was a Japanese composer of classical music with a modern approach. Nagasawa composed for traditional Japanese musical instruments (e.g.,
Shakuhachi
A is a Japanese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. The bamboo end-blown flute now known as the was developed in Japan in the 16th century and is called the . ,
Koto,
Shamisen
The , also known as or
(all meaning "three strings"), is a three-stringed traditional Japanese musical instrument derived from the Chinese instrument . It is played with a plectrum called a bachi.
The Japanese pronunciation is usually b ...
).
Nagasawa was born in 1923 in Tokyo and graduated from
Nihon University
, abbreviated as , is a private research university in Japan. Its predecessor, Nihon Law School (currently the Department of Law), was founded by Yamada Akiyoshi, the Minister of Justice, in 1889. The university's name is derived from the Ja ...
. He was one of the founding members of Pro Musica Nipponia (日本音楽集団) in 1964, a group of famous Japanese composers and musicians who aim at performing classical and contemporary compositions from both Japan and the West. The group's music is performed by traditional Japanese musical instruments. From 1949, he was also the musical supervisor for the puppet theater “Puk.” In 1990, he received the Purple Ribbon Medal from the Japanese government. He has been part of six overseas tours with Pro Musica Nipponia.
Major works
*''Two Dances'' for Japanese traditional music ensemble
*''One Day in Spring'' for Japanese traditional music ensemble
*''Shikyokyu'' for shakuhachi solo
*''Hoshun'' for shakuhachi and koto
*''Mayudama-no-uta'' for shakuhachi and koto
*''Quartet for koto and jushichigen''
*''Two Pastorals'' for shakuhachi, koto and jushichigen
References
External links
The International Shakuhachi Society - Biography: Nagasawa Katsutoshi - 長沢 勝俊
1923 births
2008 deaths
20th-century Japanese classical composers
20th-century Japanese male musicians
Japanese male classical composers
Nihon University alumni
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