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Yuyama, Akira : KODOMO NO KUNI

Work Overview

Music ID : 16160
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:pieces

Commentary (2)

Author : Sudoh, Eiko

Last Updated: April 24, 2018
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

"Children's Land" is a collection of 20 piano pieces published in 1967. At that time, Ongaku no Tomo Sha commissioned Yuyama, who had composed numerous children's songs for NHK radio programs. The piano pieces, which were serialized in the magazine 'Ongaku no Tomo' over a period of six months, were subsequently compiled into this collection. This marked Yuyama's first collection of piano pieces specifically for children.

The difficulty level is considered to be around the completion of Beyer, ranging from Burgmüller to Sonatina. Octave playing is intentionally avoided to accommodate children with small hands. The titles of the pieces, such as "Something Good is About to Happen!" and "Yawn," are drawn from children's daily lives, and the musical ideas reflect Yuyama's distinctive pop appeal. Furthermore, contemporary musical sonorities are actively incorporated in pieces like "Jazz" and "Space Station."

At the end of the volume, a "Performance Guide" is included, written by the composer, offering explanations for both teachers and mothers, as well as for children. The overarching goal is to encourage children to enjoy the piano with imagination in their daily lives, alongside the development of piano playing techniques, including the use of pedals and articulation.

Writer: Sudoh, Eiko

Author : Sudoh, Eiko

Last Updated: April 24, 2018
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Children’s Land” is a collection of 20 piano pieces, published in 1967. At that time, the composer Akira Yuyama wrote many children’s songs for NHK radio programs. The music publisher, Ongaku No Tomo Sha Corporation, asked him to make this collection. He already serialized piano works in the magazine “Ongaku No Tomo (Friends of Music)” for six months, and he collected those pieces for “Children’s Land”. This is the first children’s piano music collection for him.

The difficulty level of this collection is for beginners and intermediate students. It is an appropriate level for the piano learner who studies Burgmürler’s text and Sonatines, after finishing Bayer’s Piano Method. For children with small hands, the octave is not used. The titles of the songs were chosen from the life of children such as ‘Something Good May Happen!’ and ‘Yawning’, which had great popularity. In ‘Jazz’ and ‘Space Station’, modern musical resonance is actively used.

At the end of the book, as a ‘Guide for Performance’, Yuyama wrote an explanation of each song for the teachers, the mothers and for the children. This collection aimed for children to enjoy the piano while using their imagination in their daily lives, and improving piano performance techniques including the use of pedals and articulations.

Writer: Sudoh, Eiko

Movements (20)

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Total Performance Time: 1 min 50 sec 

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*in preparation*

Total Performance Time: 1 min 10 sec 

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*in preparation*

Total Performance Time: 1 min 00 sec 

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