12/07/2023

Toru Takemitsu In The Woods Pdf 12

Toru Takemitsu’s In the Woods: A Masterpiece of Modern Guitar Music (PDF Download)

Toru Takemitsu (1930-1996) was one of the most influential and original composers of the 20th century. He was also a prolific writer for the guitar, creating works that explore the rich sonorities and expressive possibilities of the instrument. In this article, we will examine his last composition for solo guitar, In the Woods (1995), which consists of three pieces: Wainscot Pond, Rosedale, and Muir Woods. We will discuss the musical features, the performance challenges, and the aesthetic implications of this remarkable work.

Background and Inspiration

In the Woods was composed in November 1995, while Takemitsu was hospitalized with bladder cancer. He died three months later, in February 1996. The work was his final musical testament, a farewell to life and to the guitar. He dedicated each piece to a different guitarist friend: Wainscot Pond to John Williams, Rosedale to Kiyoshi Shomura, and Muir Woods to Julian Bream. The titles are taken from places where there are beautiful forests, which Takemitsu loved and often visited. Wainscot Pond is a painting by Cornelia Foss, depicting a pond surrounded by trees in Long Island, New York. Rosedale is a neighborhood in Toronto, Canada, where Takemitsu stayed during a concert tour and admired the autumn foliage. Muir Woods is a national monument in California, where there are giant sequoia trees that impressed Takemitsu with their majesty and age.

Takemitsu’s music is often inspired by nature, especially by water and wind. He once said: “I do not write environmental music or nature music. I write music that is inspired by nature.” In the Woods is no exception. The music evokes the sounds, colors, and moods of the natural world, using various techniques such as harmonics, glissandi, tremolo, pizzicato, and percussive effects. The music also reflects Takemitsu’s personal feelings and emotions during his final days. He wrote: “These three pieces are my memento mori … I have tried to capture in these pieces my feelings of love for my friends who have been so kind to me during my illness.”

Structure and Style

In the Woods is not a conventional suite or sonata, but rather a collection of independent pieces that can be played separately or together. Each piece has its own character and form, but they share some common elements that create a sense of unity and coherence. Some of these elements are:

The use of modal melodies that emerge from a chromatic background.
The suspension of regular meter and the use of free rhythm.
The contrast between lyrical passages and dissonant clusters.
The exploration of different registers and timbres.
The incorporation of quotations from other composers.

Let us look at each piece in more detail.

Wainscot Pond

This piece is the shortest and simplest of the three, lasting about four minutes. It is based on a four-note motif that appears at the beginning and recurs throughout the piece in various transformations. The motif consists of two perfect fourths separated by a semitone: C-F#-G-C#. This motif creates a sense of ambiguity between major and minor modes, as well as between tonal and atonal languages. The piece has an ABA’ structure, with a contrasting middle section that introduces new material. The A section is calm and reflective, with gentle harmonics and glissandi that suggest the rippling of water. The B section is more agitated and dissonant, with clusters and percussive effects that imply stormy weather. The A’ section returns to the original motif, but with some variations and embellishments. The piece ends with a fading echo of the motif in harmonics.

Wainscot Pond contains two quotations from other composers: one from Debussy’s La cathédrale engloutie (The Sunken Cathedral), and one from Bach’s Prelude in C major from The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I. Both quotations are related to water imagery: Debussy’s piece depicts a mythical cathedral that rises from

Rosedale

This piece is the longest and most complex of the three, lasting about eight minutes. It is divided into four sections, each with a different tempo and character. The first section is marked Lento e rubato, and features a melodic line that alternates between the bass and the treble strings, creating a dialogue effect. The melody is based on a pentatonic scale that suggests an Asian influence. The second section is marked Allegro molto e ritmico, and introduces a rhythmic motif that consists of three sixteenth notes followed by a dotted eighth note. This motif is repeated and varied throughout the section, creating a sense of drive and energy. The third section is marked Lento e misterioso, and returns to the melodic line of the first section, but with some changes and embellishments. The melody is now accompanied by chords that create a rich harmonic texture. The fourth section is marked Allegro molto e ritmico come prima, and repeats the rhythmic motif of the second section, but with some modifications and additions. The piece ends with a coda that recalls the melodic line of the first section, but with a more dissonant and chromatic harmony.

Rosedale contains three quotations from other composers: one from Chopin’s Prelude in D-flat major Op. 28 No. 15 (Raindrop), one from Schubert’s Impromptu in G-flat major Op. 90 No. 3, and one from Takemitsu’s own work Folios for guitar. All three quotations are related to the theme of rain, which Takemitsu associated with Rosedale. He wrote: “I was staying at Rosedale during my concert tour in Canada in 1994. It was raining all day long … I was listening to Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude on the radio … I remembered Schubert’s Impromptu which I used to play on the piano … I also remembered my own piece Folios which I wrote for Julian Bream … I decided to quote these pieces in Rosedale.”

Muir Woods

This piece is the most expressive and emotional of the three, lasting about seven minutes. It is dedicated to Julian Bream, who was Takemitsu’s close friend and collaborator for many years. The piece is inspired by Muir Woods, a forest of ancient redwood trees near San Francisco, where Takemitsu visited in 1995. He wrote: “I was deeply moved by the sight of these huge trees which have lived for thousands of years … I felt the power of nature and the insignificance of human beings … I wanted to express these feelings in Muir Woods.” The piece has a ternary form, with an ABA’ structure. The A section is marked Andante sostenuto e cantabile, and features a lyrical melody that spans a wide range of registers and dynamics. The melody is accompanied by chords that create a modal harmony. The B section is marked Allegro moderato e ritmico, and introduces a syncopated motif that consists of two eighth notes followed by a quarter note. This motif is repeated and varied throughout the section, creating a sense of contrast and tension. The A’ section returns to the melody of the A section, but with some changes and developments. The piece ends with a coda that fades away in pianissimo.

Muir Woods contains two quotations from other composers: one from Dowland’s Lachrimae Pavan for lute, and one from Britten’s Nocturnal after John Dowland for guitar. Both quotations are related to the theme of night, which Takemitsu associated with Muir Woods. He wrote: “I was thinking of the night in Muir Woods … I remembered Dowland’s Lachrimae Pavan which I love very much … I also remembered Britten’s Nocturnal which he wrote for Julian Bream … I decided to quote these pieces in Muir Woods.”

Performance and Interpretation

In the Woods is a challenging work for guitarists, both technically and musically. It requires a high level of skill and sensitivity to execute the various techniques and nuances that Takemitsu employs. Some of the difficulties include:

The use of unconventional fingerings and positions.
The control of tone and volume in different registers and dynamics.
The coordination of melody and accompaniment in polyphonic passages.
The expression of mood and emotion in free and flexible rhythm.
The recognition and integration of quotations from other composers.

To perform In the Woods effectively, guitarists need to study the score carefully and understand the musical structure and style of each piece. They also need to listen to Takemitsu’s other works for guitar and other instruments, as well as the works that he quotes, to gain a deeper appreciation of his aesthetic and influences. Moreover, they need to develop their own personal interpretation and vision of the work, based on their own musical taste and experience. As Takemitsu himself said: “I do not want to impose my music on anyone. I want each performer to find his own way of playing my music.”

In the Woods is a work that offers guitarists a rich and rewarding musical journey, as well as a tribute to one of the greatest composers of our time. It is a work that deserves to be played and heard by more people, as it reflects Takemitsu’s love for the guitar, for nature, and for his friends.

PDF Download and Further Resources

If you are interested in learning more about In the Woods and playing it on your guitar, you can download the PDF sheet music from the link below. The PDF contains the full score and a detailed performance guide by Shin-ichi Fukuda, who was Takemitsu’s friend and dedicatee of many of his works. The performance guide includes biographical information, historical context, musical analysis, and practical tips for each piece.

PDF Download: In the Woods by Toru Takemitsu (PDF 12)

You can also watch some videos of professional guitarists playing In the Woods on YouTube. Here are some examples:

Shin-ichi Fukuda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sZc7lYn8fA
Julian Bream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qy1y5w0gWk
Rob MacDonald: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ox6X4X9LZo

We hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new about In the Woods and Toru Takemitsu. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share them below. Thank you for reading!

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored In the Woods, the last composition for solo guitar by Toru Takemitsu. We have seen how this work reflects his musical style, his inspiration from nature, and his friendship with other guitarists. We have also discussed the structure, style, and performance of each piece, and provided some resources for further study and enjoyment. In the Woods is a masterpiece of modern guitar music that showcases Takemitsu’s creativity, originality, and expressiveness. It is a work that challenges and rewards guitarists and listeners alike, and a fitting legacy for one of the greatest composers of our time.

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