Seeing a painting was compositional opportunity to Takemitsu. He saw a painting ‘Lex yeux clos (The Closed Eyes)’ by a French artist called Odilon Redon. Takemitsu was inspired by this painting when he was in Chicago in 1968. He liked “Closed Eyes” and associated it with an expression ‘opened ears’ with the painting. This piano work was published as a funeral piece for Takiguchi, by a curious coincident, because he passed away during Takemitsu carried on composing.

The relationship between Takemitsu and Takiguchi began from 1950, by being stimulated by each other’s creative desire. They felt sympathy and had profound respect to each other. Poems written by Takiguchi inspired Takemitsu to compose “Distance of Fairy” and “Uninterrupted Rest”.

The score of “The Closed Eyes” were published in Paris in 1979. Pianist Aki Takahashi said that Takemitsu wanted her to play a part in which chords continue through the latter half of the piece, like a bell.

You use three kinds of pedals in the performance of this piece. From the beginning, there is an instruction to use two kinds of pedals at the same time. There are melodies intend to go up and chords scattering in the treble. It gives unique sound in Takemitsu’s work. In “The Closed Eyes”, colors from Redon’s fantastic painting and color of Takemitsu’s sound resonates in music; slightly changing its expression along with the progress of time.