Akira Ifukube was born on May 31, 1914 in Hokkaido, Japan. He was the
third son of a chief constable (his grandfather was a priest of Shin-to)
and spent a majority of his childhood in areas with a mixed Japanese
and Ainu population. Therefore, Ifukube was strongly influenced by
their musical traditions and styles. As a result, he studied the
violin. Later, he attended secondary school in Sapporo, and decided to
become a composer at the age of 14 after hearing a radio performance of
Igor Stravinsky's the Rite of Spring.
Ifukube studied forestry at Hokkaido University and composed music in
his spare time. His first piece was the piano solo "Piano Suite" and
his big break came in 1935, when his first orchestral piece, "Japanese
Rhapsody," won first prize in an international contest for young
composers promoted by Alexander Tcherepnin. In 1936, Ifukube studied
modern Western composition while Tcherepnin was visiting Japan, and in
1938, Ifukube's piano suite obtained an honorable mention at the
I.C.S.M. Festival in Venice, Italy. In the late 1930s his music,
including "Japanese Rhapsody," was performed in areas throughout
Europe.
After completing his studies, Ifukube worked as a forestry officer and
lumber processor. Towards the end of World War II, he was appointed by
the Japanese Imperial Army to study the elasticity and vibratory
strength of wood. He suffered radiation exposure after carrying out
x-rays without protection. As a result, Ifukube left forestry work and
ultimately became a full-time professional music composer and teacher.
From 1946 to 1953, he taught at the Nihon University College of Art. In
1947, after encouragement from a friend, Ifukube came to the Big
Screen, and composed the music score for Toho Studio's
Ginrei no hate (1947). Ifukube
continued to compose music scores for many drama and comedy movies,
many of them produced by Toho. However, classical music remained
Ifukube's greatest passion. But yet, the world would probably remember
him mostly as the man who brought music and soul to the King of the
Monsters: Godzilla.
When producer Tomoyuki Tanaka,
director Ishirô Honda and special effects
man Eiji Tsuburaya of Toho Studios
decided to make a movie about a gigantic monster brought to life by
nuclear bomb testing, Godzilla was born. Having placed together all the
elements for the intriguing and haunting monster film,
Godzilla - Das Original (1954), only one element was left:
the music score. Thus, Akira Ifukube came into the picture. He created
a somber and masterful score to match the on-screen drama. He went on
to score eight Godzilla films in Toho's "Showa" Godzilla series. In
addition to Godzilla, Ifukube also scored a number of other sci-fi
films produced by Toho including "Rodan," "The Mysterians," "Atragon"
and "Frankenstein Conquers the World."
A number of the Godzilla films contains the "Godzilla Theme," which
will forever etch in fans' minds that this is Godzilla's musical cue,
and the "Monster Battle Theme," which occur in several Godzilla films
whenever monster attacks and battles erupt. Probably Ifukube's most
memorable work in these sci-fi films is his "monster marches," which
are militaristic and rousing. The film
Befehl aus dem Dunkel (1965) (Godzilla
vs. Monster Zero) was once screened in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo, and
the audience was stomping to its feet and clapping their hands to the
rhythm - most of these were children who have not seen a Godzilla film
in their lives.
Ifukube returned to teaching at the Tokyo College of Music in 1974,
becoming president in 1976. In 1978, Ifukube retired from film work and
in 1985, he became president of the college's ethnomusicology
department. He trained younger generation composers such as Toshiro
Mayuzumi, Yasushi Akutagawa and Kaoru Wada. He also published
"Orchestration," a 1,000-page book on theory. The Japanese government
awarded him the Order of Culture and the Order of the Sacred Treasures.
In 1984, after a nine-year hiatus, Toho revived the Godzilla series,
and released Godzilla - Die Rückkehr des Monsters (1985), thus marked
the beginning of the Godzilla "Heisei" series. Five years later,
Godzilla - Der Urgigant (1989)
was released. The composer of the film,
Kôichi Sugiyama asked Ifukube if
he could use some of his Godzilla themes. He said yes, as long as he
doesn't change it into "pop music," which Ifukube dislikes. So, his
themes were used, but unfortunately, to the contrary of what Ifukube
wished. His daughter told him that no matter how much he stays away
from scoring another Godzilla film, his themes will always be heard.
So, she suggested that he score the next Godzilla film. Taking his
daughter's suggestion into consideration, and after Toho came knocking
on his door again, Ifukube came out of retirement; he scored the next
three Godzilla films. He brought his classic Godzilla themes with him,
utilizing the recognizable "Godzilla Theme" and "Monster Battle Theme"
where appropriate, and backed with larger orchestras and enhanced with
modern-day digital recording techniques.
Ifukube was usually only given a short amount of time to score a movie.
He was given only three days to score
Godzilla gegen Mechagodzilla II (1993).
After that film was completed, Ifukube said that he couldn't possibly
score any more Godzilla films, especially at his advanced age.
Therefore, fellow composer
Takayuki Hattori scored the next film,
Godzilla gegen Spacegodzilla (1994).
He was going to take over the reins, but producer Tanaka decided to
make one last Godzilla movie. And, what would be more appropriate than
to have Akira Ifukube provide Godzilla's final musical bow? Ifukube
agreed, and scored
Godzilla gegen Destoroyah (1995).
The score for this film is a blending of haunting music, rousing
marches and a heartbreaking requiem. Ifukube stated that he regarded
this film score as his best work. The rushed job that Ifukube
experienced while writing these monster film scores became his magnum
opus. Godzilla was a huge part of his life, and Ifukube stated that
writing music for the monster was like writing music for his own.
Godzilla gegen Destoroyah (1995)
was not only the last Godzilla film of the "Heisei" series and the last
Godzilla film Tanaka produced, but was Ifukube's last musical work in
films. After the film was completed, Ifukube resumed retirement, this
time for good.
Ifukube was known as the "John Williams" of Japan, and became one of
cinema's finest composers. He passed away in Tokyo on February 8, 2006
at age 91.
