Solo Songs: Latest Japanese Songs: Makiko Kinoshita Song Collection (1) [Expanded and Revised Edition] (Latest Japanese Songs)

This is an expanded and revised edition of the previously published "Makiko Kinoshita Song Collection." While the previous edition's "Aisuru Uta" song collection consisted of five songs, this time five new songs have been added, bringing the total to 10, the same as the original version (two-part unison chorus). This collection, along with "Late Summer," is being published as part of the "Latest Japanese Song Selections" series. "Aisuru Uta" is a songbook set to the poetry collection of the same name by Takashi Yanase, well known for his children's manga. These simple yet expressive songs highlight the fascinating narrative quality of Yanase's poetry. Meanwhile, "Late Summer" features works by seven leading contemporary female poets. Many of the songs were written when the authors were young, and while they are not large-scale works, they nonetheless highlight the authors' innate talent and sensibility. The music accompanying the poems also demonstrates the composer's sophisticated compositional technique and idiom, making them highly challenging works in the category of so-called "art songs." Both works have been particularly popular among Japanese song composers in recent years, and numerous recordings have been released, including "Beloved Songs: Beloved Songs" by Nozaki Yumi - Singing Famous Japanese Songs, Part II (FOCD20066/Fontec) and "Late Summer: A Collection of Kinoshita Makiko's Songs, Four Songs by C. Rossetti" (VZCC-101/Japan Traditional Music Culture Promotion Foundation). Following this collection, "Kinoshita Makiko's Song Collection II," which includes a song version of the female chorus piece "Flower Number" and others, is also scheduled for release.