Japanese-Czech inspirations in the Pilsen Philharmonic
On Thursday, September 29, 2022, a small celebration was held in Měšťanská beseda before the start of the subscription concert – “Japan-Czech Inspirations”, the new CD of the Plzeň Philharmonic, saw the light of day. Pilsen Bishop Tomáš Holub gave him his blessing, Japanese ambassador Hideo Suzuki also accepted the invitation.
Listeners of Thursday’s subscription concert entitled “Rachmaninov & Igor Ardashev & PF” was delighted by the unexpected entrée, when on stage in addition to the chief conductor Chuhei Iwasaki they came accompanied by the headmistress Pilsen Philharmonic by Lenka Kavalováwhich introduced a new CD, two distinguished guests. The Japanese ambassador Hideo Suzuki wished the Philharmonic’s new venture many successes, and Tomáš Holub, the Bishop of Pilsen, blessed it
Listeners will find the work of the Japanese composer on the CD released by the German publishing house Ars Produktion Akira Ifukube AND Leoš Janáček. The person of the chief conductor of the Plzeň Philharmonic, Chuhei Iwasaki, is undoubtedly also a Japan-Czech connection.
“Already at the moment when I decided to appoint Chuhei Iwasaki to the position of chief conductor of the Pilsen Philharmonic, the possibility of connecting the two worlds logically opened up. Japan is a country with a diverse culture, distinctive customs and deep-rooted traditions, and from a historical point of view, the Japanese musical tradition is influenced by the art of some other Asian countries. It is a kind of synthesis of the powerful directions it has taken over the years. Also, a set of Japanese musical instruments is their national treasure. It isn’t it is no different for us Czechs. We too proudly guard the national legacy and Czech folk traditions. They are our national identity. Akira Ifukube and Leoš Janáček have a lot in common, and the purpose of this CD was to connect both cultures – Czech folklorism with Japanese neofolklorism.” says the director of the Pilsen Philharmonic Lenka Kavalová.
“Yes, both composers on our new CD are linked by folklorism,” adds the chief conductor Chuhei Iwasaki“and Ifukube is one of the first Japanese composers who managed to connect folklore with orchestral music. His Japanese Suite was inspired by the most famous Japanese folk songs. There is no need to talk about Janáček and folklore”.
The world of original Japanese music is often distant to the average European listener. Akira Ifukube (1914-2006) introduced one of the greatest creators of his country’s modern music scene and was also one of those who gave the Western world a glimpse into Japanese musical culture. Although he is most famous for his film work – during his lifetime he composed the music for more than 250 films, the most famous of which are the Godzilla film series – his heart belonged to the classical sphere. We can listen to him on the new CD of the Pilsen Philharmonic Japanese suite.
The Czech part is represented by CD music Leoš Janáček (1854–1928): Moravian Dances, Laška Dances and Suite for Orchestra. It has undoubtedly become one of the essential sources for composers. A significant interest in folk music, if we do not count from childhood, began to develop in him from the end of the 1880s. However, everything was apparently ripening earlier – at the time when, as the founder of the monastery in Staré Brno, he met the personalities and work of Pavel Křížkovský, who, in addition to the monastery choir. The later Janáček was also significantly influenced by František Bartoš, an expert and collector of folk songs who was seventeen years his senior, whom he met and befriended in patriotic Brno circles. Their collaboration finally culminated in the preparation of the Czechoslovak Ethnographic Exhibition in 1895, for which they prepared an extensive collection Moravian national songs in the newly collected (JW XIII/3).
Janáček set out regularly, starting around the summer of 1888, mainly in Wallachia, Laška and Moravian Slovácko, in search of folklore alive, living and pulsating in the rhythm of people’s lives and the cycle of nature. He wrote down the melodies of songs and dances and provided them with notes including any description of instrumental accompaniment or even dance steps. The collected material first became the basis for various adaptations, but gradually in the subsequent compositional development he came to a free reshaping of folklore essence without the direct use of folk material, as we find it, for example, in opera Her godmother (JW I/4).
Between 1889 and 1893, in addition to song collections, Janáček created a number of dance adaptations intended not only for listening, but also for stage performance. They come from the years 1889-1891 Wallachian dances (JW VI/4), dated 1891 Moravian dances (JW VI/7), were created a year later Hana dances (JW VI/8) in 1893 Czech dances, 1st suite (JW VI/9). As John Tyrrell notes in his monograph on Janáček, many numbers contained in the mentioned opuses are repeated: “Janáček recycled individual dances […]moreover, he didn’t bother to sweep his tracks behind him.” Suite, Op. 3 (JW VI/6) from 1891, dance ballet Reed Rákoczy (JW I/2), opera or The beginning of the novel (JW I/3). Not to mention the three notebooks of piano arrangements National dances in Moravia (JW VIII/10).
Six Laška dances (JW VI/17) represents the definitive form of the former Wallachian dances completed in 1924. Despite the large time gap from the original version, the influence of Antonín Dvořák’s music, which the author greatly respected, is still evident here, but against Dvořák’s Slavic Dances, Janáček’s work seems much earthier. The cycle opens with a festive dance Ancientoriginally wedding, followed somewhat more quickly Blessedwith stylized blacksmith strikes, the spirited one begins Smokehouse reminiscent of a fast polka. The subsequent musical flow becomes somewhat dreamy Ancient II. The most virtuosic part is a dance originating in its melody from the Beskydy village of Čeladná, the cycle closes with the stylization of well-known songs The saws have already finished cutting. The first performance of the Laš Dances was performed soon after the completion of the work at the National Theater in Brno, the score was published in Prague in 1928.
Photo: Archive of the Pilsen Philharmonic