Christine Labroche <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>Takemitsu's music is so different from Rozsa's.  "From me flows..." is for
>five percussionists and orchestra.  Amongst others, there is a five note
>theme creating different harmonic fields - five for the five percussionists
>of the Nexus ensemble, five for the number's symbolism in Tibetan Buddhism
>and the imagery of the Wind Horse (water, fire, earth, wind, sky).  The
>accent is on timbre and developing sound, rather than on recognized form
>and relative note values.  Poetry in each flow...

Sorry to say, it's that very 5-note theme:  C-B-G-A-F that permeates the
Rosza score as much as the Takemitsu, but as you point out, in totally
different character.  Rozsa begins in the Prelude with the theme starting
on F, but for the chorale "Miracle" finale, it begins on C.

It would be hard to believe that Takemitsu had never seen "Ben Hur," but
it's possible.  If he had, and if the "From me" refers to God or the God in
us, the use of the motto may have been deliberate; otherwise, subconscious.

The theme is so striking and prevalent in both works, it cannot be ignored
once detected.  It's almost as strong an equivalent as the G-G-G-E-flat of
an earlier "motto" composer!

Jeff Dunn
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Alameda, CA