Japanese Literary Awards

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Osamu Shimizu

しみず おさむ

Shimizu Osamu

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1911-11-04 （Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan）
Died
1986-10-29 age 74
Nationality
Japan
Languages
Japanese, French
Religion
Jodo Shinshu (Otani sect)
Residence History
Tennoji-ku, Osaka City → Tokyo

Career

Occupations
Composer, Editor, Choral Conductor, Music Educator
Active Years
1932-1986
Affiliations
Ongaku no Tomo Sha (Music Friends Publishing), Kawai Music Publishing (formerly Kawai Gakufu), All-Japan Chorus Federation (involved in founding)
Memberships
All-Japan Chorus Federation
Influenced By
Kunihiko Hashimoto, Ao Hosokawa
Influenced
Takehiko Tada

Education

Osaka Foreign Language School (predecessor of Osaka University Faculty of Foreign Studies)
French Department / French Department
Period: 在学 - 1932年卒業
Year of Graduation: 1932
Country: Japan
Member of the glee club during his studies
Tokyo Music School (prewar; now Tokyo University of the Arts)
Special Course (senka) / Special Course
Period: 1938年入学
Year of Graduation: 1938
Country: Japan
Studied composition with Kunihiko Hashimoto and theory with Ao Hosokawa

Awards

8th Music Competition (Composition Division) – 1st Prize
1939
Work: Dance Suite for Flowers
Organization: Music competition organizing body
Result: 入選（1位）
Arts Festival (Orchestral) Selection
1950
Work: Four Movements on Indian Melodies
Organization: Arts Festival committee
Result: 入選
Otaka Prize (1st) – Honorable Mention
1953
Work: Symphony No.1
Organization: Otaka Prize committee
Result: 佳作（入選）
Iba Opera Prize
1955
Work: Opera 'Shuzenji Monogatari'
Organization: Iba Opera Prize
Result: 受賞
Mainichi Music Award
1955
Work: Opera 'Shuzenji Monogatari'
Organization: Mainichi Newspaper (Mainichi Music Award)
Result: 受賞
Medal with Purple Ribbon
1975
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受章
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette (4th Class)
1982
Organization: Government of Japan
Result: 受章

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Opera 'Shuzenji Monogatari'

1955 Opera

A representative opera by Shimizu, awarded in 1955 and established in the postwar Japanese opera repertoire.

Buddhist themesHuman dramaIntersection of tradition and modernity
Adaptations
  • [Stage Performance (Opera)] Shuzenji Monogatari (2009 New National Theatre revival) / 坂田藤十郎（演出）／指揮：外山雄三（※若杉弘は病気のため変更） (2009)

Symphony No.1

1953 Symphony

A symphonic orchestral work that received an honorable mention at the 1st Otaka Prize.

Symphonic thinkingModern harmony

Four Movements on Indian Melodies

1950 Orchestral

An orchestral piece inspired by foreign (Indian) melodies; it was selected for the Arts Festival.

Exotic elementsMelodic conception

Dance Suite for Flowers

1939 Orchestral (Dance suite)

A dance suite that won 1st place in the composition division of the 8th Music Competition.

Dance characterLyricism

Chieko-sho (arrangement for koto, flute, etc.)

Chamber music / Koto piece

An instrumental setting based on Kotaro Takamura's poems 'Chieko-sho', combining traditional Japanese and Western instruments.

Poetic sentimentFusion of traditional Japanese and Western instruments

Bibliography

  • How to Introduce Music into the Workplace
  • Handbook of Choral Conducting
  • Guidance on Choral and Ensemble Conducting
  • Methods for Composing and Arranging Simple Music
  • Standard Musicology
  • Lost Movements
  • The True Face of Chorus
  • Basic Musicology
  • The Course of My Operas

Adaptations

  • Shuzenji Monogatari (2009 New National Theatre staging)

Translations by Author

  • Translation of Hector Berlioz's 'Memoirs'

Style & Themes

Literary Style
A style blending modern harmony with Japanese elementsClear harmonic progressions with emphasis on choral writing
Recurring Motifs
Buddhist/religious themesNature and nostalgiaUse of traditional Japanese instrument timbres

Legacy

A composer who made significant contributions to postwar Japanese composition and choral music. He left many operas, choral works and pieces for traditional instruments, and his works have become widely used in school songs and choral repertoire.

Academic Societies

  • All-Japan Chorus Federation

Archives

  • Ongaku no Tomo Sha (holds many publishing rights; published collected choral works)
  • Tokyo University of the Arts Library / Nipponica Archive (related materials)

In Popular Culture

  • Composed many school songs adopted by numerous schools across Japan
  • Choral pieces widely established in choral ensembles' repertoire
  • The opera 'Shuzenji Monogatari' continues to be staged, including notable revivals

Trivia

  • While a student at the Osaka Foreign Language School he belonged to the glee club and sang baritone, though his natural range was bass.
  • He worked in music publishing (Kawai Music Publishing) and later many of his rights were taken over by Ongaku no Tomo Sha.
  • He translated Hector Berlioz's 'Memoirs' into Japanese.
  • He left some 15 operas and over 400 choral works.