Pascal Dusapin, judge of the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award 2021, has chosen the following 4 orchestral works out of 91 entries from 32 countries. Screening was done with the anonymous scores having only their titles. These 4 nominated works will be performed on 30 May 2021 at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall : Takemitsu Memorial for Pascal Dusapin’s final judgement. Here is the list of finalists in order of their entry.

Here are a few words from Pascal Dusapin about his work as a judge and on each work selected for the final of the competition:

I proceeded to work in the following fashion. Firstly, I studied several times each one of the 91 scores presented. During this first examination, I was struck by the similarities in technique and the development of orchestral materials that make it almost impossible to guess the nationality of composers in relation to a cultural style. This is a first important remark considering that this award pays tribute to Toru Takemitsu, rightly considered in the 20th century as not only one of the greatest composers but also a bridge between Japanese and western culture. And though he sought to go beyond this, calling instead for a universalisation of all expressions, his music was nonetheless easily identifiable amongst other composers.

I also noticed during these first readings a multitude of sound effects, often the same from one score to another, notated in a similar fashion (this undoubtedly indicates a globalisation of writing rules and styles as a result of the rapid exchange of information …), breaths, clicking of keys, slaps, percussive effects, multiphonics, harmonic sweeps etc.

I was surprised on many occasions by an almost systematic overload of orchestral writing, a great rhythmic complexity and micro-tonal intonations which make almost impossible, in my opinion, a faithful execution of the composers' intentions. Often, it has not been possible for me, through a simple reading, to hear or even imagine what the sound result would be as the combinations of instrumental effects are so different and numerous and almost enigmatic.

I therefore tried as much as possible to put myself in the shoes of the performing musician - in his or her place within the orchestra - and imagine to what collective feeling he could refer as an artist in order to interpret the quantity of written notations. This last point was the main criterion for my selection.

However, not all scores were written to the specifications I have briefly sketched out. I noticed on occasion a great virtuosic style of writing, a level of technical mastery above what I usually encounter and I regret not being able to distinguish more than four.

I therefore selected four scores whose ambitions I clearly understood: form, use and development of materials, orchestration, spatial organisation, verticality (harmonies), horizontality (lines), elegance and discourse.

Pascal Dusapin

Giorgio Francesco Dalla Villa - Breaking a Mirror

I enjoyed in this piece the development of the form always arranged in a very intelligible fashion. An airy and transparent orchestration, with a great mastery of the instrumental groups, often bare timbres, clearly exposed, rich harmonies, without compression. The subject is unambiguous, well designed, very present 

Jakob Gruchmann - Tehom

I liked how this orchestra was written to the limits of its expressive possibilities, with raw inspiration and risks knowingly taken by the composer with great commitment. I noticed a great virtuosic style of writing, fully aware of the orchestra, an authentic lyrical force and a certain beautiful and fierce radicalism in the subject.

Kohsuke Negishi - Moonlight Hidden in the Clouds

I enjoyed the fluidity of the forms, expressed in an intelligible and natural fashion. The figures and phrases unfold organically throughout the work, always well orchestrated, running through all the instrumental groups with great presence. A great feel and respect for the instrumental gesture.

Minchang Kang - The echo of shadows, hallucination ...

I liked the sense and the feel of height, and also the design of the melodic patterns. There is no orchestral overload but rather simple and beautiful gestures, soft and lively, always very controlled in their expression. There is a great elegance of the orchestral forms, no timbral opacity, beautiful harmonic spaces composed with refinement.

Concert organized on May 30, 2021 during the final at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall:

Pascal Dusapin - Outscape (2015) japanese premiere
Concerto for cello and orchestra
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Gen Yokosaka, cello
Yoichi Sugiyama, conductor
More information...

Pascal Dusapin - Quatuor VI « Hinterland» (2008-2009) 
For string quartet and orchestra 
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Tatsuki Narita, violin
Mayuko Ishigami, violin
Ayako Tahara, viola
Kei Yamazawa, cello
Yoichi Sugiyama, conductor

Pascal Dusapin - Extenso, solo n° 2 pour orchestre (1994) 
For orchestra 
Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
Yoichi Sugiyama, conductor