Takemitsu, Tarkovsky and Matthew's Passion

It was the 21st anniversary of death for the renowned composer, Tohru Takemitsu, on 20th of the last month. In her essay, his wife has told how he had spent the last days in his life.

Two days before his passing, he told his wife to go home sooner since it was heavily snowing and it might take her long time to get to home. On that evening he spent alone at the hospital, he has by chance listened to the Matthew's Passion by Bach broadcasted on the radio. It was the most favorite piece in music for him. Snowing quietly outside and this music resonant to our existence flowing at the hospital room he spent the night alone.

The day after, he told his wife how wonderful that piece was. When he started composing something, he always listened to the famous Aria, Er barme dich, mein Gott, which was the best in this music for him.

He also loved the movies of Tarkovsky. In Tarkovsky's last work titled "Sacrifice", that aria in Matthew's Passion was impressively featured at the last scene. Tarkovsky has told we could live with certain sacrifice in the world we never knew of its existence.

When I am quitting this world, I sure would like to listen to this music as Takemitsu and Tarkovsky might have done.