AKIRAIFUKUBE.ORG - Gotama the Buddha

SYMPHONIC ODE:
GOTAMA THE BUDDHA
(1988, revised 1989)

Engraving of Gautama the Buddha

In 1953, Akira Ifukube composed music for the ballet Shaka which told the story of how the young boy, Siddhartha Gautama, would become the Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. Subsequently, the year 1961 saw the production of Kenji Misumi's film Buddha, which Akira Ifukube was asked to score. Ifukube took the music from his 1953 ballet and reworked it for inclusion in Misumi's film.

Poster for Kenji Misumi's film Buddha (1961)

In 1988, Ifukube decided to rework his Buddha music yet again. Taking the music he had used for Misumi's film, Ifukube created a three-movement tone poem about the life of Buddhism's founder. The end result was his Gotama the Buddha.

Gotama the Buddha consists of three movements. The first is called "Siddhartha in the Kapilavastu Castle". This movement, characterized by it somber, flowing melodies suggests the young prince's anguish for living in luxury.

The second movement is called "Meditation at Both Gaya" and depicts Siddhartha (later the Buddha) who got spiritual enlightenment under a linden tree at Both Gaya after six years of religious austerities. This movement features both aggressive and subdued moments. After an introductory passage of slow, almost hypnotic music, the orchestra swells and a demonic-sounding male choir, representing evil desire, enters in an effort to tempt the young prince. This is eventually overcome by the angelic female choir, representing the conflict between body and soul. Then, the orchestra appears in tutti with the full, mixed choir still representing Siddhartha's inner spiritual conflict. However, young Buddha's strength overcomes this and the music again becomes slow and meditative.

The third and final movement is called Ode "Acintiya Buddha". This sweeping movement features the full orchestra, tubular bells and mixed choir in a glorious ode to Buddha.

Gotama the Buddha is scored for a large orchestra (woodwind in triples) and the choral segments are sung in Pali, the ancient liturgical language of Buddhism.

Promotional poster for the April 8, 1989 performance of Gotama the Buddha in Tokyo

Ifukube's final version of Gotama the Buddha premiered at the Kanhi Hoken hall in Tokyo on April 8, 1989. For this performance, Kazuhiko Komatsu conducted the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and the Tokyo Oratorio Kyokai.

Kazuhiko Komatsu

Please use your browser's BACK button to return to the Music Library

Acknowledgments:

Akira Ifukube: Symphonic Ode written and translated by Atsushi Miura.