AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG - The Drumming of Japan

THE DRUMMING OF JAPAN
Japanese title: Jakomoko janko
(1951, revised 1984)

A samurai beating a drum circa 1820

The Drumming of Japan is one of Akira Ifukube's many ballets, but only one of the few that has ever been recorded. Originally written in 1951, the composer made some revisions in 1984 turning the piece into a concert suite. It is scored for a large orchestra and 12 percussionists.

The modern concert suite consists of four movements:

First movement: Andantina
Second movement: Lento
Third movement: Allegro
Fourth movement: Allegro

Perhaps the most famous recording of The Drumming of Japan appears on THE WORLD OF AKIRA IFUKUBE (TYCY-5217~18) which was released in 1992. This performance featured Ifukube personally conducting the work with nine other famous Japanese composers acting as percussionists! The composers/percussionists included Hajime Harada, Maki Ishii, Riichiro Manabe, Shigeyuki Imai, Teizo Matsumura, Minora Miki, Sei Ikeno and Toshiro Mayuzumi.

Akira Ifukube conducting a 1991 performance of The Drumming of Japan

A more readily available recording of The Drumming of Japan is also available on THE ARTISTRY OF AKIRA IFUKUBE 6 (KICC-439) which was released in 2003.

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