Roh Ogura

Roh Ogura, 小倉 朗, (born 19 January 1916 - died 26 August 1990) was a Japanese composer and writer.

He was born in Kitakyushu and lived in Tokyo and Kamakura. First he learned French Modern Music under Shiro Fukai and Tomojiro Ikenouchi. Then he studied under Joseph Rosenstock, who lived from 1895 to 1985, about how to conduct Beethoven's symphonies and he became very interested in German classical music and wrote many symphonies that made him end up being called, "Ogurahms". Then he faced a deadlock and abandoned most of his works.

Gradually, he became very interested in Bartók. Finally he broke a new ground and started writing his original music inspired by Japanese traditional folk songs and old nursery rhymes. He was also gifted writer who published several books. In the late period of his life he was passionate painter too who painted oil paintings.

He was a friend of Minoru Matsuya (1910-1995) and taught his son Midori Matsuya (1943-1994) harmony and composition. He was also a teacher of Hiroaki Zakoji (1958-1987) .

Works

*1937 "Sonatine for piano"
*1953 "Dance Suite" for two pianos
*1953 "Dance Suite" for orchestra
*1954 "String Quartet in B"
*1957 "Five Movements on Japanese Folk Songs" for orchestra
*1958 "Nine Pieces on Children's Songs of Tohoku Region" for female chorus a cappella
*1959 "Burlesque" for orchestra
*1960 "Sonatine for violin and piano"
*1963 "Sonatine for string orchestra"
*1966 "Composition I for piano"
*1968 "Composition II for piano"
*1968 "Symphony in G"
*1971 "Concerto for violin and orchestra"
*1972 "Composition for string orchestra"
*1975 "Composition in F# for orchestra"
*1977 "Composition for flute, violin and piano"
*1980 "Concerto for violoncello and orchestra"

See also

*Japan Composer's Association

External links

* [http://www.jacompa.or.jp/ Japan Composer's Association, or JACOMPA - in Japanese]
* [http://www.mlaj.gr.jp/members/jp/kindai.htm His scores are preserved in Tokyo Nippon Kindai Ongakukan - Documentation Centre for Modern Japanese Music]