🇯🇵Toru Takemitsu ： Closed Eyes In Memory of Shuzo Takiguchi

Closed Eyes In Memory of Shuzo Takiguchi is a character piece Toru Takemitsu wrote in remembrance of the poet Shuzo Takiguchi. Its distinctive impression comes from the resonance spreading between sound and silence, the shifting of delicate colors, and the layering of sonorities across different registers. Rather than hurrying through a clearly defined pulse, performers should carefully shape the beginning and fading of each note, connecting the whole piece through a broad, unbroken breath. The pedal should be used with care so that the resonance does not become clouded, while restrained gradations of volume can bring out the depth of the stillness and its delicate tension. Instead of dividing the form too rigidly, sensing the placement of resonance and empty space helps convey the work’s introspective character.