These titles do not translate neatly. They are neologisms, sound-pictures, or perhaps inside jokes. Let’s dissect each. Musical Character: Aggressive, percussive, microtonal.
“Atomix” (note the ‘x’ suggesting a fusion of “atomic” and “mix”) opens Volume V with a shock. Gone is the polite, rolled-chord phrasing of Takeuchi’s Hisaishi arrangements. In its place: a barrage of tambora (hitting the strings with the thumb nail), left-hand hammer-ons from nowhere, and sudden silences. These titles do not translate neatly
His signature lies in the series. Each volume is a snapshot of global pop culture refracted through the lens of a nylon-string guitar. Volumes I–IV feature accessible arrangements of Beatles tunes, French chansons, and American standards. But Volume V … Volume V is where things get strange. The Anomaly of “Popular Pieces for Guitar Solo Vol. V” Released in the mid-2000s (precise date elusive, adding to its mystique), Volume V breaks the mold. Instead of familiar melodies, Takeuchi presents five original compositions. And three of them— Atomix , Scarie , and Mamado —are unlike anything else in his catalogue. Musical Character: Aggressive, percussive, microtonal
If “Atomix” is a sprint, “Scarie” is a slow creep through a funhouse mirror. The title is a deliberate misspelling of “scary,” hinting at a childlike, almost naive sense of dread. Takeuchi removes the safety net of tonality here. In its place: a barrage of tambora (hitting
For the devoted classical and fingerstyle guitarist, the name Noriyasu Takeuchi resonates with a unique blend of technical rigor and whimsical eclecticism. While many know him for his masterful transcriptions of Japanese anime music (Joe Hisaishi’s Spirited Away ) or his rigorous editions of Baroque masters, a deeper cut in his discography has recently sparked a cult following: “Popular Pieces for Guitar Solo Vol. V” – specifically, the cryptic triptych of tracks titled Atomix , Scarie , and Mamado .
If you have typed the search string “noriyasu+takeuchi+popular+pieces+for+guitar+solo+v+atomix+scarie+mamado” into a search engine, you are likely not a casual listener. You are a performer hunting for sheet music, a student puzzled by a teacher’s assignment, or a collector trying to decipher Takeuchi’s most experimental output. This article is your definitive guide. Before diving into the peculiarities of Volume V, let’s establish the man behind the music. Noriyasu Takeuchi (born 1963) is a Tokyo-born guitarist and composer who straddles the line between classical purism and pop sensibility. Educated at the Toho Gakuen School of Music, he won top prizes at the Tokyo International Guitar Competition. However, unlike his contemporaries who retreated into conservatory bubbles, Takeuchi became a bridge between worlds.