Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952-2023), a great friend of the Glenn Gould Foundation
April 4, 2023
The Glenn Gould Foundation is saddened to hear of the recent death of Ryuichi Sakamoto (17 January 1952 – 28 March 2023).
Ryuichi Sakamoto was an innovator who pioneered electro-pop, classical, ambient, and a wide range of other genres in Japan and internationally, both as a soloist and as member of the Yellow Magic Orchestra. A prolific recording artist, he made 20 solo studio albums, 11 live albums, and 48 soundtrack albums. He was also a dedicated anti-nuclear activist.
In December 2017 The Glenn Gould Foundation partnered with Mr. Sakamoto to co-present The Glenn Gould Gathering, a five-day festival in Tokyo, for which Sakamoto created a special evening-long musical and multi-media composition that was later released as a CD and a Blu-Ray video. Sakamoto’s musical inspiration created an electric atmosphere, giving rise to an entirely original and moving experience, executed live with synchronized immersive projections and samples of Gould’s recordings at Sogetsu Hall, by an ensemble led by Sakamoto and including international soloists Alva Noto, Christian Fenesz, and Francesco Tristano.
The Glenn Gould Gathering also included the world premier of an original work by Canadian ambient artist Loscil, film screenings, and an art exhibition at the Canadian Embassy, guest talks and an interactive video installation created in tribute to Glenn Gould, whom Sakamoto had admired since his childhood (https://www.gggathering.com/aboutgould/en/).
Brian Levine, CEO of The Glenn Gould Foundation, reflected, “I had the joyful experience of working with Ryuichi Sakamoto and his team, which included members of his family, on the Tokyo Glenn Gould Gathering. It was such a privilege to experience his profound creativity, the beautiful collaborative spirit that he brought to his partnership with members of his ensemble, and his quiet, gentle, thoughtful demeanour. His music is indeed a gift that all of us will share, but I am so sad for his family and fans today. Artists who are so indelibly original and courageous are too rare in these times of conformity. He will not be forgotten.”
Sakamoto is perhaps best known as the composer of the soundtrack for Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, for which he won an Academy Award. He also wrote the scores for other Bertolucci films, including The Sheltering Sky and Little Buddha. For Alejandro Iñárritu he co-wrote the tension-filled music for The Revenant.
He also starred, alongside David Bowie, in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence. Sakamoto agreed to take that acting role under the condition that he could also write the music.
He appreciated very early in his career the power of mixing different genres. A long-time collaborator, Carston Nicolai (aka Alva Noto), noted in 2021 that Sakamoto knew that “the conversation between different styles, and unusual styles, may be the future.”
Among his other awards was a BAFTA, a Grammy, and two Golden Globes.
A true innovator who was able to weave together a wide assortment of instruments and technologies – including vibrant orchestral works, ominous atmospheric soundscapes, intimate solos on the piano, synthesizer-infused techno tracks, and glittering video game sounds – Sakamoto had fans and admirers around the world, including the The Glenn Gould Foundation.
