Only a day after Mamoru Samuragochi, a deaf composer sometimes called 'Japan's Beethoven', confessed to hiring another man to write some of his best-known works, allegations have arisen that Samuragochi is also feigning being deaf.
In a press conference, part-time music teacher Takashi Niigaki confessed to being an accomplice of Samuragochi, saying he "continued composing just as he [Samuragochi] demanded, although I knew he was deceiving people".
Samuragochi is famous both in Japan and overseas for being a deaf composer, and is often compared to Beethoven. He has previously produced several acclaimed soundtracks for video games, including the 'Resident Evil' series, as well as a piece which became an anthem for communities suffering in the wake of the 2011 tsunami. All this in spite of reputedly having a degenerate illness which left him unable to hear whatsoever by the time he was 35.
According to Niigaki however, Samuragochi has been faking his hearing disability all along. Niigaki said he would compose pieces and play them for Samuragochi, who would then choose what he liked. The music teacher admitted to having doubts about the whole affair, but when he approached Samuragochi to put an end to it, the "composer" threatened to kill himself. “I told him a few times that we should stop doing this, but he never gave in," Niigaki said.
Niigaki finally decided to come clean after figure skater Daisuke Takahashi chose to dance to a piece credited to Samuragochi. "I was afraid that even Takahashi, who will perform in the Olympics for Japan, would be used to enforce the lies made by Samuragochi and me," he said.
Niigaki told reporters he had been paid only seven million yen (415,000 yuan / $70,000) over the course of his 18 year long collaboration with the composer, during which he produced more than 20 pieces for Samuragochi.
Despite the controversy, Takahashi has announced that he will still use the piece, 'Sonatina for Violin', for his performance.
[Image: Takashi Niigaki. Via Japan Times]
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