The Reel Deal

Sharing stuff found on magnetic tape in the reel-to-reel format.

9/04/2006

Melodies of Japan




Double shot of tapes tonight! Here is something interesting from 1964, Japanese classical and folk melodies with Western orchestral backgrounds! Actually, the orchestrations are referred to as "Latin", but, hey... The artist credit is given as Ko-Tamae & her Stereo Strings, conducted by Tadashi Mori, and, apparently this is TDK's first commercial musical release!

The music here is very very good, the high-end can still blow the top off of a bottle of Kirin (GOOD Japanese beer), but I guess that's how they EQ'ed stuff over there?

THe one thing that I had an issue with was one of the Japanese flutes and how it very slowly approached Western pitch to match the orchestra... having listened to a LOT of Japanese msuic (without western orchestra) I am used to it, but having it be very dissonant against the western ear... well, it's just a warning... or maybe that's what makes stuff like this so doggone culturally INTERESTING!

Scans:
The front...
The back...

Enjoy this rich variety of Melodies of Japan.

1 Comments:

At 12:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Impaler,

The "Melodies Of Japan" is supreme stuff, and your sharing the music is greatly appreciated!
This style fits right in with Exotica, even though the overtly "Asian" seems to be an under-appreciated niche of the later-arriving, and currently more popular, 'tropical' aspects.
I think that it's hey-day was mostly around the time of, and shortly after, the Korean war when so many Americans were stationed in, or went to, Japan, for R&R.
I think a lot of listeners just haven't been exposed to this blending of the Far East and American Lounge, and it is an almost forgotten part of the music scene.
Many thanks again for sharing!

 

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