Composer

:

Toru Takemitsu

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Song

Compose Date

:

1958

Average_duration

:

3:17

"I Just Sing" is a vocal work composed by Toru Takemitsu in 1983. The piece was premiered on October 22, 1983, at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan by the soprano Yoko Watanabe and the pianist Hiroaki Ooi. The work consists of three movements, each with its own unique characteristics. The first movement, "I Just Sing," is a setting of a poem by the American poet e.e. cummings. The music is characterized by a simple, flowing melody that is accompanied by a sparse piano part. The vocal line is often fragmented, with the singer pausing between phrases to allow the piano to fill in the gaps. The overall effect is one of introspection and contemplation. The second movement, "The Wind Sways the Trees," is a setting of a poem by the Japanese poet Shuntaro Tanikawa. The music is more complex than the first movement, with a more active piano part and a vocal line that is more rhythmically varied. The text describes the movement of the wind through the trees, and the music reflects this with swirling arpeggios and cascading vocal lines. The final movement, "The Sea in Spring," is a setting of a poem by the Japanese poet Takashi Tsujii. The music is characterized by a sense of expansiveness and grandeur, with the piano part featuring rolling arpeggios and the vocal line soaring to high notes. The text describes the beauty of the sea in spring, and the music captures this with its sense of openness and freedom. Overall, "I Just Sing" is a work that showcases Takemitsu's skill as a composer of vocal music. The three movements each have their own distinct character, but they are united by a sense of lyricism and beauty. The work is a testament to Takemitsu's ability to create music that is both deeply personal and universally appealing.

More....