TAKI Rentarou: A Composer Who Colored the Dawn of Japanese Music

TAKI Rentarou (1879-1903) was one of the leading composers of the early Meiji era, a time when Japanese music was just beginning to emerge. He showed extraordinary musical talent from an early age, and while studying Western music at the Tokyo Music School, he composed numerous Japanese vocal and choral works. His works incorporated innovative elements of Western music, which were considered revolutionary at the time, yet featured melodies that were easily accessible to the Japanese people, leaving a significant mark on Japanese musical history.

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Early Life and Encounter with Music

TAKI Rentarou was born in Tokyo in 1879. He displayed a natural aptitude for music from a young age, beginning piano lessons at the age of seven and composing music at the age of twelve. He went on to study at the Tokyo Music School (now the Tokyo University of the Arts), where he majored in piano and composition, honing his knowledge and skills in Western music. Though born in Tokyo, Taki had deep roots in Ooita Prefecture. His family originated from Bungo Province (present-day Ooita Prefecture), where they had been high-ranking samurai. When Rentarou was three years old, his father, who was a government official, was transferred to Ooita City, and Rentarou spent his formative years there until the age of nine. It was in Oita that he first encountered Western music. One of his most famous compositions, “Koujyou no Tsuki” (Moon over the Ruined Castle), was reportedly inspired by the ruins of Oka Castle in Taketa City, Ooita Prefecture.

Career as a Song Composer

While still a student, Taki composed songs such as “Hana” (Flower), “Koujyou no tsuki” (Moon over the Ruined Castle), “Hakone hachiri” (Eight Miles of Hakone), and “Oshougatsu” (New Year’s Day), all of which became major hits. These works combined Western musical techniques with traditional Japanese musical elements in a new style that captivated audiences at the time.

Study Abroad and Early Death

After graduating from the Tokyo Music School, TAKI was awarded a scholarship by the Ministry of Education to study in Germany. However, he contracted tuberculosis while abroad and returned to Japan at the age of 23. He continued to compose music during his convalescence, but his condition worsened, and he passed away at the age of 24.

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Contribution to Music History

Although TAKI’s musical career was short-lived, he made a significant contribution to Japanese music history. He established a new musical style that fused Western and Japanese music, and greatly contributed to the development of modern Japanese music. Moreover, his songs are still loved by many people today and are deeply rooted in Japanese musical culture.

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Representative Works

Hana (Flower)
Koujyou no tsuki (Moon over the Ruined Castle)
Hakone Hachiri (Eight Miles of Hakone)
Oshougatsu (New Year’s Day)
Urami (Regret)
Yume Miru Koro (When I Dream)
Yoi Machi Gusa (Evening Primrose)

TAKI Rentarou’s music breathed new life into the Japanese music scene of the Meiji era and played a major role in the development of modern Japanese music. His untimely death was a great loss to the Japanese music world, but his works continue to be loved by many people and enrich Japanese musical culture.

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YAMADA Kousaku (1886–1965) was a composer and conductor who left a significant mark on the history of modern Japanese music.

Life and Career

YAMADA Kousaku was born on June 9, 1886, in Tokyo. He lost his parents in his childhood and was raised by his sister and her British missionary husband. This environment is believed to have influenced his later musical activities.

In 1904, he entered the Tokyo Music School (now the Tokyo University of the Arts, Faculty of Music) and graduated from the Vocal Department in 1908. He then studied composition at the Berlin University of the Arts for four years from 1910, supported by the businessman Iwasaki Koyata.

After returning to Japan in 1915, YAMADA founded the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, Japan’s first symphony orchestra, becoming a pioneer of the symphonic movement in Japan. He also established the Japan Opera Association in 1920 and the Japan Symphony Society in 1925, contributing significantly to the spread of Western music in Japan.

Works and Achievements

YAMADA’s works span a wide range of genres, including opera, orchestral music, songs, children’s songs, and film music. He particularly focused on composing songs and children’s songs that utilized the characteristics of the Japanese language, leaving many famous pieces.

Some of his representative works include:

“Karatachi no Hana” (Lyrics by KITAHARA Hakushuu)
“Kono Michi” (Lyrics by KITAHARA Hakushuu)
“Machiboke” (Lyrics by KITAHARA Hakushuu)
“Aka tombo” (Lyrics by MIKI Rofuu)
“Sunayama” (Lyrics by KITAHARA Hakushuu)
“Pechka” (Lyrics by KITAHARA Hakushuu)

These works are designed to be sung beautifully and naturally, making use of the accents of the Japanese language.

Additionally, YAMADA composed large-scale works using Western musical techniques, such as Japan’s first symphony “Kachidoki to Heiwa” (Victory and Peace).

Music Education and Literary Activities

YAMADA was not only a composer and conductor but also a dedicated music educator, leaving numerous writings. He greatly influenced Japanese music education from the Taisho to the early Showa periods.

Interestingly, he also wrote a book on astrology called “The Mystery of Birth Months,” published in 1925. This book, which describes personalities and fortunes based on birth months in an easy-to-understand manner, is still read today.

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International Activities and Recognition

YAMADA was active internationally as well as domestically. During his year-and-a-half stay in the United States starting in 1916, he performed his orchestral works at Carnegie Hall, making his mark on the international stage.

His achievements were highly regarded both at home and abroad. In 1936, he received the Legion of Honour from the French government, and in 1937, he was awarded the Merit Award by the Japanese-German Cultural Association. He also received the Asahi Culture Prize in 1941 and the NHK Broadcasting Culture Award in 1950, and was recognized as a Person of Cultural Merit.

Wartime Activities and Evaluation

During the war, YAMADA composed many works in line with national policy. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937, he composed pieces such as the “Patriotic March” and “Song of the Greater East Asia War,” aimed at boosting morale. In 1940, he composed the “Song of Nation Building” to celebrate the 2600th anniversary of Japan’s founding, actively participating in national events.

These activities have been criticized postwar, and YAMADA’s wartime responsibility is still questioned.

However, there are various perspectives on YAMADA’s wartime activities. Some argue that he could not entirely avoid the demands of the times, while others point out that he continued to create purely artistic works even during the war.

Thus, YAMADA Kousaku’s wartime activities and their evaluation are still subjects of ongoing debate, and his contributions as a musician are assessed in a complex manner.

Later Years and Legacy

In his later years, YAMADA suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed on the left side, but he continued his conducting activities. He passed away on December 29, 1965, at the age of 79 in Tokyo.

YAMADA’s works and achievements continue to have a significant impact on the Japanese music world. His compositions for children’s songs and songs are still widely loved and are included in school education.

In 2001, Iwanami Shoten published the “Collected Works of YAMADA Kousaku” in three volumes, providing a comprehensive view of his thoughts and activities.

YAMADA Kousaku, who pursued a unique musical expression that incorporated Western techniques while utilizing the characteristics of the Japanese language, laid the foundation for modern Japanese music. His influence continues to be deeply felt in contemporary Japanese music.

Although YAMADA left behind a vast body of work in Japanese music, no memorial has yet been built, perhaps because of the aforementioned question of war responsibility.

▼Cemetery of YAMADA Kosaku

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