Isao Tomita – Demon Pond (1979)

Composer: Isao Tomita

 

Tracklist

1. La Cathedrale Engloutie 06:39
2. Des Pas Sur La Neige 04:41
3. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'un Faune 10:14
4. Claire De Lune 05:53
5. The Hut Of Baba Yaga 03:42
6. The Great Gate At Kiev 06:18
7. Promenade - The Old Castle 06:18
8. A Night On Bald Mountain 12:44

 

Demon Pond (Japanese: 夜叉ヶ池) is a 1979 Japanese romantic fantasy film directed by Masahiro Shinoda.

It is an adaptation of the 1913 play of the same name by Izumi Kyōka,

with an adapted screenplay written by Haruhiko Mimura and Tsutomu Tamura.
The film stars Tsutomu Yamazaki, Go Kato and Kabuki actor Tamasaburo Bando.
The story is set in Japan in the 1930s where a scholar visits a drought-stricken village

and finds his missing friend guarding a mystical mountain pond.

The friend must ring a sacred bell daily to prevent an imprisoned dragon god from unleashing an apocalyptic flood.
The film's score, composed by Isao Tomita, heavily utilizes Moog synthesizers, mixing classical and electronic music genres.

Scenes taking place on dry land are often accompanied by Tomita's arrangement of pieces by composer Claude Debussy,

whereas underwater scenes are scored by Tomita's arrangement of Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition".
Isao Tomita (冨田 勲 22 April 1932 – 5 May 2016) was a Japanese composer regarded as one of the pioneers

of electronic and space music as well as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements.
In addition to creating note-by-note realizations, Tomita made extensive use of the sound-design capabilities

of his instrument, using synthesizers to create new sounds to accompany and enhance

his electronic realizations of acoustic instruments.
He also made effective use of analog music sequencers and the Mellotron, and featured futuristic science-fiction themes,

while laying the foundations for synth-pop music and trance-like rhythms.
Many of his albums are electronic versions and adaptations of familiar classical music pieces.
He received four Grammy nominations for his 1974 album based on music by Claude Debussy, "Snowflakes Are Dancing".

 
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