Koscak Yamada
(June 9, 1886 - December 29, 1965)
Born in Hongo, Tokyo, Yamada became acqualnted with Western music through Edward Gauntlet, the husband of his elder sister Tsune (who later became president of the Women's Christian Temperance Union). In 1904, after attending Kwansei Gakuin, he enter the preparatory school of the Tokyo School of Music (the present music department of Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) and advanced to the main school the following year, but because there was no course in composition, he took the vocal music course. In 1909 he formed the Ono Quartet with Hisaharu Ono, and this quartet gave its first recital the same year In the October issue of the magazine "Ongaku-kai" (Music World), he published a chorus titled "Kojo no Aki" (Old Castle in Autumn) and in December presented his oratorio "Chikai no Hoshi" (directed by Kaoru Osanai, sung by Kintaro Shimizu et al). In January 1910 he was introduced to Koyata Iwasaki by Professor Heinrich Werkmeister of the Tokyo School of Music and with his assistance went to study in Germany. He studied composition at the Staatliche akademische Hochschule fur Musik Berlin (the present Hochschule der Kunste Berlin). In 1912 he produced the Symphony "Kachidoki to Heiwa" (Victory Shout and Peace) as his graduation piece. It was the first symphony ever composed by a Japanese. Other compositions dating from this year include the orchestral works "Overture" and "Aki no Utage" (Autumn Feast) and the oratorio "Ochitaru Tennyo" (Fallen Goddess) set to words by Shoyo Tsubouchi. After returning to Japan in December 1913, he composed the string quintet "Kon-in no Hibiki"(Nuptial Echoes) and the symphonic poems "Kurai Tobira" (Dark Door) and "Mandara no Hana" (Heavenly Flower). In January 1914 he joined the Miraisha Club headed by Rofu Miki. He founded the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and began conducting performances of his own works. In December 1917 he visited the United States, and on October 16, 1918, and January 24, 1919, he conducted performances of works by Wagner and himself at Carnegie Hall in New York, scoring a great success which led to his being recommended as an honorary member of the American Music Society, the MacDowell Club and the Modern Music Society. During his stay in the United States, he composed a series of songs including "Taka no Ido" (Hawk's Well) and "Yuin" (Subtle Rhymes) written for Michio Ito and "Oki no Kamome" (Seagulls off the Shore) based on an old Japanese song, as well as a piano work "Cranford Diary." In America, he made the acquaintance of Stokowiski, Zimbalist, Elman, Heifetz, Caruso and Richard Strauss. He returned to Japan in May 1919 after one-year-and-a-half's sojourn in the United States. He then became busy with the publication of his music and writings. His performance of "Tannhauser" In December 1920 marked the start of the operatic movement in Japan and to promote it he established the Japan Operatic Society. In 1921 he produced "Meiji Shoka" (Meiji Anthem) and in September that year visited Europe again. In September 1922 he brought out the magazme "Shi to Ongaku" (Poetry and Music) together with the poet Hakushu Kitahara, publishing a new song in every issue. In 1925 he conducted the first concert of the Japan Symphonic Society and scheduled subscription concerts to start from the following year, but in September Hidemaro Konoe and more than 40 other members left the orchestra and Yamada formed the New Symphony Orchestra in its place. In 1929 he staged "Ochitaru Tennyo" at the Kabuki-za in Tokyo at the second concert of the Japan Operatic Socrety, The followlng year, 1930, saw a performance of "Madame Butterfly." In 1931 he went to Paris at the invitation of the Theatre Pigalle for the presentation of his new opera "Ayame." Its performance was cancelled, however, and he left for Japan via the Soviet Union. Here some performances of his works scored a sensational success and his reputation in Soviet music circles grew steadily from that time on. In 1933 he again visited the Soviet Union, this time at the invitation of the Soviet Government. In 1936 he received the Legion d'honneur from the French Government and was made an honorary member of the Debussy and Saint-Saens societies. In 1937 he was invited to Germany where he conducted ten performances of his own works with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, which were favourably received. In 1940 the first performance of his opera "Yoake (Dawn)," based on Percy Noel's "Black Ships" was held at the Takarazuka Theatre in Tokyo, and this won him the Asahi Culture Prize. He lost all his original scores in the great Tokyo air-raid of 1945. With the end of the war he started composing the opera "Koki" (original story by Yoshiro Nagayo). In 1948 he became paralyzed on one side of his body as the result of a cerebral hemorrhage, but continued composing, even producing and conducting such major works as "Tenrikyo Anthem" commissioned by the Tenrikyo Church and "Festive Piece in the Style of a Suite based on Impressions of Kotobuki Shiki Sambaso." In 1950 he was the recipient of the first Broadcasting Culture Award and in 1956 was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit.
