Still, We Live" Sound Track - My take

それでも、生きてゆくサウンドトラック" - one person's opinion

On August 10, 2011 -- only two weeks after the release of Nobu's self-compositions CD ( Nobu's Songs: "Nobuyuki Tsujii Works 2000-2011" CD), Avex Classics released yet another CD credited to Nobu (http: //avexnet.jp/id/tujin/discography/product/AVCL-25740.html?avex=topnew): a soundtrack from the Summer 2011 Japan TV mini-series それでも、生きてゆく("Soredemo, Ikite Yuku”  or "Still, we live".)

Coming so closely on the heels of the other album, this CD was announced with little fanfare, and was hardly promoted in media.  I am not familiar with the business practice of the record industry in Japan, but one has to question the thinking of Avex Classics.   Was it gambling on the idea that the TV series would be a big hit and the soundtrack might sell like hotcakes? 

I am quite possibly the only person outside of Japan that owns a copy of this CD.  I have not seen the TV show, nor do I have any desire to -- I don't even watch American TV any more.   I pre-ordered the album when I learned that there would be classical music works along with compositions by Nobu, including Chopin's "Raindrop" Prelude and a nocturne.  I had thought the nocturne was a different one from Op.27 No. 2 (which I still dearly love, see My Favorite Nobu (Tunes)) -- specifically, Op.9 No. 2., which I would surely like to hear Nobu perform someday.

Well, whatever.  I am happy to do my small share to support Nobu's works.  I didn't expect much of this album, but I can honestly say that this is a respectable album.  It will serve well as background music for work and especially for driving.  I am particularly  happy that three classical music tracks are included: "Raindrop", the nocturne, and the second movement of Rach 2.   These were mentioned often in twittter messages that appeared during the run of the TV drama.  If this album manages to introduce these classical masterpieces to just one person who had never heard of them before, it would make a contribution to the anemic classical music industry.

Since I already own every other CD by Nobu, the "Raindrop" is the only piece new to me.  When I say new, I mean it  in the sense that it is recorded with sound engineering, unlike the rendition on a popular youTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAgFfaMu10A uploaded by me, or the rendition that currently automatically plays when you visit Nobu's own site http://www.nobupiano1988.com/index.html.  This is a beautiful rendition, gently played as befitting the storyline of the TV drama, and with more tonal variation -- more colors.   I have heard Nobu play this piece as encore at least twice, and this recorded rendition is much better.  When I think about it, it was only last November when the Cliburn Foundation uploaded a video to youTube showing Nobu performing one minute of this piece played as an encore in Texas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIEYa4Nz6V4).  At that time, I didn't even know the name of the work, and I remember how I ached to hear the whole performance.  Now, I finally have a perfect rendition of it in my collection.

The CD is labeled with Nobu's name, as in "Music | Nobuyuki Tsujii", in small print on the cover.  Whether it is by his own choice, Nobu's picture is not on the album cover, although a single photo of his, by Yuji Hori, is featured on the center page of the liner notes (see photo to the left); the photo was obviously taken at the same session as for pictures that appear in the liner notes of the album that came out last month.

It seems to me that Avex put out this album without much forethought and is marketing it only half-heartedly.  My understanding is that the TV drama, very complicated in its storyline (I have been told), is not exactly a raging success in Japan, so my take is that this CD will have a very limited shelf life.   Furthermore, the theme music already appears as a track on the self-compositions CD.  This album does offer the theme music, as well as a couple of Nobu's  other compositions ("dogwood" and "Rockerfeller") in other renditions (orchestrated, quartet, guitar.)  The renditions are all well done and the music would add class to any film.  Although I personally would rather that Nobu does not spend his time scoring for movies and TV dramas, I will have to say that Nobu has a true flair for such works. 

I don't begrudge spending money on this CD, but in the back of my mind I do have a concern that some folks in Japan may be exploiting Nobu's fame and talent to, as Americans would say,  make a quick buck.  One twitter post said as much: Nobu's name might have been used to add cachet to the TV drama.  I really hope that is not the case,  and I trust that Nobu's parents and his managers would see to it that it is not the case.  

Nobu himself has said that the theme music for the TV drama was conceived while he was on tour in the United States last April, when he could not stop thinking about the earthquake-tsunami victims back home.  Somehow that single piece of music turned into a full-blown "辻井は音楽を担当させて頂きます" ("Tsujii will be in charge of music", as boldly stated on his website) for a TV series.   As it turned out, not quite.  The theme song for the show is composed by another popular Japanese artist, and at least one tweeter complained that that song is not on this album because that artist is not managed by Avex.

Many of us outside Japan are not entirely happy to see Nobu taking on a new role as composer so soon in his young career as a classical pianist.  I am sure that Nobu is aware that he has a reputation to safeguard.  Indulging  in composing is one thing, but allowing record labels to make CDs that few people would buy is another thing.  Beware. Tsujii-san!  Please don't sell yourself short - you have worked too hard and you are too beloved for that!

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Postscript: A blogger in Japan wrote about the album - rough google translation follows:

http://d.hatena.ne.jp/hanakuruma3/20110826

2011-08-26 某ドラマのBGM

毎週心が痛いな～とここのところチョイスしている本にも直結しているので、某ドラマを観ているのです。

盲目のピアニストの辻井伸行君がはじめてサウンドトラックを手がけるということもあり（オープニングの小田さんの方がめだっていますので、かえってよいかとも）なんだかお勉強の時間です。

ショパンの『雨だれ』をベースにした曲が、アレンジを変えてよく出てくるのですが、この曲が…私には昔から「鼓動（こどう）」に近く聞こえてきて、幼少のころは胸が苦しくなりました。

普通鼓動のテンポは子供は落ち着くといいますけど、私にはダメなのです。そのまま、「不安」に直結していっていたみたいで。

今回は、それが「時を刻む音」として使われている気がしました。

こんなに苦しくいるのに、時間は過ぎてもいるのに、かわらない、逆にすり減っている。

ぽつぽつと雨だれが石をも削れるように、心が削れていっているよう…。

悪い曲のように書いてしまいましたが、私は基本的にもショパンの曲は好きですから、BGMとしてはアレンジも豊かで、辻井くんを満喫しています。

身体って命の器だけど、ご先祖様や親がいてはじめて出来るもので、昔から、自分のものではないから死ねない、きちんと生きないといけないと思っていました。

きちんと生きていないのかな～、今かなり苦しい生活です。

そんな時もある、そう考えて、

Certain BGM <Background Music> Drama

We are directly linked to the books of choice - and this just hurts my heart this week, I have a certain sense of drama.

Blind pianistNobuyuki Tsujii's first soundtrack ...

Chopin 's "raindrops" song,  comes out better by changing the arrangement... I have long had the "beating (do this)" been heard close to the time a child is breasts became painful.

Kids beating the tempo is usually referred to as I settle down, to bad I am. Intact, "anxiety" got it going on and direct access to.

This time, the "ticking sound" was used to express a feeling.  

Even though so painful, but some time past, unchanged, are worn in reverse.

削Reru well as rainfall and a stone piece by piece, the mind seems to say ... shaved.

I could write a bad song, I can basically Chopin songs from the likes, as BGM is rich in arrangements, and enjoy Mr. Tsujii.

What is life but the body's vessels, if not the first time can be parents and ancestors, ancient, and not those of my死Nenai, I thought the region and must properly.

- Do not live a decent life is now quite difficult.

Sometimes such, thinks so, hit the key.

So fine come tomorrow.