Re: Schoenberg Vol.1 (New Translation) "The Purified Night

Program

• At a scene

  J. Cage

• Lullaby from "Wozzeck

  A. Berg/Stevenson, ed.

• Fantasy Phantasy

  A. Schönberg / Ikeuchi Sono arr.

• Ahania Ahania

  Yoshio Hachimura

• The illusion of higanbana Meditation higan-bana

  Yoshio Hachimura

• Nocturne Nocturne

  J. Cage/Sound of Ikeuchi, ed.

• Verklärte Nacht

  A. Schönberg / Ikeuchi Sono arr.

• Midnight KYOTO (commissioned new work)

  musical note

This concert will feature one of Schoenberg's masterpieces, "The Purified Night," in a new arrangement for vibraphone and piano.
We have heard the scoldings of some who say, "It is outrageous to perform a piece originally intended for string sextet (or string ensemble) with only percussion and piano, and it is a desecration of the original! I can almost hear the scolding voice of "It is outrageous to play a piece originally intended for string sextet (or string ensemble) only with percussion and piano! But I assure you that such an arrangement is not blasphemy at all. Schoenberg and his disciples were "arrangers" who rewrote ancient and modern works into various orchestrations.
In Schoenberg's circle, there were many arrangements of both his own and others' works, of "classics" like Bach and of his contemporaries like Debussy. In Schoenberg's circle, for example, contemporaries such as Mahler's Symphony No. 7 and Debussy's "Prelude to the Pastoral Afternoon" were presented in a piano version by Casella and a chamber orchestra version arranged by Sachs, Schoenberg's pupil and supervisor, respectively. The Chamber Symphony No. 1, one of Schoenberg's early masterpieces, has several arrangements, including Schoenberg's own version for large orchestra and for double orchestra, a two-piano version by his pupil Berg, and a piano quintet version by Webern. A piano trio version of "The Purified Night" by Steuermann, who was a pupil and an excellent pianist, also exists. Arrangements without being restricted to the original compositions were a common practice in the "Schoenberg and his school". Therefore, we can say with certainty that the newly created "Purified Night" is a continuation of the same lineage.
This evening will surely be an evening to celebrate the birth of "A Night of Purification" clad in the sounds of the 21st century. Please look forward to it!
(Sunao Takeuchi: CoRe Representative / Musicology)