Hikaru Hayashi

Hikaru Hayashi (林 光 Hayashi Hikaru, October 22, 1931 – January 5, 2012) was a contemporary Japanese composer, pianist and conductor.^[1] Born in Tokyo, he was the cousin of flautist Ririko Hayashi.

Hayashi entered Tokyo University of the Arts as a composition student but did not complete his studies.^[1] Studying under Hisatada Otaka, he produced many compositions including orchestral works. In particular, he was noted for his choral suite Scenes from Hiroshima (1958–2001).

In exploring the possibilities of Japanese language opera, Hayashi composed more than 30 operas. He was artistic director and resident composer of the Opera Theatre Konnyakuza. His oeuvre also includes symphonic works, works for band, chamber music, choral works, songs and more than 100 film scores. He was a frequent collaborator with film director Kaneto Shindo. Hayashi is the author of more than 20 books including Nihon opera no yume (日本オペラの夢 The Dream of Japanese Opera).^[2]

In 1998 Hayashi won the 30th Suntory Music Award.

In September 2011, Hayashi collapsed in front of his home hitting his head. He was rushed to the hospital unresponsive.^[1]

Selected works

Opera

• Gauche the Cellist (セロ弾きのゴーシュ) (1986); based on the novel by Kenji Miyazawa
• The Forest Is Alive (Mori wa ikite iru; 森は生きている) (1991), after the novel by Samuil Marshak — this opera has been unusually successful, with two complete recordings and regular revivals
• Metamorphosis (変身 セールスマンKの憂鬱) (1996); based on the short story by Franz Kafka
• I Am a Cat (吾輩は猫である) (1998); based on the novel by Natsume Sōseki
• Three Sisters (三人姉妹) (2001); based on the play by Anton Chekhov
• Revenge of the Dog (イヌの仇討ち あるいは吉良の決断) (2002); based on the novel by Hisashi Inoue
• Last Adventure of Don Quixote (花のラ・マンチャ騎士道 あるいはドン・キホーテ最後の冒険) (2004); based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes
• Romeo and Juliet (瓦礫のなかのロミオ＆ジュリエット) (2006); based on the play by William Shakespeare

Orchestral

• Symphony in G (1953)
• Variations for Orchestra (1955)
• Festive Overture (祝典序曲) (1976)
• Symphony No.2 "Canciones" (1983)
• Fukinukeru Natsukaze no Matsuri (吹き抜ける夏風の祭) (1985); recorded 1988 DENON, The Contemporary Music of Japan, COCO-70960, Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, Koizumi, Kazuhiro conductor.
• Symphonic Sketch (シンフォニック・スケッチ) (1988–1992)
• Symphony No.3 "At Noon, the August Sun..." (1990)

Concertante

• Guitar Concerto (ギター協奏曲＜北の帆船＞)
• Viola Concerto "Elegia" (悲歌) for viola and string orchestra (1995)
• Xylophone Concerto (木琴協奏曲＜夏の雲はしる＞) (2007)

Chamber music

• Rhapsody for violin and piano (1965)
• Sonata for flute and piano (1967)
• Winter on 72nd St. (７２丁目の冬) for violin and piano (1968)
• String Quartet "Legende" (レゲンデ) (1989)
• Vines (蔓枝) for viola solo (1999)
• Viola Sonata "Process" (プロセス) for viola and piano (2002)

Piano

• Theme and Variations (主題と変奏) (1946)
• Rondo in G major (ロンド ト長調) (1950)
• Dance Suite (舞踏組曲) for 2 pianos (1954)
• Sonata [No.1] (1965)
• Sonatina (1966)
• The Diary of Dr. Pamir (パミール博士の日記) for piano 4-hands (1977)
• Bevat: Tuk-kui-gwa (徳利小) (1979)
• Blanqui (ブランキ) for piano 4-hands (1979)
• The Zoo (動物園) (1979)
• Attā-wanku-wantū (あったーわんくわとぅー) (1980)
• Garasa (がらさ) (1980)
• Modottekita hizuke (もどってきた日付) (1980)
• Sangitsu (さんぎつ) (1980)
• Sonata No.2 "About Trees" (「木々について) (1981)
• Tei-chi dei-chi denden (てぃーちでぃーる・じんじん Tīchi dīru jinjin) (1981)
• Mimichiri bōji (耳打り坊主) (1982)
• Warszawianka Variations (ワルシャヴィアンカ変奏曲) (1982)
• 48 Songs for Piano (ピアノのための４８のうた) (1983)
• Harlequin (アルレッキーノ) for 2 pianos (1984)
• Shima-kodomo-uta II (Nursery Songs from Southern Islands II; 島こども歌２) (1984)
• Tori-tachi no hachigatsu (鳥たちの八月) for 2 pianos 8-hands (1984)
• Chameleon (カメレオン) for piano 4-hands (1986)
• Tale (ものがたり) (1986)
• Jikoku wo nozoku Arurekkīno (地獄を覗くアルレッキーノ) for 2 pianos (1987)
• Sonata No.3 "New Angel" (「新しい天使」) (1987)
• Postlude (POSTLUDE/静岡東高校校歌によるパラフレーズ), Paraphrase on the Shizuoka East High School Hymn (1992)
• Sōkō no mori (Forest of Drafts; 前奏曲「草稿の森」) (1993)
• 四都 for 2 pianos (2000)
• Khanbaliq (カムバリク) for 2 pianos (2004)
• Dance Suite for 2 pianos (2004)
• 3 Intermezzos (三つの間奏曲) (2006)..

Film scores

• Voice Without a Shadow (影なき声) (1958)
• The Naked Island (裸の島) (1960)
• Brave Records of the Sanada Clan (真田風雲録) (1963)
• Onibaba (1964)
• Kuroneko (藪の中の黒猫) (1968)
• Death by Hanging (絞死刑) (1968)
• Boy (少年) (1969)
• Under the Flag of the Rising Sun (軍旗はためく下に) (1972)
• A Last Note (午後の遺言状) (1995)
• Owl (ふくろう) (2003)
• Postcard (2010)

References

1. 作曲家の林光さん死去　多くの日本語創作オペラ生む (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 7 January 2012.
2. 林光の部屋

• Kanazawa, Masakata, and Judith Herd. 2001. "Hayashi, Hikaru". The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition, edited by Stanley Sadie and John Tyrrell. London: Macmillan Publishers.

External links

• Hikaru Hayashi at the Internet Movie Database
• 林光の部屋 – Hikaru Hayashi's Room (in Japanese)
• オペラシアター こんにゃく座 – Opera Theatre Konnyakuza (in Japanese and English)