The end of the year in Japan is all about the Ninth Symphony! (Concert information in Kanagawa Prefecture included)

(Top image) Image provided by: Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra

Enjoy it casually! A life with concerts
File 4: Beethoven Symphony No. 9
(Mitsusaburo Mori / Music Writer)

When we think of the end of the year, we think of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
The fourth movement, "Ode to Joy." The moment when the choir of about 100 people, who had been waiting at the back of the stage, suddenly rises to their feet all at once! No matter how many times I experience it, it still gives me chills.

It's incredibly popular, though.
With professional orchestras performing several times each, and numerous community orchestras also taking part, it's likely that over 100 concerts are held nationwide, allowing tens of thousands of people to revel in the "Ode to Joy." It has now become a quintessential December tradition.

The fact that it was frequently performed a few years after the end of the war shows that the Japanese people have a long history of loving Beethoven's Ninth Symphony.
With the addition of the choir, the number of performers increases significantly, and it's said that people mobilize all their relatives and friends to earn some extra money for the New Year's Eve celebrations. However, the main reason for the popularity of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is probably that the wonderful melody of the fourth movement, "Ode to Joy," perfectly matches the sensibilities of the Japanese people.
*Image provided by Yokosuka Arts Theatre

Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.
The premiere took place in 1824, three years before his death at the age of 56. It was his last completed symphony. This story dates back approximately 200 years.

By the way, do you know where the Japanese premiere of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony took place?
Believe it or not, there was a prisoner-of-war camp in Tokushima Prefecture!
The year was 1918, the 7th year of the Taisho era.
It's surprising to learn that this was played by German soldiers who were prisoners of war of the Japanese army in China after World War I. This happened exactly 100 years ago.
* "Orchestra group photo in the auditorium" image provided by Naruto German House

However, while there are prestigious orchestras in Germany that perform on New Year's Eve, it seems that the image of "end of the year = Beethoven's Ninth Symphony" is not common there.
However, for Germans, and for Europeans in general, the Ninth Symphony seems to hold a much more special and deeply personal significance.

When the Vienna State Opera, which had been destroyed in the war, was rebuilt.
The end of 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell.
The following year, when East and West Germany were reunified.
And most importantly, "Ode to Joy" has been adopted as the national anthem of the European Union (EU).
The lyrics of the poet Schiller's "Ode to Joy" are a hymn to humanity and a strong appeal for solidarity between people, which is proof that they are a source of hope for the people of Europe.
And Beethoven's music!
From his late twenties, he suffered from hearing problems, which are crucial for a musician, to the point where he sent a letter resembling a suicide note to an acquaintance.
A tremendous creative drive that constantly seeks novelty, and the struggles that accompany it.
Apparently, by the time he was around 40, he had almost completely lost his hearing in both ears. In other words, he composed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony under those circumstances.
Poor health due to hearing loss. A grumpy and stubborn person.
Despite being a neat freak, she was terrible at tidying up her room, and there's an anecdote that she moved 60 times.
In other words, Beethoven led a very difficult life.
That is precisely why idealistic messages of peace, freedom, and solidarity never end up being mere platitudes, but rather resonate with people around the world as a raw, poignant "beacon of hope."

The introduction to the first movement evokes the beginning of the universe.
Is the second movement a dance of joy and anguish?
The heavenly beautiful third movement
And so it begins...
To me, to you, and to the world
Let the "Song of Joy" resound!!

All of the following events have concluded.

[Kanagawa Prefecture "Ninth Symphony" Concert Information]

Kanagawa Prefectural Hall
■Concert for Youth: Yokohama Symphony Orchestra's 691st Regular Concert
Date and time: December 16th (Sunday) 14:00 start (doors open at 13:00)
Conductor: Yuki Tobinaga
Soprano: Ayano Takashina / Alto: Sato Yanagi / Tenor: Shohei Ushiroda / Baritone: Toshiki Takeuchi
Orchestra: Yokohama Symphony Orchestra
Chorus: Yokohama Symphony Orchestra and the Society for Singing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Yokohama Symphony Chorus
Price: All seats reserved 2,000 yen

■ Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra Regular Concert "Beethoven's Ninth Symphony"
Date and time: December 21st (Friday) 19:00 start (doors open at 18:20)

(c) Greg Sailor
Conductor: Junichi Hirokami
Soprano: Eri Takahashi / Alto: Rina Hirayama / Tenor: Hiroyuki Yoshida / Baritone: Takahito Asai
Orchestra: Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra
Chorus: Kanagawa Philharmonic Chorus
Ticket prices: S seats 7,000 yen, A seats 5,500 yen, B seats 4,000 yen
Youth (under 25 years old): 1,000 yen for each seat type, on the day of the event only.
Seniors (70 years and older) receive a 10% discount on all seating categories.

Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall
■ Japan Philharmonic Orchestra's Special Concert of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony 2018

Date and time: December 15th (Sat) 18:00 start (doors open at 17:10)
Conductor: Michiyoshi Inoue
Soprano: Eiko Suga / Alto: Sumie Fukuhara / Tenor: Ken Nishikori / Baritone: Takashi Aoyama
Orchestra: Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
Chorus: Tokyo College of Music
Prices: S seats 9,000 yen, A seats 7,500 yen, B seats 7,000 yen, C seats 6,000 yen, P seats sold out.
Ys (under 25 years old): 3,500 yen *Limited seats available