Japan’s ‘Beethoven’ used ghost writer, may not be deaf
TOKYO — The ghostwriter for the musician lauded as Japan’s Beethoven said Thursday he became fed up and ended their 18-year collaboration last year and questioned if Mamoru Samuragochi could really hear.
Samuragochi, 50, had previously claimed to be the sole author of his classical works and soundtracks for video games, including a game in the bestselling Resident Evil series, despite having lost his hearing by age 35. But he admitted Wednesday that he did not write the powerful Hiroshima Symphony and other works credited to him.
His ghost composer, Takashi Niigaki, said he provided music for Samuragochi for 18 years and questioned if he was deaf.
“I saw no signs that he could not hear,” Niigaki said as, seemingly flustered by the limelight, he struggled to answer a barrage of questions over how Samuragochi could have managed the deception for so long.
A written statement from Samuragochi’s lawyers apologized for what he called a “betrayal” of his fans and described Samuragochi as being in “too unstable an emotional state” to appear in public.
His official biography says Samuragochi was born in Hiroshima to survivors of the 1945 atomic bomb attack and began playing music and composing at an early age, according to his official biography.
Niigaki said he hopes to continue composing and performing despite the brouhaha over Samuragochi’s admission of having faked authorship of many works, including an arrangement, Sonatina for Violin, that figure skater Daisuke Takahashi plans to use for his short program at the Sochi Olympics.
Asked how the two worked together, Niigaki said he would compose pieces and sometimes play them for Samuragochi, who would then choose which he liked.
“The music was born of my collaboration with him,” Niigaki said. “I produced all the works to the best of my ability.”