In the early 70s, after finishing school, Kitaro gradually switched to keyboard instruments. He began playing in the Far East Family Band, organized by the famous musician Fumio Miyashita (live music). They released two albums and performed in many countries.
In 1972, during a trip to Germany, Kitaro met the famous musician Klaus Schulze, the founder of the Tangerine Dream (“orange dream”) style. Schulze opened him to the magical world of synthesizers. Kitaro began experimenting with sounds. “With the help of a synthesizer, I can create an ocean, a winter shore, a summer beach,” he said. In the fall of 1975, Schulze visited the group in Tokyo and helped them with studio work.
In 1976, the Far East Family Band disbanded and Kitaro began a solo career. He visited Laos, Thailand, China, India and several other Asian countries and finally returned to Japan, where he discovered new music. “My own world ended. I realized that I was no different from a beggar on the streets of Calcutta,” he said.
Kitaro's first album was released in 1978. It was called "Tenkai" ("paradise"). It was music commissioned by the Japanese broadcasting corporation NDK for the multi-part documentary television film "Silk Road". This "live", meditative music, consisting of simple and slow melodies, brought him national and international fame. Kitaro composed it while living in a small village in Nagano County (central Japan), far from civilization and bustle, which is reflected in the music.
In 1979, Kitaro released his second album, From the Full Moon Story. The first two albums became cult favorites among fans of the then emerging New Age movement. Kitaro himself calls his music spiritual. "Feeling is the most important element in my music," he says.
In 1983, Kitaro married Yuki. Yuki's father was a member of the Japanese Mafia. Kitaro was often criticized for this, to which he replied: "Her father is a member of the mafia, but not she. And I'm just a musician." However, they soon divorced. In his interview, he said: “There are no special reasons for our divorce: I just have a good job in America, and Yuki doesn’t want to quit her job in Japan. We remain friends to this day.” His second wife is Keiko. (She played keyboards with Kitaro in Taiwan in July '98.) They now have two children.
In 1986, Kitaro signed a contract with Geffen Records. His albums began to be distributed in the American market. In 1987, together with Mickey Hart, Kitaro released the album “The Light Of The Spirit,” for which he received a Grammy award. Sales of his albums grew to 10 million a year.
In 1989, Kitaro moved to Ward, near Boulder in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, where he founded the Mochi House studio.
Best of the day
In 1993, with the participation of Randy Miller, Kitaro wrote the music for the film Heaven And Earth, and in 1998, for the film The Soong Sisters. He won the Golden Globe Award for Most Original Music Score for "Heaven And Earth". Received the Golden Horse award in Taiwan at the Hong Kong International Film Festival for the most original music for the film "The Soong sisters". In total, he received Grammy awards 6 times.
Kitaro is a natural artist: he has no musical education - he just doesn't know music. He records music in his own way (like pictures). In addition to keyboards, Kitaro plays many instruments, such as guitar, flute, Taiko drums, etc. Kitaro is a composer, performer, and director. Sometimes he himself does the lighting design for concerts and arranges albums. In addition, Kitaro is a photographer. He created an entire company in Colorado. For example, the cover of the album "Gaia" is a photograph of the view from his house.
Despite the fact that Kitaro has become a world celebrity, he remains a modest person: “I am inspired by nature. I am only a messenger,” he says, “some of my melodies are clouds, others are water.” Kitaro continues to honor Japanese traditions. In tribute to Mother Nature, since 1983, he has participated in special concerts - full moon ceremonies. These concerts are held annually in late August at Mount Fuji, near his company in Colorado. The ceremony lasts all night, about 11 o'clock. All this time, Kitaro, kneeling, continuously plays the Taiko drums. Usually he washes his hands until they bleed, but continues to play. The album "Gaia - Onbashira" is also a tribute to the Japanese tradition.
Kitaro now lives near Boulder, Colorado, where he works on new music in his Mochi House studio (capable of housing an orchestra of 70 performers).
Kitaro's talent and music are worthy of admiration. The more you get to know Kitaro, the more you respect him. Kitaro's music is more than music - it is a philosophy of life. Listening to his music, you understand that in order to live in the world, you need to be part of it; we need to take care of the people around us and cherish everything that you have. Kitaro says, "I'm happy that my music makes people feel good. I know that music can change a person, and that's my goal."
Kitaro's style of music has changed somewhat recently. It is said that Kitaro has lost his sense of time and is in the past. But regardless of whether he is in the past or in the future, Kitaro's music will always carry love for his native land.
(1953-02-04 ) (66 years old)Encyclopedic YouTube
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Real name is Takahashi Masanori. He received the name Kitaro from his school friends in honor of the Japanese cartoon character.
Heaven and Earth “Heaven and Earth”. Received the Golden Horse award in Taiwan at the Hong Kong International Film Festival for the most original music for the film "The Soong sisters". Kitaro was nominated for Grammy awards numerous times, finally winning it in 2001 for his 1999 album Thinking of You.
Kitaro has no musical education - he just doesn't know music. He records music in his own way. In addition to keyboards, Kitaro plays many instruments, such as guitar, flute, Taiko drums, etc. Kitaro is a composer, performer, and director. Sometimes he himself does the lighting design for concerts and arranges albums. In addition, Kitaro is a photographer. He created an entire company in Colorado. For example, the cover of the album "Gaia" is a photograph of the view from his house. In the 80s, Kitaro also worked as a professional pyrotechnician.
Despite the fact that Kitaro has become a world celebrity, he remains a modest person: “I am inspired by nature. “I am only a messenger,” he says, “some of my melodies are clouds, others are water.” Kitaro continues to honor Japanese traditions. In tribute to Mother Nature, he participates in special concerts - full moon ceremonies. These concerts are held annually in late August at Mount Fuji, near his company in Colorado. The ceremony lasts all night, about 11 o'clock. All this time, Kitaro, kneeling, continuously plays the Taiko drums. Usually he washes his hands until they bleed, but continues to play. The album “Gaia - Onbashira” is also a tribute to Mother Earth.
Kitaro lived with Keiko for many years near Boulder, Colorado, where he worked on new music in his Mochi House studio (capable of housing a 70-piece orchestra). By the way, in 2006, a joint album with Keiko, Spiritual Garden, was released. But in 2007 they moved to Sebastopol, a small city in northern California. His Ward studio still exists and is available for rent.
Kitaro says: “I'm happy that my music makes people feel good. I know that music can change a person and that is my passion."
Kitaro says: “I draw inspiration from a variety of sources. In some way, I isolated myself from modern mass culture - I have neither a TV nor a radio, I don’t read newspapers... When I’m in a city, I like to walk along a very crowded street and watch the crowd, listen to it. But after three or four days I feel that I need to leave there for the mountains, the coast, somewhere. There I absorb a variety of sounds - wind, freezing water... Sometimes, if you listen for a long time to the gurgling of falling water drops, you can catch completely special, low-frequency vibrations "...
“My task is to transmit the energy of music from space through my body and bring it to the listener. I try to connect with all listeners, both young and old, but it doesn't happen with everyone at once, and of course I feel it. Sometimes there are three or four generations of people at a concert, and there is contact with everyone. It's just great,” says Kitaro.
Music career
Kitaro's first album was released in 1978. It was called "Ten Kai". According to fans, it is iconic. Here Kitaro mixed American, European and Eastern musical cultures for the first time, proving that East and West could “sound” together. This was music commissioned by the Japanese broadcasting corporation NHK for the multi-part documentary television film “Silk Road”. This lively, meditative music of simple and slow melodies brought him national and international fame. Kitaro composed it while living in a small village in Nagano County (central Japan), far from civilization and bustle, which is reflected in the music.
In 1979, Kitaro released his second album, From the Full Moon Story. The first two albums became cult favorites among fans of the then-emerging New Age movement. Kitaro himself calls his music spiritual. “Feeling is the most important element in my music,” he says.
In 1985, Kitaro signed a contract with Geffen Records. His albums began to be distributed in the American market. In 1987, together with Mickey Hart, Kitaro released the album “The Light Of The Spirit”, from which the track “The Field” was finally nominated for a Grammy. His album sales rose to 10 million a year.
In 1993, with the participation of Randy Miller, Kitaro wrote the music for the film Heaven and Earth, and in 1997, for the film The Soong Sisters. He received the Golden Globe award for the most original music for the film Heaven and Earth. Received the Taiwan Golden Horse Award at the Hong Kong International Film Festival for Most Original Music for the film "The Soong sisters". Kitaro was nominated numerous times for Grammy awards, finally winning it in 2001 for his 1999 album “Thinking of You.”
Discography
1978 - Ten Kai/Astral Voyage/Astral Voyager/Astral Trip
1979 - Full Moon Story/Daichi
1979 - Oasis
1980 - Silk Road
1980 - Silk Road II
1980 - In Person Digital
1980 - Silk Road Suite
1981 - Silk Road III: Tunhuang
1981 - Best of Kitaro vol 1
1981 - World of Kitaro
1981 - Ki
1981 - Tunhuang
1982 - Millennia (soundtrack to the cartoon Queen Millennia)
1983 - Silk Road IV: Tenjiku/India
1983 - India
1984 - Silver Cloud/Cloud
1984 - Live in Asia/Asia Super Tour Live/Asia
1986 - Toward the West
1986 - Tenku
1987 - The Light of the Spirit
1988 - Ten Years/Best of Ten Years
1990 - Kojiki
1991 - Live in America
1992 - Lady of Dreams
1992 - Dream
1993 - Heaven & Earth
1994 - Mandala
1995 - An Enchanted Evening - Live
1996 - Peace On Earth
1997 - The Best of Ten Years (1976-1986)
1997 - Cirque Ingenieux
1998 - Gaia-Onbashira
1999 - Best of Kitaro vol 2
1999 - Thinking of You
2000 - The Soong Sisters
2000 - The Essential Collection (Japan-only)
2001 - Ancient
2002 - An Ancient Journey
2002 - Daylight, Moonlight in Yakushiji - Live
2003 - Best of Silk Road
2003 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai
2004 - Shikoku 88 Places
2005 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 2
2006 - Spiritual Garden
2007 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 3
2008 - Toyo's Camera
2009 - Impressions of the West Lake
2010 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 4
2010 - Live with Honor, Die with Dignity
2013 - Tamayura
2013 - Final CallToday everyone knows his music, and it is extremely difficult to find words to describe it - it is some kind of amazing combination of famous musical instruments with an incredible attitude. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves by many years, because it all started in 1953, in Toyohashi, when the future maestro was just born. Today it’s hard to believe it, but the parents of the legendary musician were simple peasants, and Takahashi Masanori paved the path to fame himself.
Little Takahashi lived on a farm, in nature, and the people who surrounded him were followers of the traditions and culture of the Land of the Rising Sun. Masanori's youth coincided with a period of widespread fascination with the West, and for a time he delved into rhythm and blues. By the way, it’s always interesting whose examples those who become examples for the next generations grew up with, right? So, Otis Redding was my idol. It was he who “brought” into the life of the future composer an electric guitar and the idea of the group “Albatross”, which Masanori organized together with his comrades.
Persistence and workLike many children, he studied music, however, he did not have teachers, mentors, a music book or boring lessons - he learned the mysterious world of sounds on his own. And sometimes in completely extreme conditions - it’s not for nothing that they say that they are the ones who discover hidden talents. If you remember, Kitaro was the leader of the FarEastFamilyBand, and when the band’s drummer was injured on the day of the performance... Kitaro went on stage for him! How he managed to play a completely unfamiliar instrument is a mystery. However, there will be many more of them in the musician’s life.
New Horizons
Success lies beyond our comfort zone, and after graduating from the Higher School of Commerce, Takahashi moved to Tokyo, where he began studying the synthesizer. Well, what about someone who has already switched to playing an electric guitar? Klaus Schulze himself helped Kitaro master the new instrument, and this acquaintance became a key moment in the work of Takahashi Masanori: now he could unite East and West!
In 1976, Masanori tried his hand at solo activities - he visited Laos, Thailand, China, India, and, inspired, began to create completely new music! And indeed this is real creativity, because the music we hear is the work of the hands and imagination of a person who does not even have a basic musical education!
Mafia and love
An extraordinary person like Kitaro would hardly be interested in “easy prey” - his heart chose the daughter of a member of the Japanese mafia! Her name was Yuki, and she became the maestro’s wife in 1983. The musician himself talks about their relationship like this: “I work in America, she works in Japan, and there are no other reasons for divorce, we are good friends to this day.” Keiko, with whom Kitaro performed in 1998, became his second wife and gave birth to two children.
Soundtracks and awards
“Heaven and Earth” is the first film in which Kitaro’s music complemented the overall picture and immersed the viewer in the intended atmosphere. For this work, by the way, the musician received a Golden Globe as the most original music for a film! Next were “The Soong Sisters”, who brought the golden horse “Golden Horse” in the same category! Well, in 2001 Kitaro received a Grammy for “Thinking of you” - an album released in 1999!
Kitaro discographyKitaro recorded his first album in 1978, and to this day there are as many as 51 of them! By the way, the last album was released in 2013. Just imagine, 51 albums with music, the author of which bears the proud title of a musician, the best in the New Age style!
Star fever? No, I haven't!The whole world knows who he is, and he knows how to remain modest with such and such a name. No, he is not inspired by “status things”, but he enjoys spending time in nature, hugging the listener with soft clouds that he loves to watch, and immersing the listener in warm water through his music. Takahashi Masanori takes part in full moon ceremonies and sacredly honors the traditions in which he grew up. The musician believes that music can change a person, and dreams that, in addition to pleasant emotions, it awakens the brightest sides of our souls!
Biography
Real name is Takahashi Masanori. He received the name Kitaro from his school friends in honor of the Japanese cartoon character.
Heaven and Earth "Heaven and Earth". Received the Golden Horse award in Taiwan at the Hong Kong International Film Festival for the most original music for the film "The Soong sisters". Kitaro was nominated for Grammy awards numerous times, finally winning it in 2001 for his 1999 album Thinking of You.
Kitaro has no musical education - he just doesn't know music. He records music in his own way. In addition to keyboards, Kitaro plays many instruments, such as guitar, flute, Taiko drums, etc. Kitaro is a composer, performer, and director. Sometimes he himself does the lighting design for concerts and arranges albums. In addition, Kitaro is a photographer. He created an entire company in Colorado. For example, the cover of the album "Gaia" is a photograph of the view from his house. In the 80s, Kitaro also worked as a professional pyrotechnician.
Despite the fact that Kitaro has become a world celebrity, he remains a modest person: “I am inspired by nature. “I am only a messenger,” he says, “some of my melodies are clouds, others are water.” Kitaro continues to honor Japanese traditions. In tribute to Mother Nature, he participates in special concerts - full moon ceremonies. These concerts are held annually in late August at Mount Fuji, near his company in Colorado. The ceremony lasts all night, about 11 o'clock. All this time, Kitaro, kneeling, continuously plays the Taiko drums. Usually he washes his hands until they bleed, but continues to play. The album “Gaia - Onbashira” is also a tribute to Mother Earth.
Kitaro lived with Keiko for many years near Boulder, Colorado, where he worked on new music in his Mochi House studio (capable of housing a 70-piece orchestra). By the way, in 2006, a joint album with Keiko, Spiritual Garden, was released. But in 2007 they moved to Sebastopol, a small city in northern California. His Ward studio still exists and is available for rent.
Kitaro says: “I'm happy that my music makes people feel good. I know that music can change a person and that is my passion."
Kitaro says: “I draw inspiration from a variety of sources. In some way, I isolated myself from modern mass culture - I have neither a TV nor a radio, I don’t read newspapers... When I’m in a city, I like to walk along a very crowded street and watch the crowd, listen to it. But after three or four days I feel that I need to leave there for the mountains, the coast, somewhere. There I absorb a variety of sounds - wind, freezing water... Sometimes, if you listen for a long time to the gurgling of falling water drops, you can catch completely special, low-frequency vibrations "...
“My task is to transmit the energy of music from space through my body and bring it to the listener. I try to connect with all listeners, both young and old, but it doesn't happen with everyone at once, and of course I feel it. Sometimes there are three or four generations of people at a concert, and there is contact with everyone. It's just great,” says Kitaro.
Music career
Kitaro's first album was released in 1978. It was called "Ten Kai". According to fans, it is iconic. Here Kitaro mixed American, European and Eastern musical cultures for the first time, proving that East and West could “sound” together. This was music commissioned by the Japanese broadcasting corporation NHK for the multi-part documentary television film “Silk Road”. This lively, meditative music of simple and slow melodies brought him national and international fame. Kitaro composed it while living in a small village in Nagano County (central Japan), far from civilization and bustle, which is reflected in the music.
In 1979, Kitaro released his second album, From the Full Moon Story. The first two albums became cult favorites among fans of the then-emerging New Age movement. Kitaro himself calls his music spiritual. “Feeling is the most important element in my music,” he says.
In 1985, Kitaro signed a contract with Geffen Records. His albums began to be distributed in the American market. In 1987, together with Mickey Hart, Kitaro released the album “The Light Of The Spirit”, from which the track “The Field” was finally nominated for a Grammy. His album sales rose to 10 million a year.
In 1993, with the participation of Randy Miller, Kitaro wrote the music for the film Heaven and Earth, and in 1997, for the film The Soong Sisters. He received the Golden Globe Award for Most Original Music for the film Heaven and Earth. Received the Taiwan Golden Horse Award at the Hong Kong International Film Festival for Most Original Music for the film "The Soong sisters". Kitaro was nominated numerous times for Grammy awards, finally winning it in 2001 for his 1999 album Thinking of You.
Discography
1978 - Ten Kai/Astral Voyage/Astral Voyager/Astral Trip
1979 - Full Moon Story/Daichi
1979 - Oasis
1980 - Silk Road
1980 - Silk Road II
1980 - In Person Digital
1980 - Silk Road Suite
1981 - Silk Road III: Tunhuang
1981 - Best of Kitaro vol 1
1981 - World of Kitaro
1981 - Ki
1981 - Tunhuang
1982 - Millennia (soundtrack to the cartoon Queen Millennia)
1983 - Silk Road IV: Tenjiku/India
1983 - India
1984 - Silver Cloud/Cloud
1984 - Live in Asia/Asia Super Tour Live/Asia
1986 - Toward the West
1986 - Tenku
1987 - The Light of the Spirit
1988 - Ten Years/Best of Ten Years
1990 - Kojiki
1991 - Live in America
1992 - Lady of Dreams
1992 - Dream
1993 - Heaven & Earth
1994 - Mandala
1995 - An Enchanted Evening - Live
1996 - Peace On Earth
1997 - The Best of Ten Years (1976-1986)
1997 - Cirque Ingenieux
1998 - Gaia-Onbashira
1999 - Best of Kitaro vol 2
1999 - Thinking of You
2000 - The Soong Sisters
2000 - The Essential Collection (Japan-only)
2001 - Ancient
2002 - An Ancient Journey
2002 - Daylight, Moonlight in Yakushiji - Live
2003 - Best of Silk Road
2003 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai
2004 - Shikoku 88 Places
2005 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 2
2006 - Spiritual Garden
2007 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 3
2008 - Toyo's Camera
2009 - Impressions of the West Lake
2010 - Sacred Journey of Ku-Kai Volume 4
2010 - Live with Honor, Die with Dignity
2013 - Tamayura
2013 - Final CallWrite a review about the article "Kitaro"
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Excerpt characterizing Kitaro
After Kaisarov, other of his acquaintances still approached Pierre, and he did not have time to answer the questions about Moscow with which they bombarded him, and did not have time to listen to the stories they told him. All faces expressed animation and anxiety. But it seemed to Pierre that the reason for the excitement expressed on some of these faces lay more in matters of personal success, and he could not get out of his head that other expression of excitement that he saw on other faces and which spoke of issues not personal, but general , matters of life and death. Kutuzov noticed the figure of Pierre and the group gathered around him.
“Call him to me,” said Kutuzov. The adjutant conveyed the wishes of his Serene Highness, and Pierre headed to the bench. But even before him, an ordinary militiaman approached Kutuzov. It was Dolokhov.
- How is this one here? asked Pierre.
- This is such a beast, it will crawl everywhere! - they answered Pierre. - After all, he was demoted. Now he needs to jump out. He submitted some projects and climbed into the enemy’s chain at night... but well done!..
Pierre, taking off his hat, bowed respectfully in front of Kutuzov.
“I decided that if I report to your lordship, you can send me away or say that you know what I am reporting, and then I won’t be killed...” said Dolokhov.
- So-so.
“And if I’m right, then I will benefit the fatherland, for which I am ready to die.”
- So-so…
- And if your lordship needs a person who would not spare his skin, then please remember me... Maybe I will be useful to your lordship.
“So... so...” repeated Kutuzov, looking at Pierre with a laughing, narrowing eye.
At this time, Boris, with his courtly dexterity, advanced next to Pierre in the proximity of his superiors and with the most natural look and not loudly, as if continuing the conversation he had begun, said to Pierre:
– The militia – they directly put on clean, white shirts to prepare for death. What heroism, Count!
Boris said this to Pierre, obviously in order to be heard by his Serene Highness. He knew that Kutuzov would pay attention to these words, and indeed His Serene Highness addressed him:
-What are you talking about the militia? - he said to Boris.
“They, your lordship, in preparation for tomorrow, for death, put on white shirts.”
- Ah!.. Wonderful, incomparable people! - said Kutuzov and, closing his eyes, shook his head. - Incomparable people! - he repeated with a sigh.
- Do you want to smell gunpowder? - he said to Pierre. - Yes, a pleasant smell. I have the honor to be an admirer of your wife, is she healthy? My rest stop is at your service. - And, as often happens with old people, Kutuzov began to look around absently, as if he had forgotten everything he needed to say or do.
Obviously, remembering what he was looking for, he lured Andrei Sergeich Kaisarov, the brother of his adjutant, to him.
- How, how, how are the poems, Marina, how are the poems, how? What he wrote about Gerakov: “You will be a teacher in the building... Tell me, tell me,” Kutuzov spoke, obviously about to laugh. Kaisarov read... Kutuzov, smiling, nodded his head to the beat of the poems.
When Pierre walked away from Kutuzov, Dolokhov moved towards him and took him by the hand.
“I’m very glad to meet you here, Count,” he told him loudly and without being embarrassed by the presence of strangers, with particular decisiveness and solemnity. “On the eve of the day on which God knows which of us is destined to survive, I am glad to have the opportunity to tell you that I regret the misunderstandings that existed between us, and I would like you not to have anything against me.” Please forgive me.
Pierre, smiling, looked at Dolokhov, not knowing what to say to him. Dolokhov, with tears welling up in his eyes, hugged and kissed Pierre.
Boris said something to his general, and Count Bennigsen turned to Pierre and offered to go with him along the line.
“This will be interesting for you,” he said.
“Yes, very interesting,” said Pierre.
Half an hour later, Kutuzov left for Tatarinova, and Bennigsen and his retinue, including Pierre, went along the line.Bennigsen from Gorki descended along the high road to the bridge, which the officer from the mound pointed out to Pierre as the center of the position and on the bank of which lay rows of mown grass that smelled of hay. They drove across the bridge to the village of Borodino, from there they turned left and past a huge number of troops and cannons they drove out to a high mound on which the militia was digging. It was a redoubt that did not yet have a name, but later received the name Raevsky redoubt, or barrow battery.
Pierre did not pay much attention to this redoubt. He did not know that this place would be more memorable for him than all the places in the Borodino field. Then they drove through the ravine to Semenovsky, in which the soldiers were taking away the last logs of the huts and barns. Then, downhill and uphill, they drove forward through broken rye, knocked out like hail, along a road newly laid by artillery along the ridges of arable land to the flushes [a type of fortification. (Note by L.N. Tolstoy.) ], also still being dug at that time.
Bennigsen stopped at the flushes and began to look ahead at the Shevardinsky redoubt (which was ours only yesterday), on which several horsemen could be seen. The officers said that Napoleon or Murat was there. And everyone looked greedily at this bunch of horsemen. Pierre also looked there, trying to guess which of these barely visible people was Napoleon. Finally, the riders rode off the mound and disappeared.
Bennigsen turned to the general who approached him and began to explain the entire position of our troops. Pierre listened to Bennigsen's words, straining all his mental strength to understand the essence of the upcoming battle, but he felt with disappointment that his mental abilities were insufficient for this. He didn't understand anything. Bennigsen stopped talking, and noticing the figure of Pierre, who was listening, he suddenly said, turning to him:
– I think you’re not interested?
“Oh, on the contrary, it’s very interesting,” Pierre repeated, not entirely truthfully.
From the flush they drove even further to the left along a road winding through a dense, low birch forest. In the middle of it
forest, a brown hare with white legs jumped out onto the road in front of them and, frightened by the tramp of a large number of horses, he was so confused that he jumped along the road ahead of them for a long time, arousing everyone’s attention and laughter, and only when several voices shouted at him, he rushed to the side and disappeared into the thicket. After driving about two miles through the forest, they came to a clearing where the troops of Tuchkov’s corps, which was supposed to protect the left flank, were stationed.
Here, on the extreme left flank, Bennigsen spoke a lot and passionately and made, as it seemed to Pierre, an important military order. There was a hill in front of Tuchkov’s troops. This hill was not occupied by troops. Bennigsen loudly criticized this mistake, saying that it was crazy to leave the height commanding the area unoccupied and place troops under it. Some generals expressed the same opinion. One in particular spoke with military fervor about the fact that they were put here for slaughter. Bennigsen ordered in his name to move the troops to the heights.
This order on the left flank made Pierre even more doubtful of his ability to understand military affairs. Listening to Bennigsen and the generals condemning the position of the troops under the mountain, Pierre fully understood them and shared their opinion; but precisely because of this, he could not understand how the one who placed them here under the mountain could make such an obvious and gross mistake.
Pierre did not know that these troops were not placed to defend the position, as Bennigsen thought, but were placed in a hidden place for an ambush, that is, in order to be unnoticed and suddenly attack the advancing enemy. Bennigsen did not know this and moved the troops forward for special reasons without telling the commander-in-chief about it.Prince Andrei, on this clear August evening on the 25th, lay leaning on his arm in a broken barn in the village of Knyazkova, on the edge of his regiment's location. Through the hole in the broken wall, he looked at a strip of thirty-year-old birch trees with their lower branches cut off running along the fence, at an arable land with stacks of oats broken on it, and at bushes through which the smoke of fires—soldiers’ kitchens—could be seen.
No matter how cramped and no one needed and how difficult his life now seemed to Prince Andrei, he, just like seven years ago at Austerlitz on the eve of the battle, felt agitated and irritated.
Orders for tomorrow's battle were given and received by him. There was nothing else he could do. But the simplest, clearest thoughts and therefore terrible thoughts did not leave him alone. He knew that tomorrow's battle was going to be the most terrible of all those in which he participated, and the possibility of death for the first time in his life, without any regard to everyday life, without consideration of how it would affect others, but only according to in relation to himself, to his soul, with vividness, almost with certainty, simply and terribly, it presented itself to him. And from the height of this idea, everything that had previously tormented and occupied him was suddenly illuminated by a cold white light, without shadows, without perspective, without distinction of outlines. His whole life seemed to him like a magic lantern, into which he looked for a long time through glass and under artificial lighting. Now he suddenly saw, without glass, in bright daylight, these poorly painted pictures. “Yes, yes, these are the false images that worried and delighted and tormented me,” he said to himself, turning over in his imagination the main pictures of his magic lantern of life, now looking at them in this cold white light of day - a clear thought of death. “Here they are, these crudely painted figures that seemed like something beautiful and mysterious. Glory, public good, love for a woman, the fatherland itself - how great these pictures seemed to me, what deep meaning they seemed filled with! And all this is so simple, pale and rough in the cold white light of that morning, which I feel is rising for me. Three major sorrows of his life in particular occupied his attention. His love for a woman, the death of his father and the French invasion that captured half of Russia. “Love!.. This girl, who seemed to me full of mysterious powers. How I loved her! I made poetic plans about love, about happiness with it. Oh dear boy! – he said out loud angrily. - Of course! I believed in some kind of ideal love, which was supposed to remain faithful to me during the whole year of my absence! Like the tender dove of a fable, she was to wither away from me. And all this is much simpler... All this is terribly simple, disgusting!