Listened to the Masterpiece Concert by the Pacific Philharmonia Tokyo at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Theatre Concert Hall.
Maestro v, renowned for his numerous band-piece recordings in the 20th Century, conducted the performance. While I had listened to his professional and conservatoire wind bands as well as amateur orchestras on several occasions, this marked my first experience listening to his performance with a professional orchestra. 🎻
Unlike his well-known recording of the Alvamar Overture, Shiozawa’s tempo was measured this time, allowing for a rich variety of musical colours in each passage. The orchestra had a number of young musicians who performed brilliantly. The encounter between the maestro, embodying the dignity of 20th-century style, and the fresh orchestra of the 21st-century generation was truly exhilarating. The audience’s applause was so enthusiastic that it brought Maestro Shiozawa back to the stage for a solo curtain call. It was indeed a fantastic concert. ♪
On a personal note, I’ve transcribed Ruslan and Lyudmila and Polovetsian Dances for the wind band. These experiences might have made my ears more sensitive. It had been quite some time since I’d heard In the Steppes of Central Asia performed live, and I feel this piece is more attractive in live performance. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in the second half of the concert exuded elegance and enthusiasm.🎺
