Kanagawa Prefectural Civic Hall: A showcase of modern architecture from the 1970s (2/2)
Enter an artistic space!
YOKOHAMA ART SPOT FILE
A place that has continued to watch over the history of Yokohama's arts and culture
Kanagawa Prefectural Hall
This time, we will continue to show you around the Kanagawa Prefectural Hall! Last time, we even showed you the audience seats in the main hall. This time, we will be specially allowed to go up on stage and show you the real face of this spacious "holy place" that you normally can't get up close and personal. The top image above is a shot of the audience seats from the stage! It would be so nice to receive applause from a full house of customers.
On the very large stage. The area surrounded by traffic cones is the "seli" (stage) area that I introduced last time. This large hall has a width of 20 meters! It is also 10 meters high, 18 meters deep, and has an area of 1,337 square meters. This place has been this large since it opened 40 years ago. At the time, there were very few theaters that could hold full-scale operas, so this must have been a rare sight.
There are runways on both sides of the stage. Apparently these were installed 40 years ago when Kabuki was still popular as a form of performance in public halls, but it seems that even today it is rare to find a theater with such a runway that can also host opera.
From here, we went backstage and headed to the small hall.
This is called "kamite tamari" and is where the performers wait for their turn. I imagine there must be a tense atmosphere in this place during the performance.
As I walked through the backstage area, I arrived at the small hall before I knew it. This is one of the dressing rooms used by the performers who will be appearing in the small hall. I imagined myself putting on makeup in front of the mirror. I was excited and took some photos of the dressing room, as I was not allowed to enter it normally.
And then we arrived at the small hall! Suddenly, a pipe organ appeared in front of us.
This small hall, used for pipe organ and chamber music concerts, is 13 meters wide, 7.4 meters high, and 6.6 meters deep, making it very compact compared to the large hall. But that's what makes it so great! You can almost feel the sound on your skin...it's like you can hear the sound of the concert hall's breathing...it's a hall filled with a different kind of charm than a large stage.
This pipe organ was built by organ builders from Germany's Johannes Kreis Company in time for the opening of the building in January 1975. It was the first pipe organ in Japan to be installed in a public hall. Basically, pipe organs - strictly speaking, just "organs" - are often made individually to fit the building, taking into consideration not only the size and height, but also the building materials and the environment. No two are the same. The one and only organ in the world is waiting for you in the small hall of Kanagawa Prefectural Hall!
I was very lucky to be able to take part in the interview on this day. Because...
The hall has also performed at numerous concerts in Japan and abroad, including the "Organ Promenade Concert," which is a 30-minute event held once a month during weekday lunch breaks to allow people to become familiar with the organ in a casual setting. By coincidence, organist Yumiko Ogino, who is also an "Advisor for Kanagawa Prefectural Hall," was there to practice playing the organ! Organs are delicate creatures. To ensure that the instrument is always in the best condition and produces its original sound, it needs to be "practiced" between concerts. Since this was a rare opportunity, we asked her to actually play the instrument, and also to share with us the charms of this small hall. (Thank you so much, Ogino-sensei, for responding with a smile to our sudden request to "please leave a comment!"!!!)
"The charm of this small hall is the close distance to the audience. The seats are set at the same height as the stage, so it is a rare feature that you can get a close look at the organ being played. It is a wonderful space where the organist feels close to the audience, and the audience feels close to the organist." (Ogino Yumiko)
Starting from the entrance lobby, we covered the view spot overlooking Yokohama Port, the main hall, backstage, and the small hall. The architecture is wonderful, and we rediscovered new charms that we had not noticed before! This year marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the museum! There are also commemorative events planned, so please come and visit.
And here is the performance by Ms. Yumiko Ogino! Before Christmas, why not enjoy the solemn and beautiful sounds of the organ?
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Congratulations on the 40th anniversary of the opening!
Organ Promenade Concert vol.346
[Date] December 11, 2015 (Friday)
[Time] 12:20~ (Doors open at 12:00)
[Venue] Kanagawa Prefectural Hall Small Hall
[Performer] Yumiko Ogino (organ)
[Fee] (All seats unreserved) Free
*Preschool children are not allowed to enter.
[Inquiries] Venue: 045-633-3798
