Benten Hyakudo [annex] no.13 Seisai Keisho

Mozart visited Paris three times during his lifetime. Although his last visit in 1778 ended in failure as a "job hunting", he left a wonderful souvenir for Parisians with his hit works such as ballet "Les Petits liens" and Symphony No. 31.
In this issue, we have arranged the works of Mozart, who "fell in love with Paris," and French composers who "fell in love with Mozart" in the 20th century. Let's get a head start on spring with a Mozart tribute in the "Benten" style!

---Benten

Benten Hyakudo" is a project started in 2003 as a "gathering place" to challenge ensembles of various compositions together with fellow musicians.
Under the call of a weekend-only viola player (the ringleader), many music lovers, including amateur orchestra members, colleagues and juniors at universities and workplaces, and family members, have participated in the project.

Since its inaugural performance in March 2004, the orchestra has held regular performances [at the main building] approximately once a year, although there was a four-year break in the middle of the season. The theme of each performance is different, and the music is characterized by a broad selection of both well-known and obscure pieces.
In parallel, the series will also develop an "annex" (from 2020) that focuses on specific composers and compositions, a "branch" (from 2022) that specializes in string quartets, and a "branch" (from 2024) that is limited to baroque music. The new series will be able to accommodate a wider range of programs.

Benten" refers to Benzaiten, who is revered as the god of music, eloquence, and wisdom. The name "Hyakkodo" is a reference to the department store that sells everything, a place where a wide variety of programs can be realized, and a gathering place for amateur musicians (i.e., "hima-jin").