Kiyose, Yasuji 1900 - 1981
Author: Ota Kaori
Last updated：April 19, 2018
Author: Ota Kaori
Born in Oita Prefecture, he received violin instruction from his elder brother in his youth. He moved to Tokyo and briefly studied composition under Kosaku Yamada, but returned to Oita due to illness. During his convalescence, he taught himself piano. In 1925, he moved to Tokyo again, published works such as the song "Itsu to Naku" based on a tanka by Takuboku Ishikawa, and began his career as a composer, gaining recognition through Eizo Terui's performances.
In 1930, he was involved in the establishment of the Shinko Sakkyokuka Renmei (New Composers' League). The New Composers' League aimed to break away from Taisho-era children's songs, popular songs, the New Shoka Movement, and German academicism centered around the Tokyo Music School, intending to create new music based on their own sensibilities. However, because they sought solutions in the West, they became heavily influenced by French Impressionism. While Kiyose's early works were based on a German Romantic style, the influence of French Impressionism is said to be evident in his songs from that period (Kuniharu Akiyama, Showa no Sakkyokukatachi [Composers of the Showa Era], Tokyo: Misuzu Shobo, 2003).
From 1934 for two years, he studied composition under Klaus Pringsheim (1883-1972). He was recognized by Alexandre Tcherepnin (1899-1977), and his "Two Dances," composed in 1934, were published as part of the Tcherepnin Collection. Overseas, his "Suite for Piano" was presented in March 1937 at the "Evening of Far Eastern Music" in Karlsruhe, West Germany. In 1940, he composed the orchestral work "Japanese Festival Dances" for the 2600th Imperial Anniversary Arts Festival. In 1946, he co-founded the Shin Sakkyokuha Kyokai (New Composers' Association) with Yoritsune Matsudaira, Fumio Hayasaka, and others. Toru Takemitsu was among his students.
Works(32)
Concerto
concerto (2)
Piano Solo
character pieces (11)
Various works (6)