Background
In the Woods was composed in November 1995, when Takemitsu was hospitalized for bladder cancer. He wrote the work as a farewell gift to his friends and colleagues in the guitar world. The first piece, Wainscot Pond, after a painting of Cornelia Foss, is dedicated to John Williams, the Australian guitarist who commissioned and premiered many of Takemitsu's guitar works. The second piece, Rosedale, is dedicated to Kiyoshi Shomura, a Japanese guitarist who was a close friend of Takemitsu and his wife. The third piece, Muir Woods, is dedicated to Julian Bream, the British guitarist who introduced Takemitsu to the guitar repertoire and encouraged him to write for the instrument. The titles of the pieces are taken from places where there are beautiful forests: Wainscot Pond is in Long Island, New York; Rosedale Woods are in Toronto, Canada; and Muir Woods are in San Francisco, California.
The premiere of Wainscot Pond took place on February 29, 1996, at Takemitsu's funeral service in Tokyo. It was performed by Norio Sato, another Japanese guitarist who collaborated with Takemitsu. The premiere of Muir Woods took place on October 4, 1996, in London. It was performed by Julian Bream at a concert dedicated to Takemitsu's memory. The premiere of the entire work, as well as Rosedale, took place on October 15, 1996, in Tokyo. It was performed by Kiyoshi Shomura at a memorial concert for Takemitsu.
Structure
In the Woods is not a conventional suite or sonata, but rather a collection of three independent pieces that can be played separately or together. Each piece has its own form and character, reflecting the different personalities and styles of the dedicatees and the different landscapes of the forests. However, there are also some common elements that unify the work as a whole.
Wainscot Pond is the longest and most complex piece of the three. It consists of four sections: A-B-C-A'. The A section is slow and meditative, with a modal melody that emerges from a chromatic background. The B section is fast and rhythmic, with repeated notes and syncopations that create a sense of urgency and tension. The C section is lyrical and expressive, with a cantabile melody that contrasts with the previous section. The A' section is a varied recapitulation of the A section, with some changes in harmony and register.
Rosedale is the shortest and simplest piece of the three. It consists of two sections: A-B-A'. The A section is gentle and pastoral, with a diatonic melody that evokes a folk song. The B section is playful and lively, with a pentatonic melody that suggests an oriental flavor. The A' section is a brief return of the A section, with some variations in rhythm and harmony.
Muir Woods is the most mysterious and atmospheric piece of the three. It consists of three sections: A-B-A'. The A section is slow and spacious, with a sparse texture that creates a sense of depth and distance. The B section is fast and agitated, with a dense texture that creates a sense of movement and chaos. The A' section is a calm resolution of the A section, with a serene melody that fades away into silence.
Style
In the Woods reflects Takemitsu's mature musical language, which combines elements from Western and Eastern music traditions, as well as from nature and art. He uses various techniques to create rich and colorful sonorities, such as modal and chromatic scales, polytonality and atonality, extended harmonies and chords, and unconventional tunings and fingerings. He also uses various devices to create contrast and variety, such as changes in tempo, dynamics, articulation, and register. He pays attention to the smallest details of sound production, such as vibrato, glissando, harmonics, pizzicato, and percussion. He also uses silence as an expressive element, creating pauses and spaces that enhance the musical flow.
In the Woods is not only a musical work, but also a poetic and philosophical work. It expresses Takemitsu's personal feelings and thoughts about life, death, nature, and art. It is a tribute to his friends and mentors in the guitar world, as well as to his own musical journey. It is a reflection of his admiration and respect for the beauty and diversity of the forests, as well as for the fragility and vulnerability of humanity in the face of nature. It is a testament to his creativity and originality as a composer, as well as to his humility and generosity as a human being.
Conclusion
In the Woods is one of the most important works for guitar of the twentieth century. It showcases Takemitsu's mastery of writing for the instrument, as well as his unique sensibility and aesthetic. It challenges and inspires guitarists to explore new possibilities of sound and expression, as well as to appreciate the subtleties and nuances of the music. It also invites listeners to enter a world of imagination and emotion, where music and nature are intertwined in a harmonious and meaningful way.
References:
[This is Classical Guitar]
[DigiNole]
[Chandos]
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