Please send Tomita news to Ben or John (remove the "nospamdiediedie." from address).

8 May, 2016

RIP

Isao Tomita passed away on 5 May, 2016. May he rest in peace

 

18 May, 2003

Updates

Sounds section revamped with new extracts from recordings and other rarities

 

25 March, 2003

Updates

Photo section updated with some new pictures

 

23 March, 2003

'The Planets' 2003

Denon in Japan will release 5.1 surround re-mix of "The Planets" for DVD audio on 29th March 2003.
http://columbia.jp/dvd_a/ [in Japanese]
http://www.amazon.jp [in Japanese]

It is believed that this is the classic 1976 recording.

24 March, 2002

News direct from Plasma Music in Tokyo

"After Tokyo Disney Sea Aquasphere music, and music for a Japanese film [presumably 'Sen nen no koi', referred to in news for 24 February 2002, below], Mr. Tomita has been writing music for television programs.

2002 is Mr. Tomita's 50th anniversary as a composer, and 30th anniversary of his synthesizer music career. He is writing books, one is about his 50 years career, and another about his synthesizer music history. I am not sure when they would be issued, but I hope it will be sometime this year,
and I also hope they would be translated into English."

 

24 February, 2002

New soundtrack CD released.

The English title is 'Sen nen no koi', which means 'Love for 1000 years'.

It can be ordered (in Japanese) from here: http://www.hmv.co.jp/Product/Detail.asp?sku=51476

and also here (CD Japan use a slightly cheaper shipping agent): http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=COCQ-83572

Other Tomita CDs at HMV Japan: http://www.hmv.co.jp/search/artist.asp?artistcode=000000000019104

15 February, 2002

Interviews section expanded

Two vintage era interviews have been added, one from 1977 in 'Keyboard' and one from 1983 in 'Electronics & Music Maker'.

12 February, 2002

Sound Creature translations

Lance Lenehan and his brother have begun the arduous task of translating the booklet that comes with the record set from Japanese into English, and you can see the translations here: http://www.geocities.com/soundcreature/

12 August, 2001

Tokyo Disney Sea

Tomita has just completed his piece for the entrance area of Tokyo Disney Sea which is to be officially opened on 4 September, 2001. This new park is just next to Tokyo Disney Land, and the new park is, as the name says, based on the theme of everything related to the sea. The main entrance area is called "Aqua Sphere", where a water-covered globe is floating on the fountain at the center of the area. The music is to be heard from three sides of the area, and it will be played as multi-stereo sound to create a three dimensional music effect of big waves moving from one side to another.

Tomita wrote 15 minutes of original music for the Day Time version, and also another 15 minutes for the Night Time version. The Day Time version music is played by the London Philharminic Orchestra, and the recording was made in London. Tomita's synthesizer was then added. The Night Time version is performed by Tomita on synthesizer only.

New "Genji" Film

Tomita has already started to write three hours of music for a Japanese film based on "The Tale of Genji". The film is by a Japanese film company "Toei", and it will be ready for the 2002 New Year season. This is a very unique film, since the music is to be written first, and the story is to be carried accordingly. Tomita's "Genji", which was released last year, was too short for the film. Also the story is more detailed, so he decided to write new piece. There are possible plans for the film to be released overseas, as well as a CD or DVD release of the music.

Broadcasting Culture Award

Tomita received the Award of Broadcasting Culture of Japan this spring. This was for his long time contribution to Japanese broadcasting.

Tomita will record the music for Disney Sea with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in February.

More information on the Genji HP release (including audio clips).

In other news, Disney Sea will open at Disneyland Tokyo next autumn. Tomita is composing the music for the entrance area "Aqua Sphere".

More news on Tomita's "Tale of Genji":

A show of Tomita's Genji with puppets by famous Japanese doll artist, Hori, is planned for next year. It will be held at an ancient temple in the mountains near Kyoto. The temple (Hieizan Enryakuji) is not in ruins - it functions as the headquarters of one of the biggest Buddhism sects in Japan.

Updates! Thanks to all who provided material.

• Space Fantasy (AKA Kosmos) Cover
• Captain Ultra Cover
• A Tomita Sampler Cover
• The Time of Reckoning Details
• Back to the Earth Program
• London Tale of Genji Review
• Mind of the Universe Leaflet

Tomita will be recording music for the Disney Sea project with the London Philharmonic Orchestra in February.

Here are some dates concerning the up and coming release of Tomita's "Tale of Genji" (thanks to Ken Terao and Naoko Watase):

14 October, 2000

Shigeo Nagashima (famous baseball player) VTR release - music by Tomita.

18 November, 2000

LFO "Tale of Genji" CD release in Japan only. Worldwide release after six months. Tomita makes full use of the latest technology (NUENDO, 24-bit, 96k) on this high-quality sound CD. Tomita will start work on a DVD 5.1ch version of the LFO "Tale of Genji" next year.

29 November, 2000

Shigeo Nagashima CD release.

And here's some news from cubase.net:

Synthesizer maestro Mr. Isao Tomita will present his new album "Genji Monogatari", which he produced with NUENDO, on October 13, at the Steinberg Fair in Tokyo.

New images added - thanks to Ben Ward for scanning them in.

• The Planets Poster
• The Planets Sticker
• New Snowflakes are Dancing Cover
• In Studio from Snowflakes are Dancing

New mailing list to replace bulletin board. You can also browse through the mailing list archives online.

Just received this from Amp Music in the UK.

As you probably know, Tomita's newest release is the track "Pacific 231" on our new compilation CD "Music For the 3rd Millennium", which also includes unreleased pieces from Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, Synergy, Kraftwerk (Karl Bartos), Steve Jolliffe (Tangerine Dream), Patrick Moraz and many others. It's an excellent piece combining analog synthesizer, orchestral techniques and sound sampling.

Anyone who mentions the Tomita "Sound Creature" web site will receive a 10% discount on all orders. Their address is:

AMP Records and Music, Box BM FAME, London, WC1N 3XX, UK.
Phone/Fax +44 0181 889 0616
E-Mail orders@ampmusic.demon.co.uk
Web http://www.ampmusic.demon.co.uk/ampcds.html

Some news from Kevin Lightner (David Van Koevering was one of the original Minimoog distributors).

There will be a tribute tour to Bob Moog coming up here in the States soon. Sponsored by the Van Koevering Corporation as a publicity campaign to launch their newest digital piano, they have invited some impressive guests (Emerson, Wakeman, Banks, Tomita, Zimmer, etc.) and myself :) August 12th in Beverly Hills for me, other dates will be in New York, etc.

Apparently Tomita will re-record the Tale of Genji with the London Philharmonic Orchestra this October for CD/DVD.

Part two of the interview is now available. Thanks Ben!

Part one of the interview with Tomita-san in London has been uploaded!

We also received this funny Tomita anecdote from Tanaka Tomoyuki.

About 10 years ago, I heard Tomita being interviewed on the radio in Japan. Tomita said that when he went to Africa for the first time (probably 1970's or 1980's), he was enjoying the great scenery, but then he felt strange because he thought that something was missing.

After a while he realized what it was - the African scenery just didn't seem right (or complete) without the magnificent music he had composed for "Jungle King" :-)

The Tomita - Sound Creature web site maintainers were privileged to have a two-hour interview with Mr. Isao Tomita following his London concert last month. We will be posting this on our page soon!

In the meantime, you can check out some images from the concert on the London Tale of Genji page.

Erwin Stok sent us on some images of a rare Snowflakes are Dancing pressing from Germany.

Erwin Stok suggested visitors of the Tomita page should print out a 5 by 5 cm version of this button [173k JPG] to identify each other. Good idea!

Here's a sample of the Genji Ticket for the forthcoming London event.

New bulletin board added for Tomita questions. If you're going to the Tomita London concert, let us know!

The Tale of Genji covers (front and back) added. Hi Ben!

We were also sent in an interesting image (right) which shows the symmetry of the Tomita name, thanks to Hop for that.

Anyone else going to Tomita in London? Here is Ben's post to "Analogue Heaven" with the details.

Tomita (for it is he) will be appearing in concert in June, conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

The programme -
Holst: The Planets Suite
Tomita: The Tale Of Genji (European premiere, and the title of his latest album)

The venue -
Royal Festival Hall, London

The date -
Tuesday June 22 1999 at 7.30pm

The cost -
Tickets from £10 to £25

www.sbc.org.uk

Anyone in the UK fancy going? I wonder if he will be using the Moog modulars and Mellotron that made him famous, as on the previous concert he did in Europe (in 1976)...

Tomita will be appearing in Los Angeles later this year, giving the same concert.

Ben

The Tale of Genji, a new live album was released on 25 March, 1999. Album cover to follow.

Fans list fixed.

Samples on sounds page upgraded from 8kHz mono WAV format to 44kHz stereo MP3 format (same size files).

Hot Tomita DJ Promo sleeve notes added.

Ken Terao has sent us some exciting Tomita news!

A new Tomita CD was released on 21 October, 1998 in Japan. The title is 'The School Series' and features the School I, II, and III soundtracks.

And here are the dates for the 'Pioneer Symphonic Picture Scroll / A Millenium of Culture: The Tale of Genji' concerts -

Sunday, 22 November, 1998
NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan

Tuesday, 11 May, 1999
The Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Los Angeles, USA

Tuesday, 22 June, 1999
The Royal Festival Hall, London, England

'The Planets' will be performed at the Los Angeles and London concerts! Live CDs and DVDs will be released in 1999.

Fans list returns.

Ken Terao in Japan saw the interview mentioned below. He tells me that Michael Jackson asked Tomita how did he make the whistle sound, and could he show him using a Moog in Tomita's studio. No offer of money was made!

Apparently, Tomita said in an interview that Michael Jackson once visited his studio and really wanted to buy the whistle sound used in 'Arabesque No. 1' on 'Snowflakes Are Dancing'. Has anyone seen this interview?!

News section added!

Another 'Genji Monogatari' concert is to be performed at the Festival Hall, London, England in June, 1999. This will be directed by Tomita himself!

Tomita is to perform 'Genji Monogatari' (old Japanese tale) at the NHK Hall, Tokyo, Japan on 22 November, 1998. Thanks for the details, Ken.

Tomita performed a small scale 'Sound Cloud' concert at Ars Electronica in 1997. Apparently, there was no Casio Pavilion concert in December, 1995.

Does anyone else think that the Bowling Green track on the Issue 73 Future Music CD contains a sample of Tomita's 'Great Gate of Kiev'? I wrote to the magazine, but they weren't too sure either!

Hot Tomita DJ Promo album added.

Tomita-San and In Studio images added.

Bach Fantasy multimedia CD images added.

Japanese Kosmos covers and Storm from the East back cover images added.

Different Dimensions album added.

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