Frankly, I find it difficult to recommend a full-price disc that offers a playing time of only 39'55''. Perhaps if the interpretations were of a truly exceptional calibre, or the material contained herein otherwise unavailable, it might have been marginally forgivable—but alas, neither are applicable in this case. Takemitsu is arguably one of the few Japanese composers successfully to have synthesized his native aesthetics with that of Western traditional music, and his contribution to the piano repertoire is an excellent example of this. Yet despite Kumi Ogano's nationality I can hear little of the Japanese sensibilities at work in the pieces. The most obvious example of this can be heard in her somewhat hurried tempos, which are—without exception—considerably faster than those of rival Roger Woodward on Etcetera: in Rain tree sketch for example she knocks 2'53'' off Woodward's timing: in Far away nearly 2'30'', and in Les yeux clos I & II a staggering 5'26''. Whilst Takemitsu himself has obviously endorsed these tempos (the recording was made in the presence of the composer) I cannot help feeling that Woodward's more liberating performances capture these elusive, timeless pieces far better. Besides, Woodward also offers an added bonus in the shape of a live performance that combines the two graphically notated scores Corona and Crossing—a not unsubstantial 22 minutes of extra material. Also, unlike Woodward, Kumi Ogano has been less well served by the recording, which is rather close and lacking in atmosphere. Not a recommendable issue.'