Sadao Bekku

Sadao Bekku (別宮貞雄, Bekku Sadao, May 24, 1922 in Tokyo – January 12, 2012 in Mitaka, Tokyo[1]) was a Japanese classical composer. His works include five symphonies, film scores, a flute sonata, a piano concerto, choral work and art songs, and the opera, Prince Arima.

Sadao Bekku
Born(1922-03-24)March 24, 1922
Tokyo, Japan
DiedJanuary 12, 2012(2012-01-12) (aged 89)
Other names別宮 貞雄
Occupationcomposer
Relativesgrand father:Yamagiwa Katsusaburō (pathologist)

His work took strong influence from jazz. His best-known works include the film score Matango (1963).

Major works

Operas
  • A Story of Three Women (Le dit des trois femmes) (1964)
  • 有間皇子 (Prince Arima (Arima-no Miko)) (1963–67)
  • Aoi-no-ue [2]

Orchestral works
  • Deux mouvements pour orchestre (1946)
  • Suite classique (1947)
  • Introduction et Allegro (1954)
  • Deux prières (1956)
  • Symphonietta for String Orchestra (1959)
  • Symphony No. 1 (1961)
  • Concerto pour violon et orchestre (1969)
  • Concerto pour alto et orchestre (1971)
  • Symphony No. 2 (1977)
  • Concerto pour piano et orchestre (1980)
  • Festival Overture (1981)
  • Symphony No. 3 "Spring" (1984)
  • Memories of Pictures: Suite for Wind Band (1987/2005)
  • March "Be Pure, Be Fresh" for wind orchestra (1988)
  • Symphony No. 4 "The Summer 1945" (1989)
  • Concerto pour violoncelle et orchestre "Autumn" (1997)
  • Symphony No. 5 "Man" (1999)

Chamber works
  • Trio d'anches for bassoon, oboe and clarinet (1953)
  • Sonate pour flûte et piano (1954)
  • Suite japonaise Nr. 1 for wind quintet (1955)
  • Quatuor à cordes Nr. 1 (1955–57)
  • 1er sonate pour violon et piano (1963–67)
  • Sonate pour violoncelle et piano (1974)
  • Aubade for flute, violin and piano (1976)
  • Suite "Chants de ville" for alto saxophone and piano (1981)
  • Petit pastoral for flute and piano (1983)
  • 《Hide and Seek》 and 《Tag》: Two Players for Two Marimbas (1988)
  • Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano (1995)
  • Kaleidoscope No. 2 for marimba (2002)
  • Autumn for violoncello and piano (2004)

Piano works
  • Sonatine (1965)
  • Suite "Kaleidescope" (1966)
  • Three Paraphrases Based on Folksongs of Southern Japan (1968)
  • Sonatine in Classical Style (1969)
  • Festa in the north: Japanese Suite No. 2 for piano by 4 hands (1989)

Vocal works
  • Light-coloured Pictures for voice and piano (1948)
  • 2 Rondels for voice and piano (1951)
  • Three Songs Based Man-yō-shū poems (1958)
  • Giant's Garden for narrator, mixed choir, orchestra and electronic sound (1962)
  • The Four Seasons of the Mountain for mixed choir (1967)

Film music

Bekku composed about 40 film scores from 1954 to 1978.[3]

  • Ghost of Hanging in Utusunomiya aka The Ceiling at Utsunomiya (怪異宇都宮釣天井 Kaii Utsunomiya tsuritenjō) (1956)
  • 姫君剣法　謎の紫頭巾 (1957)
  • 日本南極地域観測隊の記録　南極大陸 (1957)
  • 南極大陸 (1957)
  • 天下の鬼夜叉姫 (1957)
  • (遙かなる男 Shizukanaru otoko) (1957) literally: The Quiet Man
  • (太平洋戦記 Taiheiyō senki) (1958)
  • 密告者は誰か (1958)
  • 黒部侠谷　第二部　地底の凱歌 (1959)
  • Matango (マタンゴ) (1963) aka Attack of the Mushroom People
  • 恐怖の時間 (1964)
  • White Rose of Hong Kong (香港の白い薔薇 Honkon no shiroibara)(1965)
  • Key of Keys (国際秘密警察　鍵の鍵 Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Kagi no kagi) (1965) literally: International Secret Police: Key of Keys
  • (国際秘密警察　絶体絶命 Kokusai himitsu keisatsu: Zettai zetsumi) (1967)
  • (ニイタカヤマノボレ　−日本帝国の崩壊− Niitakayama nobore) (1968)
  • (喜劇　駅前開運 Kigeki ekimae kaiun) (1968)

References
  • Yoko Narasaki ed. Orchestral Works by Japanese Composers 1912-1992. Tokyo: Japan Symphony Foundation, 1994.
  1. "作曲家・別宮貞雄さん死去…現代音楽振興に尽力 : 文化 : 社会 : Yomiuri Online（読売新聞）". Archived from the original on 2012-01-16. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  2. Kanazawa, Masakata (2002). Bekku, Sadao (Opera). doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.O003565. ISBN 978-1-56159-263-0.
  3. Ongaku Geijutsu Bessatsu Nihon no sakkyoku 20-seiki. Tokyo: Ongaku-no-tomo-sha, 1999.
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