There is a popular and short Japanese folksong which is very, very sad. Despite its deep melancholy, it is as far as I can recall, oddly and uniquely, the ONE and ONLY piece of music which is loved by everyone in my family, from dad to toddler downwards. It makes me cry and also, the almost 3-yr old toddler hangs his "heavy-looking" head down and turns his body round and round in a slow graceful dance each time he hears it. It has an AMAZING effect on us.

It was played by the American violinist, Anne Akiko Meyers.

It's called "KOJYO NO TSUKI" ("Moonlit Castle Ruins") by Taki Rentaro (who died very young) and specially arranged for Meyers' CD in modern form by SAEGUSA SIGEAKI in Japan.

We love this so much that we have searched and googled high and low for it but to no avail! For those of you who are living in Japan, however, SS is very much alive! Thus, IF you were to ask your violin teachers / professors on our behalf, how we can purchase the piano and violin music, they'd probably have some idea? We would be ever so grateful... as we'd love to be able to play/hear it live, some day. Please help.

Many thanks in advance.

Tess

Tess - I have a copy of this song in a book of Japanese children's songs. I read about Rentaro Taki when I was in Japan and had great liking for some of his music - he studied in Europe and died at a very young age (sorry - you did say that!).

I can probably transpose my version or something - what key do you need it in ? I think it's in C minor in my copy, but arranged by Masaru Ukon, not Saegusa Shigeaki

Can't find a specific mention of the edition you are thinking of - Shigeaki SAEGUSA is a busy fellow, with fingers in many pies, and most sites list only a few of his arrangements, compositions, and books on music.

Then, the song itself is a veritable old chestnut and has been arranged by everybody...it's like finding a needle in a haystack! There's even a classic guitar version by Kleynjans!

There is an edition of about 15 of Taki Rentaro's songs edited and published by major Japanese music publisher Ongaku-no-Tomo. Doesn't say who edited the songs or instrumentation, I assume piano and voice.

Viohazard says it's in his 5th grade school music book...probably in D, will check if he finds the book! IF we can find it, we could at least send you a .gif of the sheetmusic for the basic melody.

Thanks for the replies, maggiemay and all ears. I suppose if Sigeaki's version is not available then I guess another arrangement may just be moving, too. Such a lovely song!

Maggiemay, I don't know what key it is best to be in for violin playing? I wonder if you can still remember where you got the book from or did you buy it when you were in Japan?

I'm worried about copies/copyright as I'm concerned that I mustn't do anything illegal? Any advice welcomed.

Tess

i bought the book in Japan - it's called 101 Favorite (sic) Songs taught in Japanese schools, published by the Japan Times. I also have a couple of arrangements of this (and others) on cd.

I can try writing out something similar if you like. Your daughter is pretty proficient if I remember correctly - what about the accompaniment - how simple does that need to be?

Thanks, Maggiemay. She's not quite proficient yet although she learns things fast! At present, she plays grade 5 pieces only but she just loves playing lots of pieces we/she like(s). We don't play the piano. No matter, our friends do at our home so the piano bit needs no simplification.

Thanks a lot! We are really looking forward to your e-mail(s) when you get round to doing them!

Tess, this is the version in Viohazard's 5th grade school music textbook - arrangement by Yamada.

Now...how to explain this....

First ocatve below middle c - low+small letter
First octave above middle c - small letter
Second octave above middle c- CAPITAL LETTER
Length of note - 1=crotchet ,1.5= dotted crotchet, 2=minim, 3=dotted minim, 0.5=quver.

With me so far?

4/4 time

1e 1e 1a 1b| 1C 1b 2a | 1f 1f 1e 1d | 3e crotchet rest | 1e 1e 1a 1b | 1c 1b 2a | 1f 1e 1.5e 0.5e | 3lowa crotchet rest|
1c 1c 1lowb 1 lowa | 1.5f 0.5 f 2e | 1d 1e 1.5f 0.5f | 3e crotchet rest | 1e 1e 1a 1b | 1C 1b 2a | 1f 1d 1.5 e 0.5 2 | 3lowa crotchet rest ||

I should mention that "Saegusa" is the surname, and "Shigeaki" is the first name. The "Sigeaki" spelling is just a particular way of romanizing the Japanese syllabic characters so that they each have two and only two roman letters! However, it's pronounced "shi" not "si".