Valeria (Takemitsu)

Valeria (Japanese: ヴァレリア) is a 1965 chamber music composition by Toru Takemitsu, recomposed from an earlier work, Sonant.

Overview

Takemitsu wrote the original version of the piece for the sixth modern music festival in Tokyo, for an ensemble comprising violin, cello, guitar, two bandoneons, and two flutes. In 1969, he revised the work into its present form, retitling it Valeria, for a recording that was produced that year. The two bandoneons were replaced by the electric organ, and the two flutes by the two piccolos. The first performance of the new version was held in September, Hiroshi Wakasugi conducting.

Instrumentation

2 piccolos, violin, cello, guitar, and electric organ.

Form

The piece is structured in four movements, and lasts approximately six minutes. The second and fourth movements are entitled Recitative I and II respectively.

References

• An analysis of Valeria