That weird and mysterious group from Japan has resurrected a rare work, once thought lost and possibly forgotten, that was created by the legendary composer, Akira Ifukube. Unlike the many ‘a capella’ renditions previously created by Bukimisha, NATIONAL FOREST was too precious a rarity and demanded it be performed by an orchestra with a female choir.
During the mid-1950s, Japan’s Rural Film Association, with financial assistance from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, engaged the maestro to provide a score for a series of three industrial films. These were to be screened at the Asian Forestry Conference and for this, Ifukube was a perfect choice. He had initially chosen Forestry Officer as a career path upon graduation from college. While the course of his life changed to music, his love and respect for the natural beauty of his homeland clearly radiates from this amazing piece of work.
No public performance was ever staged for the three films, which are now believed to be lost. The score, which somehow was never re-recorded or adapted into one of Ifukube’s many concert works, apparently had fallen into obscurity until it was discovered amongst his personal archive by the his family after he had passed.
Unwilling to let such a rare work languish in obscurity, Takeo Yahiro and Bukimisha opted to assemble an orchestra as required by the score to at last immortalize this unique find. This release marks the first time the recording has ever been available for sale outside of Japan until now.
For several decades this self-proclaimed ‘secret society’ (whose name roughly translates as “Creepy Company”) has enthralled Japanese audiences with their amazing ‘a capella’ vocal stylings. Over more than 150 CDs released feature Ifukube’s incredible library of classical compositions and complete film scores. The group even performed before the legendary composer at one of his final birthday celebrations.
Dragon’s Domain is proud to offer this remarkable performance, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland from the original digital recordings, all supervised and approved by conductor Takeo Yahiro. Exclusive liner notes by scholar Erik Homenick (akiraifukube.org) detail the mysterious history of this wonderful “lost” score, as well as Akira Ifukube’s life and career.
This CD set is a limited run of 500 units. 限定500枚。
ニュース速報
トラックリスト不気味社、オーケストラへ！
日本発のあの奇妙でミステリアスなグループが、伝説の作曲家、伊福部昭が手掛けた、一度は失われ、忘れ去られたかもしれないと思われていた貴重な作品を復活させた。これまで不気味社が「アカペラ」で演奏してきた数々の作品とは異なり、「NATIONAL FOREST」はあまりにも貴重な作品であり、女声合唱団を従えたオーケストラによる演奏が求められていた。
1950年代半ば、日本の農村映画協会は、日本の農林省からの資金援助を受けて、3本の産業映画シリーズにスコアを提供するためにマエストロを起用した。これらはアジア林業会議で上映される予定であり、伊福部はまさにうってつけの人選だった。彼は当初、大学卒業と同時に林業官僚の道を選んだ。人生の進路は音楽へと変わったが、故郷の美しい自然に対する彼の愛と敬意は、この素晴らしい作品から明らかに放たれている。
現在では紛失したと考えられているこの3作品については、公の場で上演されることはなかった。この楽譜は、なぜか再録音されることもなく、伊福部の数あるコンサート作品に転用されることもなく、彼の死後、遺族によって彼の個人的なアーカイブの中から発見されるまで、知られざる存在となっていたようだ。
八尋健生と不気味社は、このような貴重な作品を曖昧なままにしておくわけにはいかないと、楽譜が要求するとおりにオーケストラを編成し、このユニークな発見を不朽のものとすることを選んだ。この録音が日本国外で販売されるのは、今回のリリースが初めてである。
この自称 "秘密結社"（その名を "不気味な会社 "と訳す）は、数十年にわたり、その素晴らしい "アカペラ "ヴォーカル・スタイルで日本の聴衆を魅了してきた。リリースされた150枚以上のCDには、伊福部が作曲した素晴らしいクラシック曲や映画音楽全集が収録されている。伝説的な作曲家、伊福部昭の最後の誕生日を祝う会では、伊福部昭の前で演奏したこともある。
ドラゴンズ・ドメインは、指揮者・八尋健生の監修と承認を得て、オリジナル・デジタル・レコーディングからデジタル・アウトランドのジェームス・ネルソンによってマスタリングされたこの素晴らしい演奏を提供できることを誇りに思う。研究者エリック・ホメニック（akiraifukube.org）による独占ライナーノーツは、この素晴らしい "失われた "スコアのミステリアスな歴史、そして伊福部昭の人生とキャリアについて詳述している。
500枚限定盤
NEWS FLASH!
Bukimisha Goes Orchestral!
That weird and mysterious group from Japan has resurrected a rare work, once thought lost and possibly forgotten, that was created by the legendary composer, Akira Ifukube. Unlike the many ‘a capella’ renditions previously created by Bukimisha, NATIONAL FOREST was too precious a rarity and demanded it be performed by an orchestra with a female choir.
During the mid-1950s, Japan’s Rural Film Association, with financial assistance from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, engaged the maestro to provide a score for a series of three industrial films. These were to be screened at the Asian Forestry Conference and for this, Ifukube was a perfect choice. He had initially chosen Forestry Officer as a career path upon graduation from college. While the course of his life changed to music, his love and respect for the natural beauty of his homeland clearly radiates from this amazing piece of work.
No public performance was ever staged for the three films, which are now believed to be lost. The score, which somehow was never re-recorded or adapted into one of Ifukube’s many concert works, apparently had fallen into obscurity until it was discovered amongst his personal archive by the his family after he had passed.
Unwilling to let such a rare work languish in obscurity, Takeo Yahiro and Bukimisha opted to assemble an orchestra as required by the score to at last immortalize this unique find. This release marks the first time the recording has ever been available for sale outside of Japan until now.
For several decades this self-proclaimed ‘secret society’ (whose name roughly translates as “Creepy Company”) has enthralled Japanese audiences with their amazing ‘a capella’ vocal stylings. Over more than 150 CDs released feature Ifukube’s incredible library of classical compositions and complete film scores. The group even performed before the legendary composer at one of his final birthday celebrations.
Dragon’s Domain is proud to offer this remarkable performance, mastered by James Nelson at Digital Outland from the original digital recordings, all supervised and approved by conductor Takeo Yahiro. Exclusive liner notes by scholar Erik Homenick (akiraifukube.org) detail the mysterious history of this wonderful “lost” score, as well as Akira Ifukube’s life and career.
This CD set is a limited run of 500 units.
限定500枚。
NATIONAL FOREST ~ Part One
01. M1 1:01
02. M1A 2:46
03. M2 - Long Fuji 2:58
04. M3 - Hokkaido 1:52
05. M4 - Autumn 1:26
06. M4B 1:30
07. M5 1:36
08. M6 - Asama Larix Zoon 1:05
09. M7 1:35
10. M8 3:03
11. M10 1:23
12. M11 - Typhoon 2:28
13. M12 2:20
14. M13 - Larva 1:23
15. M13A 1:21
16. M14 - Storm 0:51
17. M15 - Last 2:19
NATIONAL FOREST ~ Part Two
“Large Production”
18. M1 - Lontano 1:53
19. M2 - Fade in Map 0:43
20. M3 2:41
21. M4 - Working Men 1:53
22. M5 - Gymnastic 2:05
23. M6 - Revised 2:33
24. M7 - Pesante 4:16
25. M8 0:56
26. M11 - Metaboling 3:55
27. M12 2:33
NATIONAL FOREST ~ Part Three
“Growing Resources”
28. M1 - Mountain, Flower, Woman 2:16
29. M6A 2:23
30. M8 - Snowfield 2:46
31. M9B - Forestation 2:43
TOTAL TIME: 65:45