Experience the world of drama with the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's performance! "Reversal Orchestra Special Concert"
On February 21st, the "Reversal Orchestra Special Concert" was held at Yokohama Minato Mirai Hall as part of the Nippon Television drama series "Reversal Orchestra." "Reversal Orchestra" is broadcast on Nippon Television every Wednesday night from 10pm, and tells the story of Hatsune Tanioka, a "former genius violinist" played by Mugi Kadowaki, and Asahi Tokoha, an "up-and-coming maestro" played by Kei Tanaka, as they struggle to turn around the Kodama Symphony Orchestra, a broken orchestra based in Nishi Saitama City. It's an exhilarating musical entertainment that will make you laugh, cry, and feel energized in the middle of the week, and I look forward to it every week.
The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra (hereafter, Kanagawa Philharmonic) is the key to the drama's musical performances. The Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra not only plays classical music in the drama, but also actually appears in the drama as a member of the Kodama Symphony Orchestra (hereafter, Tamayura). This time, I went to a one-night special concert where the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra performed a number of famous pieces, including those that appear in the drama.
As the curtains opened, guest concertmaster Takashi Aoki tuned the instruments. Conductor Kenjiro Sakairi appeared, and the famous phrase rang out throughout the venue. Even though I am not familiar with classical music, I knew in an instant that it was Beethoven's "Fate." And the moment I heard this phrase, the tension I had felt about the "classical concert by a professional orchestra" was instantly relieved. Hearing the familiar phrase through a live orchestra was overwhelmingly powerful, and I began to feel excited, sensing my "fate" to enjoy tonight's concert.
Next, they performed "Farandole" from the second suite of "Les Amours" by Bizet, which also appeared in the TV drama, and Elgar's march "Pomp and Circumstance" No. 1. "Farandole" was the piece that showed Tamayura's poor playing in the first episode, but the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra's wonderful performance of it brightened up the venue at the concert. The brilliant sound of the flute solo, which was the trigger that Hatsune was attracted to Tamayura, captivated the entire venue.
Furthermore, "Pomp and Circumstance" is a song that Tanioka Hatsune and Tokoha Asahi performed in front of an audience with Tamayura for the first time in episode 3, and it is a song that holds an important position in the drama. The sound, such as the parts that the members had repeatedly practiced and the climax towards the end, evoked images from the drama, and I was able to enjoy the real pleasure of this concert early on.
As an aside, Beethoven's "Fate" was shown for the first time (in rehearsal) in the drama in the seventh episode, which aired the day after the concert. You can enjoy the song you heard at the concert in the drama, and experience the song you became familiar with in the drama in live sound. You can experience both, and I got the impression that the program was carefully put together to be enjoyed along with the drama.
After the three songs were played, Kadowaki Mugi and Tanaka Kei, who had been listening to the performance from the audience, came up on stage. Kadowaki commented that she was so moved by the Kanagawa Philharmonic's performance that she burst into tears. Tanaka, who plays the role of a sharp-tongued maestro, said, "I'm sure you all were able to say things like, 'This orchestra is rubbish' (laughs)," which caused laughter from the audience.
After the two guests took to the stage, the audience participated in a "Castanet Challenge" where they played castanets to the Kanagawa Philharmonic's "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands". However, this "Castanet Challenge" was many times more difficult than expected, and the whole venue was filled with the sound of the castanets being played in surprise and confusion. Percussionist Mitsuko Okada, who had impressed the audience with her amazing castanet skills, then demonstrated her "best marimba" skills in "Flight of the Bumblebee". Watching her play so accurately and so fast that it was hard to follow, you would forget to breathe. In the background, a timpanist and a trumpeter performed a comical play in which they tried to get rid of a bumblebee by hitting it, and it was a time to reaffirm the potential of percussion instruments and the friendly side of the Kanagawa Philharmonic.
The first part of the event was capped off by the second movement of Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 with Organ, performed with the pipe organ, which was introduced as the instrument that could produce the lowest sound in the venue. Kadowaki and Tanaka were surprised at the size of the pipe organ "Lucy," which is the pride of the Minato Mirai Hall. The curtain fell on the first part with the magnificent and profound sound of "Lucy."
In the second part, Shinya Kiyozuka, the popular pianist who is in charge of the drama's soundtrack, appeared. After livening up the venue with his familiar, light-hearted talk skills, he performed a "Reversal Orchestra Improvisation Medley." Kiyozuka has arranged classic masterpieces such as "Fur Elise," adding color to the story and creating soundtracks that empathize with the emotions of the characters. The familiar classic masterpieces changed their expressions, and Kiyozuka's mesmerizing fingerwork set the audience free.
Afterwards, Teiho, who was in charge of the drama's music together with Kiyozuka, appeared and performed "Tamayura Cantabile" with Teiho conducting, Kiyozuka on piano, and the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra playing. It was a truly luxurious moment to enjoy the harmony of the two musicians who composed the music for the drama and the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra who performed it.
This "luxury" time was not over yet. In the following performance of "Toreador (Bullfighter)" from the suite "Carmen", Hatsune Tanioka participated as concertmaster and Asahi Tokoha as maestro, going beyond the boundaries of the drama. The sight of Hatsune and Asahi shaking hands as concertmaster and maestro was heartwarming. Kadowaki's imposing bowing and Tanaka's dynamic yet flexible conducting. They blended naturally into the professional orchestra, and the efforts they made to acquire these skills were clear. The actors who actually play in the drama have been practicing their instruments since before filming began. The performance scenes in the drama will touch the hearts of viewers because all the cast members are sincerely facing music. The performance, which combined the real world and drama, was met with loud applause from the audience.
Conductor Sakairi appeared again, and a light trumpet fanfare rang out. It was the Swiss Army March from the William Tell Overture, which Hatsune played for the first time with the members of Tamayura. Next was the song "Mela!" by the popular band Ryokuoushoku Shakai, which they performed in episode 4. In the story, it was a song that connected the bond between mother and daughter, and the beautifully played viola solo brought tears to my eyes.
The final piece played was the fourth movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5, which is also the main theme of the drama. This piece, which is also the opening of the drama, was the final piece of the concert. Kadowaki and Tanaka sat in their favorite seats in the orchestra and enjoyed the performance from inside the orchestra.
During the encore, "Radetzky March," the audience naturally rose to their feet and clapped along with the guest on stage, creating the most exciting performance of the day. By this time, the feeling "music is fun!" was overflowing in my heart. The high barrier to entry I had felt toward classical music and the anxiety about whether I would be able to understand it had completely disappeared. It was a space where you could listen, see, feel, participate, and enjoy yourself to the fullest. And it was all the people on and behind the stage who brought this feeling of "fun."
The members of the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra, who delivered a wonderful sound, were always smiling and warmed up the venue while incorporating a sense of playfulness. Conductor Sakairi showed a brilliant smile after each song. Kiyozuka-san and Teiho-san's music taught us that "it's okay to enjoy classical music freely." After the performance of "Carmen," Kadowaki-san and Tanaka-san commented, "It was fun!" and "It felt good!", embodying the joy of music. The program was filled with the desire to allow beginners to enjoy classical music without feeling intimidated. Just as each sound overlaps to weave the sound of the orchestra, the feelings of each individual person piled up to create a wonderful concert.
For me, the world of classical music was sparked by a TV drama. Ever since I actually heard a live performance by a professional orchestra, the sound of the instruments has been ringing in my head ever since. I was completely captivated by "classical music" and "orchestras." Don't shy away from classical music because you think it's too difficult to get into, but definitely go see a performance by the Kanagawa Philharmonic Orchestra. Because the door to classical music is wider and warmer than you think, and there's a lot of "fun" waiting for you!
