Kosaku Yamada

Kosaku Yamada, also Koscak Yamada (Japanese山田 耕 笮, Yamada Kosaku; born June 9, 1886 in Tokyo, † December 29, 1965 ) was a Japanese composer and conductor. He is considered a pioneer of classical instrumental music in Japan and was one of the first Japanese opera and symphonic composer.

Life

Yamada studied until 1908 singing and music theory at August Junker in Tokyo and by 1914 at the Prussian Academy of Arts in composition with Max Bruch. In addition to his work as a composer, he joined internationally as a conductor. He founded in 1920 the Japanese musical theater company, in 1925 the Japanese Symphony Society and was involved in the international exchange through music.

Yamada composed eight operas (including Korofune ), five symphonies and six symphonic poems, three " dance poetry ," an orchestral suite, choral works, songs and piano pieces as well as some film scores (including for "The Daughter of the Samurai" by Arnold Fanck and Itami Mansaku, 1937). He was stylistically influenced by European late romanticism, but using Japanese melody. His oeuvre includes more than 1,600 works. He was honored for his 1940 symphonic work with the Asahi Prize.

From his living and studying in Berlin ( 1910-13 ), he used the name Koscak Yamada, as the transliteration of Kosaku as Italian cosa ( " what; thing" ) and German " cow " sounds while Koscak SC with the French digraph for a voiceless s and the lack of u Japanese Originalausprache comes closer. Furthermore he wore so that the Western practice statement to provide the name before the family name.

Works (selection)

• Reisho, 1909
• Variations for Piano, 1912
• Overture in D major, 1912
• The autumn celebration for chorus and orchestra, 1912
• Wedding clang, 1913
• Ochitaru Tennyo, 1913
• Alladine et Palomides, 1913
• Shichinin no Ojo, 1913-16
• Ayame, 1931
• Kurofune ( " The black ships" ), opera, 1940
• Karatachi no Hana for Voice and Piano
• Kono Michi for Voice and Piano
• Akatombo for Voice and Piano