"JAPAN'S BEETHOVEN" ADMITS HE TOOK CREDIT FOR ANOTHER COMPOSER'S WORK

Feb 06, 2014

By Scott Walker

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A composer hailed as “Japan’s Beethoven” has admitted that some of his iconic works are not his own.

Mamoru Samuragochi is best known for the Hiroshima Symphony. Although it was written in tribute to the survivors of the 1945 atomic explosion in his home town, it became an anthem during the 2011 tsunami devastation, and many Japanese bought copies of the recording.

But Samuragochi has admitted he did not write the work. The 50-year-old lost his hearing 15 years ago, but claimed to be able to write because of his “inner sense of sound,”  which led to the Beethoven comparison. But now he has admitted that he hired another composer to write some of his most popular works, including the Hiroshima Symphony and the scores to several popular video games.

His work is also part of the program of Olympic figure skater Daisuke Takahashi.

The other composer has not been identified.

Samuragochi says he is “deeply sorry” for the deception.

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