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New posthumous album from famed composer Ryuichi Sakamoto announced

ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:

A few months before his death, Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto sat down at the piano and performed a final, private concert.

(SOUNDBITE OF RYUICHI SAKAMOTO'S "TONG POO")

SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

It was late 2022. Sakamoto played selections of his beloved film scores like "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence," along with new compositions he had never previously recorded.

SHAPIRO: He was too sick to play the whole set without taking breaks. By then, Sakamoto had battled cancer for years, and he later wrote that, quote, "due to the exertion, I felt utterly hollow afterwards." He died in March of last year. He was 71.

DETROW: Today, Sakamoto's estate announced a new album of songs from that concert, called "Opus," and will come out in August. Here's the first song that's been released, a slow, meditative version of his 1978 classic "Tong Poo."

(SOUNDBITE OF RYUICHI SAKAMOTO'S "TONG POO") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Katia Riddle
[Copyright 2024 NPR]

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The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.