Toru Takemitsu - Quatrain; A Flock Descends Into the Pentagonal Garden (Seiji Ozawa)

Information

Composer: Toru Takemitsu

1. Quatrain
2. A Flock Descends Into the Pentagonal Garden

Ensemble Tashi

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Seiji Ozawa, conductor

Date: 1980 / 2026

Label: Deutsche Grammophon (DG)

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Tōru Takemitsu’s compositions Quatrain (1975) and A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden (1977) demonstrate his distinctive fusion of Western avant-garde techniques with traditional Japanese aesthetics. In Quatrain, written for clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and orchestra, Takemitsu explores the Japanese concept of ma—the expressive space between sounds—through evolving timbres and atmospheres resembling an unfolding picture scroll. A Flock Descends into the Pentagonal Garden, inspired by a dream, expands this approach into a cyclical and immersive soundscape, where descending motifs blend into shimmering orchestral textures. Together, these works reveal Takemitsu’s ability to unite cultural heritage with modernist innovation, creating music of enduring originality and timeless appeal.

High Resolution 24-bit / 192 kHz