Fallen Leaves

Fallen Leaves (Ochiba, 1936) was the last work in which Mitsukuri recognized having adopted his harmony. Whereas Bashō’s Travels was based on literary works of pre-Meiji Japan and Sarabanda was absolute music, Fallen Leaves introduces a new context as a work based on contemporary poetry. Yamamura Kōji (山村耕二, 1914–1984) wrote Fallen Leaves to bid farewell to his little brother who had died of illness, and requested that Mitsukuri compose music to commemorate his late brother (Mitsukuri 1971b, 149). Among Mitsukuri’s

199 As discussed in Chapter 4.1., Mitsukuri emphasized this aspect of his harmony at later stages (e.g. Akiyoshi 1937a, 12).

works using his harmony, Fallen Leaves is peculiar in that Mitsukuri possibly did not consciously adopt the harmony—or was, at least, unsure whether the song counts as an adoption of the theory or not. What suggests this was so is that whereas Mitsukuri mentioned Fallen Leaves among his works adopting the theory in 1948 (Mitsukuri 1948, 130), he did not do so in any earlier writings (as Akiyoshi 1941, 23). One explanation of this is that whereas in his earlier writing Mitsukuri mentioned Bashō’s Travels and Sarabanda as works adopting his harmony in its “pure” form, he later (Mitsukuri 1948, 130) explained that Fallen Leaves represented a “developed” version of the harmony. According to Mitsukuri (1971b, 149), Fallen Leaves is a synthesis of Western and Japanese harmony. He did not explain this further, but the comment offers a relevant starting point from which to examine the song.

Whether being a conscious adoption or not, the choice to compose Fallen Leaves using the system does demonstrate sensitivity to the poem, which is written in old-fashioned Japanese. The opening piano solo already shows that Mitsukuri’s approach is different from his earlier compositions (ex. 5.14).

While measures 1 and 2 are clearly in negative D, measures 3 and 4 prove more difficult to analyze. They make a chromatic ascent (from C to D and from G♯

to A), and by this introduce the idea of leading tones—an element of Western tonality—into Mitsukuri’s system. It is particularly interesting how they combine Mitsukuri’s system with Western harmony: using C♯ as a leading tone to the “tonic” D in measure 5 is an approach that Mitsukuri’s theoretical accounts do not recognize.

Example 5.14 Fallen Leaves, mm. 1–4 (Mitsukuri 1971c, 14).

© Zenon gakufu shuppansha

The simultaneous adoption of Western and Japanese harmony characterizes the song overall. This is best illustrated in a suspension and resolution occurring in the piano part in measures 28–30 (ex. 5.15). The passage and key signature suggest G minor. In terms of Western harmony, the right hand of the piano is a plausible accompaniment for the sung melody: A in measure 28 resolves to G in measure 29, becoming now the root of a G minor chord.

However, the left hand of the piano suggests something else. It introduces a new suspension in measure 29—leading into dissonances with the right hand—which then resolves to an open fifth in measure 30.

Example 5.15 Fallen Leaves, mm. 28–30, words omitted (Mitsukuri 1971c, 15). © Zenon gakufu shuppansha

Measures 28 and 30 are easy to explain with Mitsukuri’s theory. They suggest negative D on G, which is resolved in the following measures 31–32, introducing the “tonic” chord in negative D—typically lacking the fourth and fifth degrees (F and B♭) (ex. 5.16). Analyzed in the context of Western harmony, however, this chord—a consonance in Mitsukuri’s theory—is a dissonance with unresolved suspensions.

Example 5.16 Fallen Leaves, mm. 31–32, words omitted (Mitsukuri 1971c, 15). © Zenon gakufu shuppansha

It is impossible to claim either analysis of the harmony “correct.” Rather, the very essence of Fallen Leaves lies in this contradictory synthesis: whether being analyzed in the context of Western or Japanese harmony—or both—it remains full of suspensions that never completely settle. This goes on until the end of the song, which finally ends on the “tonic” chord negative D, suggesting Japanese harmony. Even this chord is, however, reached through a leading tone (C♯) applied in the manner of Western harmony (ex. 5.17).

Example 5.17 Fallen Leaves, mm. 70–74, words omitted (Mitsukuri 1971c, 16). © Zenon gakufu shuppansha

Rather than regarding the song exclusively in terms of Japanese or Western harmony, we should ask if the contradiction serves another purpose. I already noted above that adopting Japanese harmony is a natural choice for a poem written in old-fashioned Japanese. But do the practices of harmony hold some meaning as well? It appears that they do—but this does not have to do with contrasting specifically Western and Japanese elements with each other, but rather with contrasting two different elements with each other. The poem is a requiem for a deceased person, who is associated with a weakened young leaf falling from a tree. The approach of bringing a constantly contrasting and unsettling mood to the music adds a further agonic element to the song. At the same time, introducing Western leading tones to Mitsukuri’s harmony also achieves the same effect as they do in Western harmony—that of creating dramatic changes. In this aspect, the simultaneous use of Japanese and Western harmony succeeds in conveying the essence of the poem well.

In the end, what Mitsukuri described as a “developed version” of his harmony is the result of the system taking one step closer to practices of Western theory. This is a peculiar approach considering that the system is originally a synthesis of Western and Japanese principles; some passages in Fallen Leaves remain impossible to analyze with Mitsukuri’s theory. While this is a suitable approach to the poem, it also leaves some questions unanswered, particularly in the context of Mitsukuri’s other works. Fallen Leaves does incorporate fundamental qualities from Japanese harmony—but is it sufficiently different from Mitsukuri’s other Japanese-style works that it counts as a work adopting Japanese harmony, when the others do not? I would like to give this some further thought below with discussion of Mitsukuri’s other work.