今日は朝一番で、都内某ホールで開催されるコンサートのために依頼されたチェンバロの搬入に行きました。
午前9時にホール搬入だったので8時に出社したわけですが、昨夜はなぜか寝苦しくて午前4時過ぎに目が覚めてしまい、二度寝するのは危険と判断してTVをつけてぼぉ～っとしておりましたら案の定落ちて、目が覚めたら午前6時半を過ぎており、直ぐに家を出ないと間に合わないためダッシュ。
今、とてつもなく眠いです・・・。
さて、今回のお話は旧愚ブログでも書いた山下和仁さんはやはり天才中の天才なんだなと、ワタクシが再認識をしたエピソードでございます。
1990年代に開催されたあるコンサート1で、山下さんは海外のあるチェンバリストの方と共演することになりました。
実はこのコンサートで演奏するチェンバロのレンタル依頼がうちの店にあり、過日、山下さん、チェンバロ奏者、チェンバロ奏者の奥様がご来店され、店の貸しスタジオでリハーサルをする事と相成りました。
ちなみにワタクシが山下さんと直接店でお会いするのはこれが2回目。
山下さんは例によって「◯◯さん、お元気でしたか？今日は宜しくお願いします」と、ジェントル・ヴォイスでご挨拶をして下さいました。
貸しスタジオは完全防音ではないので通常、特に歌声なんかは結構2階の店舗まで聞こえてくるのですが、チェンバロやギターの場合は殆ど聞こえてきません。
ですが、この日はリハーサルが始まった途端、山下さんのギターの音だけが2階までガンガン聞こえてきて吃驚いたしました。
2時間ほどリハーサルが続いて休憩となり、チェンバリストの奥様が「今、アンコール曲が決まって山下さんに楽譜を渡したいので、コピーをしていただけませんか？」と、2階の店舗に上がって来られました。
うちの店は現在もそうですが、コピー機がございません・・・。
ですので、近くのファミリーマートに行ってコピーをしたのですが、作曲者、曲名は失念いたしましたが、明らかにチェンバロ・デュオ曲の楽譜でございました。
つまり、楽譜は当然ながら鍵盤二段譜でございます。
店に戻って楽譜を山下さんにお渡しすると早速、譜面台に置かれてアンコール曲の練習が始まりました。
それをスタジオの片隅で少しだけ見学させていただいたのですが、まず腰が抜けそうに驚いたのは山下さんが初見でミス無く完璧にイン・テンポで演奏された事です・・・。
更に驚愕だったのは、2回目の合わせの時にはもう殆ど譜面を見ずに演奏された事であります・・・。
天才と凡才（ワタクシね）の差をまざまざと見せつけられた思いでした。分かってはいましたけどね・・・。
2回目の合わせ練習が終わった段階で、そそくさとスタジオから退散した事は言うまでもございません。
これまで山下和仁さんと直接お会いした時のエピソードを“山下和仁さんとの想い出”、“山下和仁さんとの想い出～邂逅編”、“弦高高過ぎ問題の件～追憶”で綴りましたが、今回のエピソードで打ち止めでございます。
さてさて、そろそろ楽器の搬出に向かいますか・・・。
脚注
Hi Mr.Luiza,
Thank you for your article regarding Mr.Yamashita, you must be very lucky to interact with such masterful musician which happen to be a guitarist who we love. I have heard many legendary story like you just wrote on your blog like he can sight read any sheet music at correct speed, he never practiced during tour, he played “unplayable” guitar, he change strings just before concert etc. From such stories I have been following him since the last 12 years or so, hoping to mimic him and get in touch with him.
I collect his sheet music (like Chinary Ung’s Rising Spirals), bought his CDs & Vinyl from Japan etc. I am lucky enough to collect all of his 16 Sor CD which on it’s way from Japan to my home exactly at the moment of his death. I never had any chance to meet him when I am in Japan so that was my last memorabilia of him. I bought the latest Gendai Magazine featuring his tribute too recently. Thank you for sharing your story about him.
I am also interested in collecting sheet music from around the world, I noticed that you work on guitar store and have knowledge about sheet music. I am really interested in Japanese issued sheet music to add to my collection for me and my students. Can you reach me on email to talk about the music? Thank you very much
Paskal from Jakarta
Hi Mr.Paskal
Thank you for your comment.
For me, too, Maestro Kazuhito Yamashita is a great musician whom I will continue to admire forever.
When Maestro put down his guitar, he was just an ordinary person, no different from any of us, but the moment he picked it up, he became a performer who transcended humanity, as if the god of music had taken possession of him.
Last November, I received a call from Maestro for the first time in a while, but I happened to be off work that day, so I wasn’t able to speak with him, which I regret.
If my limited knowledge of sheet music can be of any help to you, please feel free to contact me.
Thank You.
from Luzia
luzia@nifty.com
Dear Luzia-sama,
Thank you for your reply on your blog. Apologize for not replying quickly, I just saw your blog again. Actually I send you an email but perhaps you don’t receive it so I send it again here.
It is a real pleasure for me to have another Yamashita-sama admirer, I also emailed Masahiro Masuda-san when he wrote his eulogy on his blog. Never thought he is also from Nagasaki.
His and your story about Yamashita-sama just completing his legendary aura of him which astonishes me. I heard a lot about him from the late Matanya Ophee, I thought he is perhaps our time’s Paganini after you said about his transformation when holding a guitar. It is my dream to see him perform, I tried to contact him but he seems very busy, he is gone too soon. His last call to you is very sad indeed.
From him I learn just to love music and I try to sight read as much music as possible. I particularly love Latin American and Japanese traditional music, it resonates well with my background in Indonesia where dance, theatre and royal procession crossed the music.
Do you have any recommendations for solo guitar arrangements? I already have the Bossa’s arrangement by Noriyasu Takeuchi but I am looking to add another collection, especially the works of Jobim and his contemporary if there’s one. I have seen your blog about Dyens’ arrangement of Jobim’s wave which I am very grateful for. I have never heard that Dyens arranged this work before. Thank you very much
For Japanese music, I am also interested in the 12 songs arrangement by Toshio Hosokawa, have you seen the score? For a long time, I have been looking for his solo guitar version of “Itsuki Komori Uta” and “Sakura” which I still can not get to this day, but someone said it is now included on “12 Japanese Songs”. I visited Japan twice during 2024-2025, tried to contact Schott Japan but got no reply.
I visited Aura Guitar in Ueno, Yamaha Ginza and Yamano Ginza during my last trip. I collect a lot of music, the Japanese printing is really wonderful, I can’t hold myself. Not to mention the recording quality of CD’s, I bought almost 30 CDs during my last trip. And the availability of such music is mind blowing, I never saw such a collection when I was in another country. I am enjoying every moment there, it is a country full of charm.
I have a work in the USA next week and I plan to transit in Tokyo when I am coming home. I would like to visit you if the time allows. Can you share your shop information?
Kind regards,
Paskal
Jakarta – Indonesia
Dear Paskal,
Thank you for your comment.
I’m very sorry. I hadn’t seen your email.
When he wasn’t playing the guitar, Kazuhito Yamashita was a truly earnest, ordinary person.
But the moment I picked up the guitar, it felt like I’d become something beyond human understanding.
He was truly a wonderful guitarist and musician.
Could you please send me the email again?（to luzia@nifty.com) I have a gift for Paskal.
Thank you.
Best regard,
Luzia