Takemitsu: Visions; November Steps

While Toru Takemitsu dabbled with all the major schools of mid-20th-century modernism, he was a card-carrying adherent of none, making a name for himself instead through synthesis, subtlety, and craft.  This collection focuses on his orchestral music, which was some of the finest of the century.  It highlights his breakthrough piece Requiem for String Orchestra and his 1968 concerto for Japanese traditional instruments November Steps. The ghostly Requiem showcases his aptitude for tense and expressive harmony, while November Steps remains riveting throughout its twenty minutes, where Takemitsu’s deep attention to the role of silence magnifies each gesture.