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Touch Wood in a Japanese Forest with Bach

By Trent Gilliss, senior editor | Saturday, March 31, 2012 - 7:01am

Go to the woods of Kyushu, Japan. Engineer a massive xylophone (or is it a marimba?) to run down the slope of a forested hill. Take a wooden ball, place it at the top of said instrument, and push it. What do you get? Bach’s treatment of a traditional church hymn! Namely, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.”

And, all this for a Japanese commercial for a kidney-shaped smartphone with the tagline, “Touch Wood.” I may be late to the party on this one, but when I think of all the time it took to set this up, the precision and measurements used to adjust it and actually make each piece, and how many takes the film crew shot, it continues to inspire even if it’s a year old.

And, here you can see how it was made:

commercial, Japan, music, nature, video

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232 Comments

Submitted by NYC-ARTS on Sat, 2012-03-31 07:53

This xylophone is a work of art! Can you imagine the joy of being in that woods while the ball is traveling down its path? Magical!

Submitted by Sabine Balve on Wed, 2013-04-03 09:07

Indeed - i fully agree with your statement ! - A masterpiece of magical performance !

Submitted by zbill on Sat, 2012-03-31 10:27

A musical mousetrap! Whimusical!

Submitted by Bogzop on Wed, 2012-04-25 02:51

Charming as this is, it does strike me as something of a Hallmark Card:  a popular classic further sentimentalized by being presented in a medium that is impressive not for the quality of its sound or its interpretative beauty but simply because it works at all.  I'm sure that the folks who put this all together had a wonderful sense of achievement, and the video itself is quite lovely to the extent that I find myself preferring the sound of nearby streams and the sight of the woodland deer much more appealing than the dry clankiness of the 'musical peformance'.

If someone finds this musically inspiring, who am I to gainsay it?  But as a professional musician myself, I am left wondering what more interesting thing could have been achieved by this means than the mere rendition of an already very familiar melody (minus all its other equally important underpinnings).  Indeed, I might ask the question:  would this be anywhere as meaningful to those who say they love this if the tune played were not one they recognized?

Submitted by Satchel Erdman on Mon, 2013-01-07 06:51

Me thinks you are a grump!

Submitted by jc on Wed, 2013-02-06 09:42

Looks like art to me. I can appreciate this for its crativity.

Submitted by Guest. on Sat, 2013-03-09 13:27

Can you not enjoy both the empty forrest as well as the expression of human music, art, and creativity? Why is it a competition between one or the other, where one has to be "better", instead of them both having their own place?

Submitted by Alanna on Wed, 2013-04-10 14:06

As a music major, I find this utterly creative and charming. Bach loved to 'play' with his music within the structure of the times, but I think he would have truly enjoyed this renovation of his music. Let's not get stuffy about this.

Submitted by DataDiva on Wed, 2013-04-17 18:14

Hey, Bach was all about the mathematics and the precision. He would have loved this!

Submitted by Mack on Sat, 2013-04-27 07:18

I am reminded of Samuel Johnson's reply when someone asked him if a woman preached well. (The Quakers allowed women to preach in the 1700's; it was a astonishing sight. "Sir, it is like the dancing dog; the point is not that it does it well, but that it does it at all."

Submitted by Paul on Fri, 2013-05-17 09:18

Well stated!

Submitted by cathy Johnson on Sun, 2013-04-28 12:16

I don't find this commenter a grump at all. I thought I was going to find this video enjoyable, but was sadly disappointed. The time, energy and expense that went into in this would have been much better directed elsewhere. I find the natural sounds of the environment to be much more satisfying, as probably does the deer in the video and any other wildlife inthe area. The "music" of this instrument was dull and clunky. The area was obviously disturbed in the development of this, and to what end? It may have been a satisfying feat of engineering, but I find it a good example of "Just because you can doesn't mean you should".

Submitted by kathy on Fri, 2013-05-03 20:18

well, it certainly was a minimal "disturbing" of the forest .. no trees destroyed in the area ..just what wood they used .. was probably similar to primitive instruments ..dull & cllunky, but better than none ..music is beautiful. Am I the Only One who thinks it very well could have been partially animated?

Submitted by erintokarz@yahoo.com on Thu, 2013-05-02 11:27

I have never heard this before, and I did love it.

Submitted by Rdowens on Tue, 2013-05-07 00:56

WHAT a kill joy. To hell with professional musicians.

Submitted by Paul on Fri, 2013-05-17 09:23

Hey, wait a minute . . I've been professional musician for nearly 50 years and I'm a union officer and I loved it!!! Please don't judge us all over some stuffy pompous jerk; however, I see your point of view based upon such a ridiculous comment.

Submitted by St Ron on Thu, 2013-05-09 18:16

I liked it.
downer

Submitted by Mary Beth on Sun, 2013-05-19 07:00

Great question. However, the greatness of this commercial is in the perceived simplicity juxtaposed against the engineering of an instrument that virtually plays itself in a pristine setting of natural wonder and further alludes to the telephone as being a natural in this environment, which of course, it isn't. As a musician, I can see that you may well wonder at the sound quality produced, but this was not produced for an orchestration. It's a commercial. And an inventive one.

Submitted by woodsy on Mon, 2013-05-20 14:21

Grump hardly describes this person. A beautiful melody played beautifully in a beautiful quiet place.

Submitted by btennis on Thu, 2013-05-23 17:09

Put down the crack pipe before you blog! I too am a musician and love the creativity and the environment.

Submitted by VetKoshi on Fri, 2012-05-11 22:32

Talk about patience and team work. I love it. As for the doe that made an appearance , priceless

Submitted by Mack Pryor on Sat, 2013-04-27 07:28

I missed the doe. (A deer a female deer?)

Submitted by Claudia on Fri, 2013-05-10 21:31

LOL Very punny :-)

Submitted by Janis on Thu, 2013-05-23 02:10

Ha! It went by fast, kind of like when I "got the rubato backward" on my Instrumental Lit & Conducting class Schumannorwhatever, only in reverse.

Submitted by Butterfly til mænd on Mon, 2012-05-21 08:11

Nice, great stuff

Submitted by prem kishore on Fri, 2012-06-08 10:57

A joyful experience.A feat of engineering skill and if you know the piece by Bach, the experience is enhanced.

Submitted by ken on Sat, 2012-06-09 11:27

WOW that is something. Especially just for a comercial.

Submitted by karen lytle on Mon, 2012-06-11 14:37

freaking awwwwwsome

Submitted by Jack on Mon, 2012-12-31 10:32

It would but be,
A fallen tree
That sings its joy
To me and thee.

Submitted by Lisa G on Mon, 2013-03-18 01:38

Beautiful and so apt, Jaclk.

Submitted by gee gee on Tue, 2013-01-01 08:37

VERY inventive....a lot of work but the result was worth it!

Submitted by Mary W. Erdman on Mon, 2013-01-07 06:49

This was absolutely wonderful! I wonder if they reassembled it in a public space, like the lobby of some great building, so it could be experienced again in person. Now, that's an idea!

I loved the simplicity of the instrument and music against the serenity of the background sound of water movement and backdrop of the forest and deer. I loved it all and will store it to listen to again and again.

Submitted by HH on Mon, 2013-01-07 11:28

Totally amazing....but what a big waste of time, energy, and resources!

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2013-02-07 10:17

oh, please!

Submitted by Margot on Sun, 2013-04-07 22:47

At one level and impressive feat, but how sad to see Bach's "Jesu Joy" dedicated to a commodity. Is a phone really the focal point of modern man's desiring, and a forest best experienced through the lens of a commercial?

Submitted by Nathan on Sat, 2013-04-27 23:27

You might be right, but consider the fact that they were going to make an ad anyway. They were going to spend several hundred grand anyway. They could have made something completely frivolous; instead, they made something that has value beyond ad value. Still, you do have a point.

Submitted by Rosalie on Sun, 2013-05-12 07:26

I agree -- very creative. I wonder, though, if the individuals (the engineers, the musicians, the camera people, the writers, etc.) behind this obviously very lengthy and probably labor-intensive creative feat (which is financially supported by the high price we pay for the product) would much rather be creating their own "masterpieces" that could live on forever like Bach's musical score. Unfortunately, the reality of life is that the best of their creative lives will be spent coming up w/ways to sell a product that may or may not (depending on one's point of view) be something society's soul really needs.

Submitted by Esther McRae on Thu, 2013-04-18 16:50

You have to be kidding !

Submitted by Nathan on Sat, 2013-04-27 23:24

Unless you consider that they would have spent that much or more on an ad anyway. If they had had a cameo of a star it would hardly have cost less, and it would hardly have been as durable. I think this is the perfect example of a "useful" ad--it has value in and of itself. Like I said, they could have spent the same or more on absolute fluff, like most ads do.

Submitted by Lucius Bell on Thu, 2013-01-10 08:27

AMAZING.....on so many levels. Thanks.

Submitted by missy grace on Thu, 2013-01-10 21:27

pretty amazing, but ultimately a waste of time and talent. all this to advertise a consumer product? what does that say about our world?

Submitted by Bonsai ko on Sat, 2013-01-12 12:52

A realy wonderful experience in wood

Submitted by rod heller on Mon, 2013-02-04 21:51

truly a work of art my work building houses never came close to this project.

Submitted by Liz Mills on Tue, 2013-02-05 11:53

Absolutely fabulous. Talk about patience and knowledge.

Submitted by geri on Wed, 2013-02-06 16:59

This was an amazing feat! What great team work can accomplish. How
many man hours were spent making this instrument in the forest
and filming the ad?

Submitted by Rob on Thu, 2013-02-07 09:53

Having made many things out of wood, I loved it, as would anyone that loves the material. I guess we were supposed to think that the deer was listening to the music? Obviously not at the same time (lighting) and probably not at the same place.

Submitted by Sammygo13 on Sun, 2013-02-10 13:09

This is the most amazing xylophone i've ever seen, and i'm a percussionist!!
I appreciate the time and effort that has gone into making this ad :-)

Submitted by Jack Soule on Thu, 2013-02-14 08:17

What humans can do when they engage their minds and are willing to work!!! Congratulations!

Submitted by Marlys Wanttie on Thu, 2013-03-14 13:26

Unbelievable. I think some priority should be examined.

Submitted by LEWR on Sat, 2013-03-16 10:29

Very clever and inventive indeed, but the music is quite "tinny" and not something I would enjoy listening to but once.

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