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"Kanagawa Kenmin Hall" where you can encounter modern architecture from the 1970s (2/2)

70年代のモダン建築に出会える「神奈川県民ホール」(2/2)

Sneak into an artistic space!
YOKOHAMA ART SPOT FILE

A place that has continued to watch over the history of Yokohama's art and culture
Kanagawa Prefectural Hall

This time, we will continue to introduce you to "Kanagawa Kenmin Hall"! Last time, I introduced you to the seats in the large hall. This time, we will be specially allowed to take the stage to show you the real face of this spacious "sacred place" that you cannot usually see up close. The top image above is a shot looking at the audience seats from the stage! I would be happy if I could receive applause from a full audience.


On a wide stage. The area surrounded by the colored cones is the ``seri'' part that I introduced last time. This large hall has a frontage of 20 meters! It is also 10 meters high, 18 meters deep, and has an area of 1,337 square meters. It has been this spacious since it opened 40 years ago. At the time, there were very few theaters that could perform full-scale opera, so it must have been a valuable asset.


There are flower paths on both sides of the stage. It was apparently built 40 years ago because Kabuki was still popular as a play to be performed in public halls, but even today it is rare to find a theater like this with a flower path and where opera can also be performed.

Now, from here we went backstage and headed to the small hall.

This is a place called ``Kamite Tamari,'' where performers waiting for their turn wait. There must be a tense atmosphere in this place during the performance.


As I walked through the backyard...I arrived at a small hall before I knew it. This is one of the dressing rooms used by performers appearing in the small hall. While imagining myself putting on my makeup in front of the mirror... Since I usually can't go inside, I was so excited that I took a quick photo of the dressing room.

And then we arrived at the small hall! Suddenly, a “pipe organ” appears in front of you.


This small hall, which is used for pipe organ and chamber music concerts, is very compact compared to the large hall, with a width of 13 meters, a height of 7.4 meters, and a depth of 6.6 meters. But that's what's beautiful about it! You can feel the sound directly on your skin...you can feel the breath...it's a hall full of charm that is different from a big stage.


This pipe organ was built in time for the opening of the museum in January 1975 by the German organ builder Johannes Kreis. It is the first pipe organ in Japan to be installed inside a public hall. Basically, a pipe organ - this is a colloquial term only used in Japan, and strictly speaking, just an "organ" is built one by one to suit the building, taking into consideration not only the size and height, but also the building materials and environment. It seems like there are a lot of things. No two are the same. The only organ in the world is waiting for you in the small hall of Kanagawa Kenmin Hall!

I was very lucky on the day I was allowed to do the interview shoot. Because……

He has performed at numerous concerts both domestically and internationally, including the ``Organ Promenade Concert,'' which is held once a month during a 30-minute weekday lunch break to allow people to casually become acquainted with the organ. Organist Yumiko Ogino, who is also the Kanagawa Prefectural Hall Advisor, happened to be there to play the organ! Organs are delicate creatures. In order to make sure that the instrument is always in its best condition and produces its original sound, it is necessary to ``play'' the instrument between concerts. Since this was a great opportunity, we were able to actually perform and hear a few words about the charm of this small hall. (Thank you very much, Mr. Ogino, for responding with a smile to my sudden request for a comment!)


``The appeal of this small hall is the closeness to the customers. The audience seats are set at the same height as the stage, so you can watch the organ being played up close, which is a rare feature. It's a wonderful space where the organist can feel close to the customer, and the customer can feel close to the organist.'' (Yumiko Ogino)

We covered a lot of things, starting from the entrance lobby, the view spot overlooking Yokohama Port, the large hall, behind the scenes, and the small hall. The architecture is amazing, and I rediscovered new charms that I hadn't noticed before! This year is our 40th anniversary! There will also be commemorative events, so please come and check them out.

And here is the performance of Yumiko Ogino who appeared! Why not be surrounded by the majestic and beautiful sounds of the organ before the Christmas season arrives?
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Congratulations! 40th anniversary of opening!
Organ Promenade Concert vol.346
[Date] December 11, 2015 (Friday)
[Time] 12:20~ (doors open at 12:00)
[Venue] Kanagawa Kenmin Hall Small Hall
[Cast] Yumiko Ogino (organ)
[Price] (All seats are free) Free
*Preschool children are not allowed to enter.
[Inquiries] Venue 045-633-3798

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