Pacific Symphony Orchestra, Carl St. Clair - Toru Takemitsu: From me flows what you call Time (1998)

Takemitsu (1930-96) is Japan's greatest composer. He had a diverse musical career, which included work for films. His music partakes of aspects of postmodernism--serial construction, atonal modalities, unusual instrumentation--and all of it hypnotic. The works on this disc are for a chamber-size orchestra and are illuminated by the smaller forces. From Me Flows What You Call Time (1990) brings to mind a set of delicate, atonal wind chimes. Twill by Twilight--In Memory of Morton Feldman (1988) reflects Feldman's juxtapositions and separations, but with a bit more color. Requiem (1957), Takemitsu's first orchestral work, is stunning and very beautiful. --Paul Cook