Toshi Ichiyanagi (一柳 慧, Ichiyanagi Toshi, 4 February 1933 – 7 October 2022) was a Japanese avant-garde composer and pianist.
One of the leading composers in Japan during the postwar era, Ichiyanagi worked in a range of genres, composing Western-style operas and orchestral and chamber works, as well as compositions using traditional Japanese instruments. Ichiyanagi is known for incorporating avant-garde techniques into his works, such as chance music, extended technique, and nontraditional scoring. Ichiyanagi was married to artist Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1962.
Ichiyanagi was married to Yoko Ono from 1956 to 1962. His decision to return to Japan, while Ono remained in New York, rendered the marriage untenable.
Many of Ichiyanagi's early scores use graphic notation: Sapporo (1963) is one of the better known examples. Another notable early work is the 1960 composition Kaiki, which combined Japanese instruments, shō and koto, and western instruments, harmonica and saxophone. Another work, Distance (1961), required the performers to play from a distance of three meters from their instruments. Anima 7 (1964) stated that chosen action should be performed "as slowly as possible". In 1963, Ichiyanagi co-founded an avant-garde music collective called New Direction along with fellow composers Takehisa Kosugi, Yūji Takahashi, and Kenji Kobayashi, and others. The group disbanded in the late 1960s when most of its members relocated to New York, while Ichiyanagi remained in Japan.
Ichiyanagi's later works shifted away from experimental means toward more conventional forms, including symphonies, operas and concertos. He was the recipient of the 33rd Suntory Music Award (2001) and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts John Cage Award (2018). He has been honored with Japan's Order of Culture.
Personal life and death
Ichiyanagi's father, Shinji, was a cellist, while his mother, Mitsuko, gave piano lessons in their home and was her son's first piano teacher. After Ichiyanagi's marriage to Yoko Ono ended in 1962, he was married a second time in 1963 to Sumiko, who died in 1993. They had a son, Kei (b. 1964), who is still living as of 2022.
Ichiyanagi died in Tokyo on 7 October 2022, at the age of 89.
Works
As listed in Schott Music catalogue:
Operas
From the Works of Tadanori Yokoo (electronic music) (1968)
Hiraizumi Enjo (1989)
The Last Will of Fire (1995)
Momo (1995/98)
Hikari (2002)
Ikuta-gawa Monogatari (2004)
White Nights (2005)
Orchestral works
Asma for piano and orchestra (1962)
The Field for koto and orchestra (1964)
Life Music for modulators, tape and orchestra (1965)
Up To Date Applause for orchestra, rock band and tape (1968)
Chi for noh flute and orchestra (1973)
In the Reflection of Lighting Image for percussion and orchestra (1980)
Piano Concerto No. 1 "Reminiscences of Space" (1981)
Engen for koto and orchestra (1982/86)
Violin Concerto "Circulating Scenery" (1983)
Paganini Personal for marimba and orchestra (1983–86)
Time Surrounding for percussion and orchestra (1984)
Symphony for Chamber Orchestra "Time Current" (1986)
Interspace for string orchestra (1987)
Piano Concerto No. 2 "Winter Portrait" (1987)
Symphony "Berlin Renshi" for soprano, tenor, orchestra (1988)
Voices from the Environment (1989)
Symphonic Movement "Kyoto" (1989)
Concerto for Koto and Chamber Orchestra "The Origin" (1989)
Existence for organ and orchestra (1989)
Piano Concerto No. 3 "Cross Water Roads" (1991)
Luminous Space for sho, ondes martenot and orchestra (1991)
Interplay for flute and string orchestra (1992)
Symphony for Chamber Orchestra No. 2 "Undercurrent" (1993)
Cosmos Ceremony for ryuteki, sho and orchestra (1993)
Symphony No. 4 "Recollection of Reminiscence Beyond" (1994)
"Coexistence" for shakuhachi and string orchestra (1994)
Symphony No. 3 "Inner Communications" (1995)
Coexistence for ondes martenot and orchestra (1996)
Symphony No. 5 "Time Perspective" – on the theme of opera Momo (1997)
Symphony No. 2 "Undercurrent" (1997)
Coexistence for orchestra (1997)
Bridging (2001)
Symphony No. 6 "A Hundred Years From Now" (2001)
Between Space and Time for chamber orchestra (2001)
Returning to Sounds Environment for shakuhachi and orchestra (2002)
To the Memory of Nugshead for wind orchestra (2003)
Concertato for harp and chamber orchestra (2004)
Symphony No. 7 "Ishikawa Paraphrase" (2007)
Piano Concerto No. 4 "Jazz" (2009)
Piano Concerto No. 5 "Finland" (2011)
Symphony No. 8 "Revelation 2011" (2011/12)
Concerto for marimba and orchestra (2012)
Symphony No. 9 "Diaspora" (2014)
Piano Concerto No. 6 "Zen" (2016)
Symphony No. 10 "Scenes of Various Memories" (2016)
Double Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra (2017)
Chamber works
Sonata for violin and piano (1954)
Trio for 2 flutes and harp (1956)
String Quartet (1957)
Stanzas for string instrument(s) (1960)
For Strings (1961)
Duet for piano and string instrument(s) (1961)
Sapporo for any number of players up to fifteen (1962)
Activities for brass instruments (1962)
String Quartet No. 1 (1964)
Modulator for Japanese instruments, string instruments, piano and modulator (1966)
Appearance for 3 players and 2 operators (1967)
Distance for noh flute, noh performer and ensemble (1978)
Scenes I for violin and piano (1978)
Scenes II for violin and piano (1979)
Recurrence for flute, clarinet, percussion, harp, piano, violin and cello (1979)
Wa for 13-string koto, 17-string koto, piano and percussion (1981)
Time in Tree, Time in Water for percussion and piano (1981)
Scenes IV for violin and piano (1981)
Before Darkness Appears for accordion and piano (1981)
Scenes V for violin and piano (1982)
Paganini Personal for marimba and piano (1982)
Flowers Blooming in summer for harp and piano (1982)
Wind trace for three keyboard percussion (marimba, vibraphone and antique cymbal) (1984)
Piano Quintet "Prāna" (1985)
Yami o Irodoru Mono for 2 violins and piano (revised 2006 for 2 violins, cello and piano) (1985)
Yochô for ryuteki and piano (1985)
Présage for 6 ondes martinots (1986)
String Quartet No. 2 "Interspace" (1986)
Interspace for sho and harp (1986)
Transfiguration of the Moon for sho and violin (1988)
Ten, Zui, Ho, Gyaku for shakuhachi and ondes martenot (1988)
Wind Gradation for ryuteki and piano (1989)
Troposphere for ondes martenot and marimba (1990)
Interrelation I for cello and piano (1991)
Trio Interlink for violin, piano and percussion (1990)
Aquascape for marimba, flute, piano and 2 percussions (1992)
Cosmos of Coexistence for marimba and piano (1992)
Reflection for 9 players (1992)
Brightening Wind for sho and piano (1992)
Tenryuji for ryuteki, sho, shakuhachi, koto, ondes martenot and percussion (1992)
Intercross for violin and piano (1993)
Toki Sayuru for koto and piano (1993)
String Quartet No. 3 "Inner-landscape" (1994)
Trio Fantasy for piano, violin and cello (1994)
Cosmic Harmony for cello and piano (1995)
Music for Violin, Shô and Piano (1995)
Existence −In Memory of Kuniharu Akiyama− for clarinet and piano (1997)
Interrelation II for violin and piano (1998)
Mirage for English horn and double bass (1998)
Mirage for accordion and harpsichord (1998)
Mirage for sho and harpsichord (1998)
Mirage for shakuhachi and piano (1998)
String Quartet No. 4 "In the Forest" (1999)
Metamorphosis for bassoon quartet (1999)
Piano Quintet "Bridging" (2001)
Spiritual Sight II for gagaku, reigaku, shomyo and cello (2001)
Encounter for cello, ancient instruments, gagaku and shomyo (2002)
Space Line for viol consort (2005)
Variation "White Nights" for percussion ensemble (2006)
Space Scene for flute, clarinet, violin, cello, accordion and piano (2006)
Resonant Space for clarinet and piano (2007)
Circular Space for flute, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion (2008)
Hen'yo suru No-Kukan for Noh performers and 2 pianos (2008)
Trio Webster for flute, clarinet and piano (2008)
Paganini Personal for violin and piano (2011)
Duo Interchange for violin and cello (2011)
Works for keyboard
Music for Piano No. 1 – No. 7 (1959–61)
Piano Media for piano (1972)
Bi no Bi for piano (1975)
Multiple Spaces for organ (1976)
Time Sequence for piano (1976)
Two Existence for 2 pianos (1980)
Cloud Atlas I–X for piano (1985–99)
Inter Konzert for piano (1987)
Piano Nature for piano (1989)
Inexhaustible Fountain for piano (1990)
Dimensions for organ (1990)
Fantasy for organ (1992)
Farewell to... – To the Memory of Luigi Nono for piano (1992)
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