Symphonic Mazuyumi

Synopsis

One of the preeminent figures in 20th century Japanese concert music was a composer named Toshiro Mayuzumi, born in Yokohama in 1929.

The range of his music reflects a curious turn of mind. He wrote pieces in a neo-Romantic mode, experimented with electronic music and jazz, composed aggressively avant-garde works, and scored music for theater and both Japanese and American films. In 1958, he composed a "Nirvana Symphony," inspired by the haunting sound of Japanese temple bells.

"For the past few years," wrote Mayuzumi, "I feel as if I have been possessed by bells. I wonder why it is that, no matter how splendid a piece of music may be, it sounds totally faded and worthless when set beside the lingering resonance of a temple bell."

The "Nirvana" Symphony of 1958 was followed up with another orchestral work inspired by Buddhist themes, a "Mandala Symphony," which premiered in Tokyo on today's date in 1960.

Mayuzumi collaborated on a number of projects with the nationalistic writer, Yukio Mishima, who, to protest what he considered the weakness of contemporary Japanese society, committed ritual suicide in 1970.

Mayuzumi's 1976 opera, "Kinkakuji," or "The Golden Pavilion," is based on a novel by Mishima, which, thanks to a New York City Opera production in 1995, became the first Japanese grand opera to be staged in the U.S.

Toshiro Mayuzumi died in 1997, at the age of 68.

Music Played in Today's Program

Toshiro Mayazumi ( 1929 - 1997) Nirvana Symphony Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony; Hiroyuki Iwaki, cond. Denon 78839

On This Day

Births

• 1851 - French composer Vincent d'Indy, in Paris;

• 1892 - American composer and arranger Ferde Grofé, in New York;

Deaths

• 1757 - possible death date for the Bohemian-born composer and violinist Johann (Jan) Wenzel (Waczlaw /Václav) Anton (Antonin/Antonín) Stamitz, age 39, in Mannheim; He was buried in Mannheim on March 30;

• 1975 - British composer Sir Arthur Bliss, age 83, in London;

Premieres

• 1745 - Handel: oratorio "Belshazzar," at the King's Theater in London (Gregorian date: April 7);

• 1897 - Rachmaninoff: Symphony No. 1, in St. Petersburg, conducted by Alexander Glazunov (Julian date: Mar. 15);

• 1914 - Vaughan Williams: original version of Symphony No. 2 ("A London Symphony"), at Queen's Hall in London;

• 1917 - Puccini: opera "La Rondine" (The Swallow), in Monte-Carlo at the Opéra du Casino;

• 1925 - Edward Joseph Collins: Piano Concerto No. 1 in Eb, by the Chicago Symphony, Frederick Stock conducting and the composer as soloist;

• 1960 - Mayuzumi: "Mandala-Symphonie," in Tokyo;

• 1984 - Andrew Lloyd Webber: musical "Starlight Express," in London;

• 2001 - Kevin Volans: String Quartet No. 6, in London, by the Vanbrugh Quartet;

Others

• 1808 - Franz Joseph Haydn makes his last public appearance at a performance of his oratorio "The Creation" in Vienna in honor of the composer's approaching 76th birthday; Beethoven and Salieri attend the performance and greet Haydn.