![](https://www.coco-academy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/sakamoto01.jpg)
YMOのメンバーで、オスカーやグラミー賞歴のある作曲家として世界的に知られる坂本龍一さんが死去されました。
見出し(BBC):Ryuichi Sakamoto: Japanese electronic music maestro dies
※maestroマエストロ、偉大な音楽家[作曲家]、〔芸術の〕巨匠
Sakamoto, co-founder of the Yellow Magic Orchestra electronic music band and Oscar-winning composer for the 1987 film “The Last Emperor,” died on March 28. He was 71.
➡先駆的な、草分けのという形容詞はtrailblazingや、pioneeringなど
※blaze the trail=画期的なことをする、新境地を開拓する
![](https://www.coco-academy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/sakamoto02-300x213.jpg)
1978年に、細野晴臣さん、高橋幸宏さんと組んだイエロー・マジック・オーケストラ(YMO)。真っ赤な人民服に身をつつみ、「誤解された東洋のイメージ」をあえて打ち出し東洋へのステレオタイプを皮肉り斬新でした。
Sporting blazing-red Mao jackets, they presented a “misconceived image of the East,” taking a dig at stereotypical Orientalism.
※sport見せびらかす show off/display blazing赤々と燃える、ギラギラ照りつける
※Mao jacket(中国の)人民服
※take a dig at (人)に嫌み[皮肉・当てこすり]を言う
病を公表しておられましたが、享年71歳という早すぎる死は、世界中に広がり、追悼のメッセージが溢れました。
Sakamoto announced in June of last year that he was battling stage 4 cancer. He had been diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014 and rectal cancer in 2021.
※throat cancer咽頭がん ※rectal cancer直腸がん
The news about his premature death at 71, after years of battling cancer, quickly spread around the world.
※premature death=早死に、若過ぎる死、時期尚早の死
The death of renowned Japanese musician and composer Ryuichi Sakamoto sparked an outpouring of grief and tributes from contemporaries and fans all over the world.
![](https://www.coco-academy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/sakamoto03-300x214.jpg)
クラシックに心酔した時代を経て、米国の現代音楽の作曲家、ジョン・ケージの既成概念を解体する音楽に影響を受けた坂本さん。
A young Sakamoto was captivated by Debussy and Beethoven. Later, modern U.S. composer John Cage (1912-1992) had a deciding impact on his life. Cage thought outside the box, defying widely accepted notions. His approach shaped the foundations of Sakamoto’s music and thinking.
※think outside the box 型にはまらない考え方をする
※defy (公然と)抵抗する ※notion 概念、見解
著名人が政治的発言をすることをよく思われないことも多い中、坂本さんは社会的な発言をされていきます。米国に移住後には、同時多発テロの現場を目の当たりにし、報復は憎悪を生むだけだと「非戦」を訴えました。
In 2001, after he moved to the United States, Sakamoto saw firsthand the Sept. 11 terror attacks. He called on the United States not to go to war, arguing that retaliation would only generate more hatred.
Ryuichi Sakamoto was also an advocate for peace and environmental issues, in particular taking a strong anti-nuclear stance that put him at odds with Japanese officialdom.
※advocate 擁護者、支持者、提唱者
※at odds with (考え方が食い違い)不和で
※officialdom 役人、官僚、官界
![](https://www.coco-academy.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/sakamoto04-300x200.jpg)
東北の子どもたちによる「東北ユースオーケストラ」を10年間指導する地道な活動を続け、亡くなる2日前も、病床から公演の中継を見届けられたといいます。
Sakamoto also continued down-to-earth social activities. He formed the Tohoku Youth Orchestra, composed of children in the Tohoku region, and acted as the director for the orchestra for about 10 years. Two days before his death, Sakamoto watched the live broadcast of the orchestra’s performance from his sick bed.
※down-to-earth 足がしっかりと地に着いた、地道な、堅実な