Echoes of Melancholy and Strength: The Trajectory of Hisao Ito, 1910-1983

Echoes of Melancholy and Strength: The Trajectory of Hisao Ito, 1910-1983

Hisao Ito (1910-1983) was born in a farming village in Fukushima Prefecture. After studying voice at the Tokyo Music School, he entered the world of popular songs while maintaining his foundation as a vocalist. His deep baritone voice, both powerful and melancholy, became a symbol of the golden age of Showa-era songs. While working in the classical music field before World War II, he switched to film music and popular songs, and from the 1940s to the 1950s, he became famous as one of the three greatest singers, along with Ichiro Fujiyama and Noboru Kirishima.

During the war, he sang many military and uplifting songs in accordance with national policy, and songs such as "Dawn Prayer" became a favorite song of front-line soldiers. Ito's majestic voice played the role of representing the voice of the nation in the music that was mobilized for the war effort. However, after the defeat in the war, his career as a military singer was temporarily adversely affected. Nevertheless, he adapted to the new era, and made a comeback with movie theme songs and popular songs.

His masterpiece "The Night of Iyomante" (1950), with its exotic and wild melody inspired by the Ainu culture, made a strong impression on the Japanese people during the postwar reconstruction period. The call echoing in the darkness of the night and the unique melody are unique among postwar songs. The song "Yunomachi Elegy" is also a masterpiece that perfectly captures the emotions of the common people in the chaotic postwar society, as it depicts the melancholy of a hot spring resort town and the feelings of ordinary people seeking a place to find solace in their hearts.

Ichiro Fujiyama, a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University, was a member of the elite of his generation and was called the "nobleman of popular songs" for his pure and dignified voice. Noboru Kirishima was loved by the public for his sweet and soft voice, and even during the war he sang many lyrical songs such as "Shinzuma Kagami. Hisao Ito, on the other hand, had a profound sound backed by his vocal music that overwhelmed the listener. Compared to Fujiyama's neatness and Kirishima's softness, Ito's voice had the power to penetrate deeply into the hearts of the common people.

Hisao Ito thus sang through the turbulent Showa period, from the era of militarism to the postwar reconstruction period. His songs sometimes inspired the soldiers and sometimes reflected the sorrows and joys of the common people, resonating with the emotional landscape of the Showa era Japanese people.