musicals, ballet music, choral music, etc.
Akutagawa received a Tori Music Award, and a Medal with Purple Ribbon. He died at the age of 63, in 1989. In the following year, “Akutagawa Composition Award” was founded to honor his achievements.
Works(15)
Piano Solo
for children (7)
Chamber Music
Various works (3)