Takashi Yoshimatsu: Orchestral Works (Symphonies, Orchestral Pieces, Concertos)

Description

***Product Information***
Format: CD Album
Number of discs: 7
Package: Box
Release Date: July 31, 2026
Record Label: Chandos
Product Number: NYCB-10031

***Work Information***
Main
Conductor: Yukio Fujioka
Performing Ensemble: BBC Philharmonic, Manchester Chamber Orchestra

Other
Guitar: Craig Ogden
Piano: Kyoko Tabe
Saxophone: Nobuya Sugawa
Trombone: Ian Bousfield
Cello: Peter Dixon
Composer: Takashi Yoshimatsu

***Recorded Contents***
Number of Discs: 7

Total Recording Time: 07:47:55

[Track Listing]
Takashi Yoshimatsu (b. 1953)
CD1 (CHAN9438)
1-3. Guitar Concerto "Pegasus Effect" Op. 21
4-6. Symphony Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" Op. 43
7. Elegy for the Ibis Op. 12
CD2 (CHAN9652)
1-3. Piano Concerto "Memo Flora" Op. 67
4. The Birds Are Quiet... Op. 72
5. The Angels Are Dozing... Op. 73
6. Dream-Colored Mobile II Op. 58a
7-9. White Landscape Op. 47a
CD3 (CHAN9737)
1-3. Saxophone Concerto "Cyberbird" Op. 59
4-7. Symphony No. 3 Op. 75
CD4 (CHAN9838)
1-5. Kamuy Chikap Symphony (Symphony No. 1) Op. 40
6-9. Song of Songs for Birds and Rainbows Op. 60
CD5 (CHAN9960)
1-4. Symphony No. 4, Op. 82
5-9. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine," Op. 55
10-13. Atom Hearts Club Suite No. 1, Op. 70b
CD6 (CHAN10070)
1-4. Symphony No. 5, Op. 87
5-10. Atom Hearts Club Suite II, Op. 79a
11. Prelude to the Birds' Festival, Op. 83
CD7 (CHAN10202)
1-3. Cello Concerto "Centaurus Unit," Op. 91
4-6. The Age of Birds, Op. 25
7-9. Chikap, Op. 14a (Orchestral Version)
[Performance]
Craig Ogden (Guitar) ... Op. 21
Kyoko Tabe (piano) ... Op. 67 & 73
Nobuya Sugawa (saxophone) ... Op. 59
Ian Bousfield (trombone) ... Op. 55
Peter Dixon (cello) ... Op. 91

Manchester Camerata (CHAN9652)
BBC Philharmonic (others)
Yukio Fujioka (conductor)

[Recording]
1995-2003
Total recording time: 467 minutes

1. [CD album]

2. [CD album]

3. [CD album]

4. [CD album]

5. [CD album]

6. [CD album]

7. [CD album]

1. Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" Op. 43 Elegy...From the East: Adagio-Allegro molto-Moderato 00:16:26
2. Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" Op. 43 Requiem...From the West: Moderato 00:09:03
3. Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" Op. 43 Song of Solomon...From the South: Moderato 00:07:11
4. Guitar Concerto "Pegasus Effect" Op. 21 I. Bird: Allegro 00:10:15
5. Guitar Concerto "Pegasus Effect" Op. 21 II. Flower 00:08:50
6. Guitar Concerto "Pegasus Effect" Op. 21 III. Wind: Presto 00:04:50
7. Elegy for the Crested Ibis Op. 12 Lento-Lamentoso-Tempo I 00:12:40
1. Piano Concerto "Memo Flora" Op. 67 I. Flower: Andante tranquillo-Allegro 00:14:30
2. Piano Concerto "Memo Flora" op.67 II. Petals: Andante 00:10:42
3. Piano Concerto "Memo Flora" op.67 III. Bloom: Allegro 00:07:02
4. The Birds Are Silent... op.72 Adagio 00:07:43
5. The Angels Are Dozing... op.73 Adagio tranquillo 00:12:58
6. Dream-Colored Mobile II op.58a Andante 00:06:54
7. White Landscape op.47a Snow Divination: Adagio 00:04:06
8. White Landscape op.47a Silent Snow: Moderato 00:03:15
9. White Landscape op.47a Snow Melting: Largo 00:02:11
1. 1. Saxophone Concerto "Cyberbird" op.59: Colorful Bird: Allegro 00:08:47
2. Saxophone Concerto "Cyberbird" op.59: Sorrowful Bird: Andante 00:08:24
3. Saxophone Concerto "Cyberbird" op.59: Wind Bird: Presto 00:06:10
4. Symphony No. 3 op.75 I. Allegro: Adagio grave - Allegro molto 00:14:33
5. Symphony No. 3 op.75 II. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando 00:07:10
6. Symphony No. 3 op.75 III. Adagio: Adagio 00:12:13
7. Symphony No. 3 op.75 IV. Finale: Andante sostenuto - Allegro molto 00:10:55
1. Kamuy Chikap Symphony op.40 (Symphony No. 1) I. Ground: Andante 00:12:03
2. Kamuy Chikap Symphony op.40 (Symphony No. 1) II. Water: Largo 00:09:41
3. Kamuy Chikap Symphony op.40 (Symphony No. 1) III. Fire: Allegro 00:05:56
4. Kamuy Chikap Symphony op.40 (Symphony No. 1) IV. Air: Adagio 00:08:09
5. Kamuy Chikap Symphony op.40 (Symphony No. 1) V. Rainbow: Moderato 00:09:20
6. Song of Solomon to Birds and Rainbows op.60 Prelude: Largo 00:02:39
7. Song of Solomon on Birds and Rainbows, Op. 60, Tapestry I: Allegro 00:03:58
8. Song of Solomon on Birds and Rainbows, Op. 60, Hymn: Andante-Allegro-Moderato-Tempo primo 00:05:26
9. Song of Solomon on Birds and Rainbows, Op. 60, Tapestry II: Allegro 00:05:26
1. Symphony No. 4, Op. 82, I. Allegro moderato-Moderato-Allegro molto-Allegro-Tempo I 00:09:22
2. Symphony No. 4, Op. 82, II. Waltz: Allegro moderato-Allegro Tempo I 00:05:13
3. Symphony No. 4, Op. 82, III. Adagietto-Moderato-Andante-Tempo I-Moderato 00:08:20
4. Symphony No. 4, Op. 82, IV. Finale: Allegro molto-Presto 00:06:05
5. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine," Op. 55, I. Betelgeuse: Largo 00:05:54
6. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine," Op. 55, II. Bellatrix: Presto 00:04:00
7. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine," Op. 55, III. Elegy and Distorted Waltz: Lento-Tempo di Waltz-Lento 00:02:48
8. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine," Op. 55, IV. Saif: [-]-Moderato[Swing!]-Solo Cadenza-Fanfare: Allegro 00:06:31
9. Trombone Concerto "Orion Machine" op.55 V. Rigel: Finale: Moderato-Andante-Adagio-Largo 00:02:53
10. Atom Hearts Club Suite I op.70b I. Allegro molto-Coda 00:03:13
11. Atom Hearts Club Suite I op.70b II. Andante 00:02:22
12. Atom Hearts Club Suite I op.70b III. Scherzo: Allegro scherzando-Coda 00:02:03
13. Atom Hearts Club Suite I op.70b IV. Finale: Allegro molto-Andante-Coda presto 00:02:34
1. Symphony No. 5 op.87 I. Andante pesante-Allegro molto 00:14:40
2. Symphony No. 5, Op. 87 II. Allegretto-Allegro molto 00:07:02
3. Symphony No. 5, Op. 87 III. Andante lamentoso 00:11:28
4. Symphony No. 5, Op. 87 IV. Andante maestoso-Allegro molto 00:13:25
5. Atom Hearts Club Suite II, Op. 79a I. Pizzicato Steps 00:02:01
6. Atom Hearts Club Suite II, Op. 79a II. Aggressive Rock 00:03:12
7. Atom Hearts Club Suite II, Op. 79a III. Brothers Blues 00:02:36
8. Atom Hearts Club Suite II, Op. 79a IV. Rag Super Light 00:01:45
9. Atom Hearts Club Suite II op.79a V. Mr. G. Returns 00:02:12
10. Atom Hearts Club Suite II op.79a VI. Atomic Boogie 00:02:46
11. Prelude to the Birds' Festival op.83 Andante maestoso 00:10:10
1. The Age of Birds op.25 I. What the Sky Gives to Birds 00:07:47
2. The Age of Birds op.25 II. What the Trees Tell Birds 00:05:03
3. The Age of Birds op.25 III. What the Sun Gives to Birds 00:07:07
4. Cello Concerto "Centaurus Unit" op.91 I. Moderato-Allegro 00:15:07
5. Cello Concerto "Centaurus Unit" op.91 II. Adagio 00:09:43
6. Cello Concerto "Centaurus Unit" op.91 III. Finale/Rondo: Allegro molto 00:07:56
7. Chikap op.14a I. Andante-Poco piu mosso 00:05:40
8. Chikap op.14a II. Meno mosso 00:01:44
9. Chikap op.14a III. Moderato-Tempo I 00:05:18

***Product introduction***
At that time, Yoshimatsu's works took flight to the world! A collection of Chandos recordings conducted by Yukio Fujioka! A Japan-only project, limited first edition. Takashi Yoshimatsu advocated "fin-de-siècle lyricism" and a "movement to eradicate modern music." Written to avoid complexity and obscurity, his music resonates deeply, gaining popularity for its "accessibility" and earning him recognition from the music world. His works continue to be regularly included in concert programs and recordings have been released, but in recent years, his audience has been expanding even further. For example, his Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" was used in the torch lighting ceremony at the opening of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, his Piano Concerto "Memo Flora" was used in the 2025 Shochiku 130th Anniversary August Kabuki "The Phoenix," and "Birds Are Quiet" was used in a Gucci commercial. The driving force behind this was a series of albums recorded by Yukio Fujioka for the British Chandos label. After hearing Fujioka perform and being impressed by his conducting, the Chandos producer asked him, "Tell me what you want to do," to which Fujioka replied, "Yoshimatsu's works." Thanks to that enthusiasm and passion, Chandos's series of recordings with the BBC Orchestra (with Fujioka's Manchester Camerata also participating in one) still stand as a milestone for these pieces. For this box set, the composer's original liner notes have been reprinted (with some revisions), and a new essay by Fujioka has been added, "introducing the burning, passionate memories of the two of us at that time." The fact that his masterpieces have been made into CDs and that he himself can listen to them while he is still alive is certainly the ultimate reward for a composer, but it also feels somewhat unsettling. Perhaps it's because I feel sorry for the composers who came before me, who didn't have much luck while they were alive and whose lives were meant to be lived, but at the same time, it feels like I'm being told, "Now it's okay to die anytime." This CD, like a devil's whisper, all began with an international phone call from a young conductor I'd never met named Fujioka Sachio, who said, "I'd like to record Yoshimatsu's symphony in England." - December 1995, Takashi Yoshimatsu (from the commentary in Volume 1, CHAN9438) (1/2) Naxos Japan
Publisher/Distributor Provided Information (2026/06/23)

I was fortunate enough to be a mentor to Akio Watanabe, one of Japan's leading conductors, as his apprentice. Mr. Watanabe always told me, "We in the music industry make a living off of past composers like Mozart and Beethoven, so we must repay that debt by supporting contemporary composers." Before studying in England in 1990, he told me to "know everything about Japanese composers," so I bought a lot of scores and records by Japanese composers, sent them to England, and read the scores and listened to the records one after another. At that time, I didn't know Takashi Yoshimatsu, and when I first encountered his "Elegy for the Crested Ibis," it was a shock. September in England is still cold, and I listened to "Elegy for the Ibis" while shivering in a room without a heater...its beauty brought tears to my eyes. At that moment, I firmly decided, "I can't dedicate my whole life to this person, but I'll bet half of it!" About three years later, I made my debut at a BBC Philharmonic regular concert, was made the associate conductor of the same orchestra, and when my London Proms debut was a success in 1994, Ralph Cousins, the president of Chandos, came to listen, and he said he would record any piece Sachio liked. At that time, the BBC staff and managers around me were saying things like, "Sachio is good at 'Pathetique,' so do 'Pathetique'," or "He's good at 'The Rite of Spring,' so do that," but I insisted, "Please let me record Yoshimatsu." However, the people at Chandos and the BBC Philharmonic didn't know who Yoshimatsu was (he was a composer known only in Japan at the time). When asked, "Is Yoshimatsu a good composer?", I replied, "He's a great composer!!" and they believed me and agreed to record with me. (omitted) I am now more convinced than when the recordings were made and released that the energy, beauty, gentleness, and brightness of Takashi Yoshimatsu's music (which is easier to understand than complex contemporary music) will touch people's hearts. This is because, unfortunately, there have been more large-scale tragic events since then, such as war and the COVID-19 pandemic. The hopeful final movement of Takashi Yoshimatsu's Symphony No. 2 "On Earth" was played at the climax of the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this was a symbolic event. This series of recordings is a testament to the burning youth of Takashi Yoshimatsu and Yukio Fujioka as musicians. - Yukio Fujioka (from the commentary) The set includes 7 discs and a Japanese booklet enclosed in a clamshell box. The discs are EU-pressed by Chandos. Packaged in non-woven fabric bags. The booklet includes the following: • Approximately 23,000 words of track-by-track commentary by composer Takashi Yoshimatsu (basically a reproduction of the original version). • Approximately 5,000 words of newly written manuscript by conductor Yukio Fujioka. • Original album cover photos (2/2) of the 7 albums. Naxos Japan
(Information provided by the publisher/distributor, June 23, 2026)

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