© 2025 Lawrence Tuczynski
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| Title | Akira Ifukube FANTASY WORLD ~Akira Ifukube 110th Anniversary Concert |
| CD Label | Akira Ifukube Concert Executive Committee |
| CD Number | IFW-1001 |
| Music by: | Akira Ifukube |
| Music Performed by: | Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo, conducted by Ichiro Saito Yasuko Sato: 25-String Koto, Soprano Special Conductor (Track 8): Mio Tanaka |
| Number of tracks | 8 |
| Running time | 67:21 |
| Number of discs | 1 |
| Recorded | August 31, 2024 at Kita-Topia Sakura Hall in Oji, Tokyo |
| Year of release/manufacture | June 02, 2025 |
| REVIEW |
July 21st, 2025, courtesy of Sam Scali The year 2024 was significant for GODZILLA fans, as it commemorated the 70th Anniversary of the first film in the franchise. It also marked the 110th anniversary of the birth of Akira Ifukube, the composer who wrote the unforgettable music for that film, as well as many of its sequels and offshoots. This CD features a live concert, which took place in Tokyo last summer in honor of these momentous events. The performance was organized by Ifukube's son, Kiwami (who sadly passed away in December, 2024), in cooperation with crowdfunding supporters. The concert begins with a moving interpretation of the song "Sacred Springs", originally sung by The Peanuts in 1964's MOTHRA VS. GODZILLA. Here, the piece benefits from a sparse, delicate arrangement for soprano voice and 25-string koto, beautifully performed by Yasuko Sato. This is followed by a magnificent orchestral rendering of Ifukube's three-movement "SF Symphonic Fantasia" (1983), which presents a medley of his most famous sci-fi themes from more than a dozen classic Toho films, including GODZILLA (1954), RODAN (1956), THE MYSTERIANS (1957), BATTLE IN OUTER SPACE (1959), KING KONG VS. GODZILLA (1963), GHIDORAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER (1964), WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (1966), KING KONG ESCAPES (1967), DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (1968) and many others. The power of these indelible motifs is further enhanced by their arrangement for a large orchestra, courtesy of the Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo. The next piece is "Rondo in Burlesque for Orchestra" (1972, revised 1983), a strident, percussion-driven composition that reworks key military marches from Ifukube's fantasy films, particularly the title theme from MONSTER ZERO (1965). This is followed by three lively variations of the maestro's title music from KING KONG VS. GODZILLA, complete with exuberant choral vocals, which close the concert in exotic style. Since the maestro's passing in 2006, there have been numerous releases of commemorative concert performances and studio recordings. Most of them are of very high quality, so deciding which ones to buy can be a challenge. Nevertheless, this CD is a fine representation of some of Ifukube's greatest work, and longtime fans as well as newcomers will not be disappointed. |
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Translations done using various online translators
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