I didn't know learn about Ryuichi Sakamoto before 2022. I purchased Ryuichi Sakamoto's autobiography in late 2021 but never unpacked it, and the Jean Hisaishi recital in mid-2022 made me curious about Japanese music masters, and I started listening to albums by Jean Hisaishi and Ryuichi Sakamoto, one by one, at work and after work, non-stop. I started with Jean Hisaishi, but captured by Ryuichi Sakamoto in the end, whose exploration of musical boundaries is awe-inspiring.

“I no longer have the energy to do live concerts… This might be the last time that you will see me perform in this manner.”, seeing this made me tremble inside. It is a misfortune for the world that there will be one less master and brave mountain climber in music.

On 12/10, in Kauai, I saw the calendar reminder that I had set before and realized that I had missed the first of the four screenings, and rushed back at 11pm to listen to the second one until 12pm. I didn't expect tong poo to be this sad: the octave-down, slowed-down rhythm and tightly pursed lips made the original "let's swing" mix with jpop, jazz and playfulness sound so resolute that the repeated syllables at the end of the song carried the feeling of fondness, reluctance and blessing for the beautiful melody that had been created to live alone in the world after his departure. I was in tears.

“As a person involved in culture, my one source of hope is the fact that art, music and poetry never once stopped over the 200,000 years of history that Homo sapiens have been around.” — Ryuichi Sakamoto (From the July, August, September, 2020 collated edition of GQ Japan.)

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022
Setlist:

1. Improvisation on Little Buddha (Main Theme)
2. Lack of Love (Open Theme)
3. Solitude
4. Aubade 2020
5. Ichimei (Small Happiness)
6. aqua
7. tong poo
8. The Wuthering Heights
9. 20220302 - Sarabande
10. The Sheltering Sky
11. The Last Emperor
12. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
13. opus - Ending

If you want to listen and read more:

• Message from Ryuichi Sakamoto
• Website of Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022
• Apple Music Playlist for Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022

我对坂本龙一的了解在2022年之前并不算多，2021年末购入坂本龙一的自传却一直没拆，2022年中久石让演奏会让我对日本音乐大师充满好奇，开始听久石让和坂本龙一的专辑，一张一张，工作和下班，不停地听。从久石让出发，却被坂本龙一捕获，他对音乐边界的探索，让人肃然起敬。

“我没有足够的体力来举办现场音乐会。以这种形式进行的放送，可能也已经是最后一次了”，看到这句话让我内心一颤。从音乐认识坂本龙一，他的开拓精神一直让我觉得他还是青壮年一般，却竟晴天霹雳一般让我意识到他已经年过70。又将少一位攀山的大师与勇者是这个世界的不幸。

12/10号，在可爱岛，看到之前设置好的日历提醒才意识到错过了放映4场中的第一场，晚上11点回去听第二场到12点。我没有想到 tong poo 能悲伤到这种程度：降八度放慢节奏的演奏、紧紧抿住的嘴唇，把“让我们荡起双桨”原本加上 jpop 爵士+俏皮风格的 tong poo 演奏得决绝极了，尾调重复的音节带着眷恋、不舍、和对已经被创作出的美好旋律在自己离去后将孤独存于这个世界的祝福，让我泪目。

“人类与文化共存，在人类这一物种20万年的历史中，艺术、音乐和诗从未中断过，这是我们唯一的希望。”

— 坂本龙一（「GQ JAPAN」 2020 年７、８＆9月合并刊）

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022

曲目：

1. Improvisation on Little Buddha (Main Theme)
2. Lack of Love (Open Theme)
3. Solitude
4. Aubade 2020
5. Ichimei (Small Happiness)
6. aqua
7. tong poo
8. The Wuthering Heights
9. 20220302 - Sarabande
10. The Sheltering Sky
11. The Last Emperor
12. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
13. opus - Ending

如果你还想听相关曲目或者了解更多：

• 来自坂本龙一的寄语
• 坂本龙一 2022 音乐会的主页
• 坂本龙一 2022 音乐会的苹果音乐歌单