L.v.B. Chamber Orchestra 54th Concert

This year's program is based on the theme of "Classical" by each of the composers.
The era of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven has come to an end, and after the Romantic era, the era of Wagner's evolution of harmony and the era of atonal and twelve-tone techniques is progressing. In this context, I would like to focus on old and new attractive pieces that are not imitations, using the "classical style".

Ravel / "Couperin's Tomb".
This piece is in memory of Ravel's friends who died in World War I, and uses the style of the Baroque composer Couperin.

Prokofiev/Classical Symphony
Upon graduating from the Conservatory, Prokofiev composed his first symphony in the style of Haydn, whom his friends had studied. According to one theory, he composed the piece in his head while taking a walk.

Beethoven/Symphony No. 7
Beethoven, who innovated his symphonies with "Hero," "Destiny," and "Renaissance," made a complete turnaround in his Seventh and Eighth Symphonies, returning to the two-manual style as did Haydn in his later years. However, Beethoven never stagnated as an innovator, and both symphonies are finished with the passionate intensity that has enthused the world for more than 200 years.


The word "classics" may bring to mind the Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book, which we learned in school, as well as rakugo, ukiyoe, and kabuki. Katsushika Hokusai, the artist whose work I have chosen for this project, is one of the classics from the perspective of modern Japan. Ukiyoe works, including Hokusai's, were introduced to Europe in the 19th century, and "Japonism" had a great impact on the musical circles of Debussy, Ravel, and others. We would like to enjoy the theme of "classics," the flow of the times, and the interplay between Eastern and Western cultures.