Ryuichi Sakamoto‘s management has shared a playlist curated by the late musician and composer, titled ‘Funeral’.
Released today (May 15), his management wrote on social media: “We would like to share the playlist Ryuichi has been privately compiling to be played at his own funeral to accompany his passing. He truly was with music until the very end.”
Check out the post below.
Ryuichi’s Last Playlist.
We would like to share the playlist that Ryuichi had been privately compiling to be played at his own funeral to accompany his passing. He truly was with music until the very end.
– skmt managementhttps://t.co/QPeSnthq9p pic.twitter.com/lK7B2ltUM9
— ryuichi sakamoto (@ryuichisakamoto) May 15, 2023
The 33-track playlist features some of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s favourite music, including works from Back, Debussy and Ravel, and opens with an 11-minute piece ‘Haloid Xerrox Copy 3 (Paris)’ from Sakamoto’s frequent collaborator Alva Noto.
Listen to the playlist below.
Ryuichi Sakamoto’s ‘Funeral’ playlist comes shortly after Milan Records released a newly compiled collection of solo works by the late Ryuichi Sakamoto, titled ‘Travesía’. The album was curated by Oscar-winning Mexican director Alejandro González Iñárritu, with the album’s title translating to ‘journey’ in Spanish.
The pioneering composer died on March 28, aged 71 after being diagnosed with colon cancer in 2021 and throat cancer in 2014. In late December last year, the lauded composer and founder of the Yellow Magic Orchestra played his final show, a livestreamed concert titled ‘Ryuichi Sakamoto: Playing the Piano 2022’.
Johnny Marr, Massive Attack and David Bowie’s estate were among artists who lead tributes to the composer.
Following Ryuichi Sakamoto’s death, Daniel Peters wrote of Sakamoto’s legacy for NME: “Throughout his career, he restlessly bucked tradition, innovating within instrumentation, composition and technology. Over the decades, he remained fascinated with the pop song, testing the endurance of its form through different methods of musicianship – even while holding on to his earliest and dearest classical inspirations. In the wake of his departure, it’s hard to imagine that there will ever be another like Ryuichi Sakamoto.”