Takashi Niigaki

Takashi Niigaki (新垣 隆, Niigaki Takashi, born 1 September 1970) is a Japanese composer and music teacher, known for having composed pieces on behalf of the celebrated allegedly-deaf composer Mamoru Samuragochi, and for admitting his role in this deception in 2014 prior to the use of one of his pieces at the 2014 Winter Olympics by figure skater Daisuke Takahashi.

Takashi Niigaki
新垣 隆 (にいがき たかし)
Born (1970-09-01) 1 September 1970
 Japan, Tokyo
Websiteofficial website

Biography

Takashi Niigaki was born in Tokyo. He is a Japanese composer and music teacher who served as the orchestrator and ghostwriter for Mamoru Samuragochi for 18 years, composing musical works that included the soundtracks for Resident Evil: Director's Cut Dual Shock Ver. and Onimusha: Warlords.[1] He also composed "Hiroshima Symphony No 1", previously credited to Samuragochi until February 2014, when Niigaki publicly revealed that he was the real composer.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Ghostwriting

On 5 February 2014, Niigaki publicly revealed that he was the ghostwriter behind most of the music previously attributed to Mamoru Samuragochi since 1996.[9][10] Niigaki went to the press because one of Samuragochi's claimed compositions would be used by Japanese figure skater Daisuke Takahashi, at the then upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.[11]

Hiroshima Symphony No. 1 was an adaption of little-known works from earlier composers including Gustav Mahler, as observed by the composer Takeo Noguchi when it was performed on tour by a full orchestra; doubting Samuragochi's claims- sourced entirely by his record label-[12] Noguchi wrote an article on the subject, which was turned down by musical publications sponsored by Samuragochi's record label.[13] The article was instead published in the November 2013 issue of the newsweekly Shincho 45, as "The deaf genius composer" - Is Mamoru Samuragochi genuine? (「全聾の天才作曲家」佐村河内守は本物か);[12] after the ghostwriting was revealed, Noguchi's article was awarded the Editors' Choice Magazine Journalism Award. Classical music critics have stated- albeit 'mainly in hindsight'[14] and as part of the 'musings and self-chastisements in Japan and overseas' that occurred following the revelation of Samuragochi's deceit-[15] that the music is 'subpar, weak imitations of Mahler and Brahms, and shouldn't have been celebrated in the first place'[15] and 'basically an amateurish Mahler pastiche'.[14]

Subsequent career

In the wake of the scandal, Niigaki received support from friends in the music world, including composer Kenichi Nishizawa, who organized a petition to ask the institution at which Niigaki taught to be lenient; nevertheless Niigaki elected to resign his position. A concert, 'Takashi Niigaki Collection with Friends' took place on 7 June 2014, organized by his supporters. He subsequently appeared on television, cultivating 'a reputation as a comical character on top of being recognized for his musical talent'.[16]

In February 2015, Shigeru Kudo, leader of the Higashihiroshima Symphony Orchestra, in 2013, the first amateur ensemble to perform the Hiroshima Symphony, commissioned Niigaki to compose a new symphony. On 15 August 2016, Niigaki's Symphony No. 2, 'Litany', was performed for the first time, at Hiroshima. Niigaki also gave a solo performance of his piano concerto, 'Shinsei' ('New Birth'). The second performance was at Tokyo on 23 August 2016. In producing this symphony, Niigaki was inspired by 'a form of prayer in Christianity... a back and forth between clergy and congregation', this giving the work its name.[16]

In 2018, he formed the band Genie High with Enon Kawatani, Ikumi Nakajima, television personality Kunihiro "Kukki!" Kawashima and comedian Kazutoyo Koyabu.[17]

Works

The works below were formerly credited to Mamoru Samuragochi, but were later identified as having been composed by Niigaki.

  • No. 1 symphony "Hiroshima" (2003)[18]
  • Sonatina for Violin[18]

Completed in 2003, "Hiroshima" was first played at a concert held to commemorate the meeting of the Group of Eight leaders in Hiroshima in 2008.[18] It was released on CD in 2011 as part of the Nippon Columbia record label's 100th anniversary celebrations.[19]

Movie soundtracks

Video game soundtracks

References
  1. 新垣氏激白！佐村河内氏の耳不自由でない「録音聞きコメント」 (in Japanese). sanspo.com. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  2. "Mamoru Samuragochi exposed as a fraud, may not be deaf - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  3. "Ghost composer Takashi Niigaki claims 'Japan's Beethoven' Mamoru Samuragochi not even deaf - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Abc.net.au. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  4. "BBC News - 'Japanese Beethoven' admits he is a fraud". Bbc.co.uk. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  5. Fackler, Martin (6 February 2014). "In Japan, a Beloved Deaf Composer Appears to Be None of the Above". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  6. Chayka, Kyle (6 February 2014). ""Deaf" Japanese Composer Mamoru Samuragochi Admits He Had Ghostwriter | TIME.com". Newsfeed.time.com. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
  7. Fackler, Martin (11 February 2014). "Japanese Composer Says His Hearing Loss Is Partly Faked". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  8. "BBC News - 'Japan's Beethoven' admits he 'regained hearing'". Bbc.co.uk. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  9. "Japanese composer Momoru Samuragochi admits to musical fraud". CBC News. CBC. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  10. "Uproar as 'Japanese Beethoven' Mamoru Samuragochi exposed as a fraud". CNN. Cable News Network. 5 February 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  11. Fackler, Martin (6 February 2014). "Beloved Deaf Composer in Japan Appears to Be None of the Above". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  12. Motoki, Masahiko (6 February 2014). 佐村河内守「やめるなら妻と一緒に自殺する」と脅し！感動話の裏の醜悪な素顔 [Mamoru Samuragochi: Threatened to commit suicide with wife]. J-Cast (in Japanese). Japan. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  13. 専門家が「佐村河内氏の曲は“パクリ”」と酷評 [Experts criticize Samuragochi's works as plagiarism]. Tokyo Sports Web (in Japanese). Japan: Tokyo Sports. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  14. Brasor, Philip (15 February 2014). "Samuragochi scandal shows that tin-eared classical music fans can be suckers for stories". The Japan Times. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  15. Kelts, Roland (2 May 2014). "The Unmasking of "Japan's Beethoven"". The New Yorker. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  16. Iuchi, Chiho (4 September 2016). "Takashi Niigaki emerges from the ashes of a scandal with a symphony to call his own". The Japan Times. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  17. Michel, Patrick St (10 May 2019). "Genie High Return With New Song "Genie High Rhapsody," Complete With a Video of Them Enjoying a Japanese Bath". OTAQUEST. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  18. "Noted deaf composer admits his music was ghostwritten". The Japan Times. Japan. Kyodo. 6 February 2014. p. 1. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  19. "Deaf composer pens Hiroshima opus". The Japan Times. Japan. Kyodo. 9 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2014. Retrieved 17 February 2014.
  20. Larimer, Tim (15 September 2001). "Mamuro Samuragouchi: Songs of Silence". Time Magazine. Time Inc. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
  21. 秋桜（コスモス） [Cosmos]. MovieWalker (in Japanese). Japan: Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2014.
  22. "Composer Mamura Samuragochi angry at news that DVDs of film he scored to be withdrawn from sale" (in Japanese). Japan: Weekly Asahi Geinō. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
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