Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 - Takemitsu: Rain Tree Sketch II Reiko Fujisawa

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750):
• 1 Aria 04:08
• 2 Var. 1 01:47
• 3 Var. 2 01:38
• 4 Var. 3, Canone all'unisuono 01:56
• 5 Var. 4 01:06
• 6 Var. 5 01:30
• 7 Var. 6, Canone alla seconda 01:38
• 8 Var. 7 02:24
• 9 Var. 8 01:48
• 10 Var. 9, Canone alla terza 02:08
• 11 Var. 10, Fughetta 01:42
• 12 Var. 11 02:08
• 13 Var. 12, Canone alla quarta 02:26
• 14 Var. 13 03:00
• 15 Var. 14 02:12
• 16 Var. 15, Canone alla quinta 04:35
• 17 Var. 16, Ouverture 02:51
• 18 Var. 17 01:49
• 19 Var. 18, Canone alla sesta 01:31
• 20 Var. 19 01:30
• 21 Var. 20 01:58
• 22 Var. 21, Canone alla settima 03:11
• 23 Var. 22, Alla breve 01:36
• 24 Var. 23 02:06
• 25 Var. 24, Canone all'ottava 02:40
• 26 Var. 25 02:40
• 27 Var. 26 02:12
• 28 Var. 27, Canone alla nona 01:43
• 29 Var. 28 02:25
• 30 Var. 29 02:10
• 31 Var. 30, Quodlibet 01:47
• 32 Aria da capo 02:18
• Tōru Takemitsu (1930-1996):
• 33 Rain Tree Sketch II "In memoriam Olivier Messiaen" 05:04
• Total Runtime 01:15:37

Info for Bach: Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 - Takemitsu: Rain Tree Sketch II

Bach’s Goldberg Variations consists of an aria and 30 dazzling variations. The opening aria is a highly ornamented Sarabande. Melodic contour is wonderfully crafted as Bach explores a descending five-note pattern in a typically French style. However, from the first variation it becomes clear that melody is not the theme. Instead Bach produces variations on the bass line and its chord progression.

In other words, it is a harmonic universe that Bach explores. The thirty variations are generally divided into three groups: dance, canon and arabesque. Every third variation in the set is a canon that increases by its intervallic answer, beginning at the unison until Variation 27 which is a canon at the ninth. Such a feat is in itself a contrapuntal exercise in genius; more so as these variations are not heavy with cerebral skill, but instead, dance with sparkling lightness. Toru Takemitsu composed his Rain Tree Sketch II in 1992, in memory of Olivier Messiaen, the French composer who was a strong influence on Takemitsu.

The title of the work was probably inspired by a quotation from a novel by Kenzaburo Oe, Atama no ii, Ame no Ki: “it was named the ‘rain tree’, for its abundant foliage continued to let fall rain drops from the previous night’s shower until the following midday. Its hundreds of thousands of tiny, finger-like leaves store up moisture, whereas other trees dry out at once.” The work is a dreamy meditation on the flow of life, and was Takemitsu’s last piano piece.

Reiko Fujisawa, piano

Reiko Fujisawa
studied at the Musashino University of Music in Tokyo and, following a period of concert-giving in Japan both as a soloist and a chamber musician, moved to London in order to study further with Martino Tirimo, Benjamin Kaplan and Yonty Solomon. She has since established herself as an exciting and formidable virtuoso performer with recital and concerto appearances at many prestigious venues and festivals throughout the UK and worldwide. These include the South Bank Centre, Wigmore Hall and Cadogan Hall as well as the Belfast and Brighton festivals. Reiko has given recital tours in Japan and South Africa and, as a featured artist of Japan 2001, has toured the UK extensively with her own unique Ensemble Tozai, combining traditional and contemporary music in collaboration with some of Japan’s leading classical and traditional musicians. Performances were broadcast on BBC Radio 3 and Channel 4 television.

With a long-standing commitment to promote the music of composers from her home country, Reiko included works by Yoichi Togawa in her 2003 recital début at the Wigmore Hall alongside those of Bartok, Beethoven and Schubert. Shortly afterwards, she commenced a chamber music collaboration with the soloists of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in a highly successful concert for piano and wind quintet during the inaugural season at Cadogan Hall. They were subsequently invited to perform in Japan during the orchestra’s sell-out tour of the country in 2009, and have since appeared together regularly in London and across the UK. Reiko also performs in a recital partnership with the international prize-winning violinist Masayuki Kino.

Regularly engaged as a concerto soloist, notable performances including the Schumann and Rachmaninov Second concertos, Reiko’s regular return visits to Japan invariably attract much media interest and broadcasts. In addition to her performance schedule and this début recital recording, Reiko has further recordings planned with Ensemble Tozai and the soloists of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

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