Hirose, Ryohei 1930 - 2008
Author: Sudoh, Eiko
Last updated：April 24, 2018
Author: Sudoh, Eiko
Born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, in 1930. He began composing around the time he entered the preparatory course at Hokkaido University. After graduating from the Faculty of Education at the same university, he moved to Tokyo. In 1953, he enrolled in the composition department at Tokyo University of the Arts, where he studied under Tomojiro Ikenouchi, Jo Shimaoka, Akio Yashiro, and others. He acquired rigorous compositional technique (écriture) and advanced musical knowledge. He also studied analysis and twelve-tone technique under Minao Shibata and Yoshiro Irino. He completed the advanced course at the same university in 1961.
In 1963, after working with traditional Japanese instruments in the production of theatrical music, he composed “Torso”, a quintet for two kotos, shamisen, shakuhachi, and cello, commissioned by a group of young traditional Japanese musicians. Thereafter, he published numerous works for traditional Japanese instruments, significantly contributing to the flourishing of contemporary Japanese music. He showed particular interest in the shakuhachi, continuously writing works featuring the instrument, such as “Hekireki” (1964) for three shakuhachis and string ensemble, and “Hare” (1969) for three shakuhachis.
Subsequently, influenced by Indian philosophy, he released a variety of works expressing pan-Asian imagery, including the Cello Concerto “Triste” (1971), “Tenrai Chikyō” (1976) for shakuhachi and Asian percussion instruments, “Concerto for Shakuhachi and Orchestra” (1976, Odaka Prize), and orchestral works such as “Klima” (1976) and “Kalavinka” (1978). On the other hand, he also left many renowned pieces for popular ensembles, such as the mixed chorus suite “Umi no Uta” (Poem of the Sea) (1975), “Meditation” (1975) for alto recorder, and “Blue Train” (1979) for flute ensemble.
He served successively as Professor, Dean of the Graduate School of Music, Dean of the Faculty of Music, and Professor Emeritus at Kyoto City University of Arts. He also served as a lecturer at the Mozarteum University Salzburg, a lecturer at the Folkwang University of the Arts (Essen, Germany), and director of the Kyoto Concert Hall. He received numerous awards, including the Agency for Cultural Affairs Art Award and the Medal with Purple Ribbon. He passed away in 2008 at the age of 78.
Author : Sudoh, Eiko
Last Updated: April 24, 2018
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Author : Sudoh, Eiko
Ryōhei Hirose was born in Hakodate, Hokkaido in 1930. He started composing when he entered Hokkaido University’s preparatory course. After graduating from the education department of the university, he went to Tokyo. In 1953, he entered Tokyo University of the Arts’ composition department, and studied with Tomojirō Ikenouchi, Yuzuru Shimaoka and Akio Yashiro. There he acquired the skill for strict composition of music and advanced music culture. He also learned to analyze music and twelve-tone music from Minao Shibata and Yoshirō Irino. In 1961, he completed his studies at the university.
In 1963, when Hirose dealt with Japanese instruments in the production of drama music, he composed a quintet, “Toruso”, consisting of two kotos, a sangen, a shakuhachi and a cello. It was commissioned by a young Japanese music group.
After that, he announced a lot of works for Japanese instruments and made a big contribution to contemporary Japanese music. He especially had a lot of interest in the shakuhachi, and kept writing shakuhachi works such as “Heki” for three shakuhachis and string instruments (1964) and “Halle” for three shakuhachis (1969). After that, Hirose was influenced by Indian philosophy, and announced various works expressing pan-Asia images such as the cello concerto “Triste” (1971), “Tenraichikyo” for shakuhachi and asian percussions (1976) and “Concerto for Shakuhachi and Orchestra” (1976, Otaka Prize). He also published “Kurima” (1976) and “Karavinka” (1978) both for the orchestra. On the other hand, he left a lot of famous songs for popular instruments, such as “Songs of the Ocean” (1975) for a mixed chorus, “Meditation” for an alto recorder (1975) and “Blue Train” for a flute ensemble (1979).
He served as a professor, dean, president of dean, emeritus professor of Kyoto City University of Arts, a lecturer at University Mozarteum Salzburg and Essen University of Music, and director of the Kyoto Concert Hall. He received a lot of awards including the Award of Art Works by Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Medal with Purple Ribbon and others. He died at the age of 78 in 2008.
Works(2)
Piano Solo