“The Closed Eyes II” is a piano work commissioned and premiered by Peter Serkin in 1989. Like “The Closed Eye” that was composed 10 years before, this work was also inspired by the painting “The Closed Eyes” drawn by Rudon, a famous French painter of the 19th century. The composer, Takemitsu, had been known worldwide at that time. He established his unique style, characterised by ‘Takemitsu tone’, which consisted of the exquisite using of consonance and dissonance and the sweet motif floating in it. In this work, this charm was fully demonstrated.

You use the three pedals, damper, sostenuto and soft. By using the pedals according to precise instructions, you can create indescribable resonance. The occasional white diamond notes represent the sound that is kept by the pedal after releasing your fingers. Attentive listening to the sound is required. Also, by accurately playing the two kinds of fermatas and tempo change indicated by arrows, you can express junctures of the piece and inflections of the phrases. The song starts with perfect 5ths like bell sounds. Then, the characteristic motifs going up form a climax gradually with fragmentary midrange songs. After that, the bell sounds at the beginning gradually return, and the work ends.