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Japanese Composer Says His Hearing Loss Is Partly Faked Japanese Composer Says His Hearing Loss Is Partly Faked
(7 months later)
TOKYO — Making his first public statement since admitting last week that a ghostwriter had written his best-known compositions, the man once hailed as Japan’s deaf musical genius said Wednesday that he had also at least partly faked his own hearing loss. TOKYO — Making his first public statement since admitting last week that a ghostwriter had written his best-known compositions, the man once hailed as Japan’s deaf musical genius said Wednesday that he had also at least partly faked his own hearing loss.
The man, Mamoru Samuragochi, whom some music critics once likened to a modern-day Beethoven, said in an eight-page handwritten statement released by his lawyers that he had regained some of his hearing three years ago. He apologized for neglecting to inform fans and said he would soon appear in public to express his regret in person.The man, Mamoru Samuragochi, whom some music critics once likened to a modern-day Beethoven, said in an eight-page handwritten statement released by his lawyers that he had regained some of his hearing three years ago. He apologized for neglecting to inform fans and said he would soon appear in public to express his regret in person.
Mr. Samuragochi, 50, had risen to classical music stardom in Japan by presenting himself as a deaf composer who could feel the music in his heart, even though he could not hear it. That all came crashing down last week, when he confessed that someone else had been secretly writing his pieces for the past 18 years.Mr. Samuragochi, 50, had risen to classical music stardom in Japan by presenting himself as a deaf composer who could feel the music in his heart, even though he could not hear it. That all came crashing down last week, when he confessed that someone else had been secretly writing his pieces for the past 18 years.
He made the confession the day before a tabloid published an interview with the ghostwriter, Takashi Niigaki, 43, a part-time lecturer at a music college. Mr. Niigaki said that Mr. Samuragochi, who claimed in his autobiography to have mastered Beethoven by age 10, could actually hear all along and comment on his compositions. In his autobiography, Mr. Samuragochi said he had lost all hearing in both ears at age 35 because of a degenerative condition.He made the confession the day before a tabloid published an interview with the ghostwriter, Takashi Niigaki, 43, a part-time lecturer at a music college. Mr. Niigaki said that Mr. Samuragochi, who claimed in his autobiography to have mastered Beethoven by age 10, could actually hear all along and comment on his compositions. In his autobiography, Mr. Samuragochi said he had lost all hearing in both ears at age 35 because of a degenerative condition.
In his statement on Wednesday, Mr. Samuragochi said his hearing remained partly impaired.In his statement on Wednesday, Mr. Samuragochi said his hearing remained partly impaired.
“It has recovered to the level where I can sometimes grasp words when someone speaks clearly and slowly close to my ears, though the sounds are still muffled and skewed,” the statement said. He said he still could not hear on days when his physical condition was bad. He said he was willing to be examined by doctors to prove this.“It has recovered to the level where I can sometimes grasp words when someone speaks clearly and slowly close to my ears, though the sounds are still muffled and skewed,” the statement said. He said he still could not hear on days when his physical condition was bad. He said he was willing to be examined by doctors to prove this.
Mr. Samuragochi is known in Japan for the Symphony No. 1 “Hiroshima,” about the atomic bombing, and Sonatina for Violin, which the Japanese figure skater Daisuke Takahashi plans to use at the Sochi Olympics.Mr. Samuragochi is known in Japan for the Symphony No. 1 “Hiroshima,” about the atomic bombing, and Sonatina for Violin, which the Japanese figure skater Daisuke Takahashi plans to use at the Sochi Olympics.