English Blog

Leoš Janáček (1854-1928): Pohádka (Fairy Tale) May 15, 2023

I have always been fascinated by Janáček’s music since I got known with his piano composition “In the Mists”. “Fairy Tale” and “In the Mists” were written around the same time, at a difficult time for Janáček, following the death of his daughter Olga and when he was still seeking musical recognition.  If you don’t know […]

A Movie “The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach” (1968 film) May 15, 2023

To the surprise of some of his associates, a renowned period keyboard player, musicologist, and conductor, Gustav Leonhardt, accepted the role as Johann Sebastian Bach (played in a wig) in this movie. And Anna Magdalena Bach is played by Christiane Lang. “The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach” consists of many excerpts from Johann Sebastian Bach’s […]

2023 Happy Easter! April 9, 2023

Pope John Paul II “Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”

Tribute to Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952 – 2023)  坂本龍一の残したもの April 8, 2023

Sakamoto passed away on March 28, 2023. His achievement is so big and I am sure so many people have already written about it. Personally, I grew up listening to YMO, and as an adult I performed his piano music on so many occasions. I took his music for my tours when I introduced Japanese music […]

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Occidental College January 16, 2023

I am touched to receive an email from our current president of Occidental College, President Harry Elam, today. He addressed to us about the college’s connection to Dr. King. Below is an excerpt from his campus email. On April 12, 1967, Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at Occidental, invited by President Richard Gilman, […]

Schumann: The Faces and the Masks by Judith Chernaik January 6, 2023

I just finished this book. The biographical elements of the book are very interesting and fascinating; however I did not enjoy the very detailed (and personal) discussion of his compositions. They are too descriptive and interrupt the flow of the stories. I could not stop reading the end of this book where Schumann’s life in […]

2022 Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving! November 24, 2022

Sending good wishes to you this Thanksgiving! Good food that fills your table, good health as you work hard, and good times with family and friends. May you have all the best delights in life. Happy Thanksgiving!    

Movie “Tampopo” Again 映画「タンポポ」再び・・ July 11, 2022

I don’t remember how many times I have watched this movie. I have memorized most of scenes and texts! I think I have written the review before, but I am writing again. Because it is just a GREAT MOVIE! How clever, how witty, how creative, how fun, how professional… Juzo Itami, a director, is truly […]

Movie “As Good As It Gets” June 30, 2022

I watched this movie before, but the second time did not bore me at all. Actually I enjoyed it so much. It is a “good movie”.  Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson) is an obsessive-compulsive writer of romantic fiction. But unlike what he writes, he is quite rude to everyone he meets, including his gay neighbor Simon […]

A Movie “Downton Abbey: New Era” (映画:ダウントンアビー) May 30, 2022

I have been resisting watching “Downton Abbey” because of its popularity. But I must admit I became a fan myself after watching “Downton Abbey: New Era”. Last week, I had a free afternoon and could not find any movie I would like to see, so I hesitantly chose this movie. The story has absolute ingredients, […]