Matsumura Teizo

[Aaron Gerow]

The Asahi and other papers report that the composer Matsumura Teizo 
died on the 6th of pneumonia. He was 78 years old.

My wife was quite sad to hear of his death since she organized an 
interview with him in Documentary Box two years ago. This is the 
profile that ran with the interview:

Born in Kyoto in 1929. Composer. Studied under Ikenouchi Tomojiro and 
Ifukube Akira. After winning first place in the Mainichi Concours Music 
Composition Division in 1955 released several compositions, including 
Prelude for Orchestra and Piano Concerto No. 1 and No. 2. In 1978, won 
the Suntory Music Award and received a commission to compose an opera. 
Silence took over thirteen years to write and was first performed in 
1993 to critical acclaim as the birth of a new kind of opera. The 
following year, a Matsumura Teizo retrospective was organized in New 
York and drew high praise as well. Has contributed music to many stage 
and over 100 film productions, including collaborations on many films 
from directors Kumai Kei and Kuroki Kazuo. Apart from Life (?Chi no 
mure,? dir. Kumai Kei, 1970) and The Long Darkness (?Shinobukawa,? dir. 
Kumai Kei, 1972) both won the Best Film Score Award at the Mainichi 
Film Concours for their respective years. Received a Purple Ribbon 
Medal in 1990. Has talent not only in the world of music, but also in 
haiku and essay writing. Published writings include Fidelio-sho 
Haiku-shu by Matsumura Teizo.

I encourage you to take a look at the interview with this very special 
composer. Although there are many great composers for Japanese film, 
there are not many interviews with them available in English.

http://www.yidff.jp/docbox/24/box24-1-1-e.html

Aaron Gerow
KineJapan owner

Assistant Professor
Film Studies Program/East Asian Languages and Literatures
Yale University

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