浅井暁子

第2章
Lecture Concert in New York

how the composer narrows down her themes, or the traditional Uzbek songs used as subject matter—but I also
considered the factors that might have caused her willingness to use traditional materials, such as the environment
surrounding musicians during the time of the Uzbek Soviet
Socialist Republic when her grandfather was a composer,or the educational system—still heavily influenced by theformer Soviet Union—that she was educated under. The
former Soviet Union is said to have sought to revive tradi図2

レクチャー・コンサート・フライヤー

tional music as a way for citizens to identify with their nation. Aside from disseminating traditional music throughThis research, “The influences of ethnicity on the musicalTV and radio, they gathered top-notch performers fromidioms of contemporary composers,” considers the work by

across the country to create many memorable recordings,

composer Polina Medyulyanova from Uzbekistan, and how

and actively promoted collaborations between musicians of

her work can inform the expressive potential of JapaneseWestern classical music and musicians of traditional music,

composers.

creating spaces for mutual understanding. The music educa-

The research was conducted by receiving musical scorestion system also reflected this policy. Students specializing

and other valuable materials directly from the composer, as

in Western classical music had to take many classes onwell as through electronic correspondence. The traditional

traditional music, and students specializing in traditional

Uzbek music and ceremonies that are indispensable frag-music similarly had to take many classes in different sub-ments of her creative process were also researched during ajects. (Polina Medyulyanova speaks in the past tense when

visit to Tashkent, Uzbekistan in May 2012. Through work-

speaking about materials from her student years. How

shops with musicians coordinated byAlexander Djumaev,

things will change in the future, or if they could even change

an ethnomusicologist in traditional Bukhara music; visits toat all, is still unclear). Thus, the former Soviet Union’s efforts

the office of State Conservatory professor Zamira Suyunova;

to study traditional Uzbek music and increase its appeal re-and a chance, if short, session with Abduvasid Toshpulatov

sulted in the formation of musicians without strong biases.

of the traditional instrument orchestra, in a span of only

However, whether because of a strong movement to re-twenty days I was able to learn about the depths of maqom,

turn to Uzbek culture after the country’s independence, orborn of Central Asian traditions but with which I had no

because the economic stability needed to support art andprevious contact. By transcribing the performances I re-

culture has yet to be attained, the once influential culturalcorded during my visit and analyzing each piece’s structure

metropolis of Tashkent is sadly showing signs of a decline

and modality, I was able to learn directly from the musicin the quality of its Western classical music. Even Victor

itself about the connections between maqoms and the folk

Medyulyanov, who conducts a chamber orchestra (Ministry

songs imbued with maqom characteristics. The scope of myof Culture and Sports affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan)understanding was limited by the brevity of my research,that provided the only truly moving performance during my

but I did find hints of how I should regard traditional music

stay, notes that his group is struggling to support its activi-

in Asia, and traditional music in Japan.

ties. Though some might think about returning to the pe-

I analyzed the pieces not just in terms of their music—54

riod before the former Soviet Union’s influence, the truth isLecture Concert in New York

that we cannot wipe away the enormous achievements thatthe former Soviet Union did for traditional culture. How weaccept and scrutinize this change is an issue to be resolved.
The musicologist Alexander Djumaev, who assisted me withmy research, also asks this question.
How they came to be so confident in their ethnicity andidentity is certainly of concern to us Japanese, who face thesame issues. How many Japanese people living in Japan appreciate the charm of traditional Japanese music, are proudin their country’s culture, and are in touch with that culture?

写真 26 演奏するルードマン氏と大田氏

It has been approximately ten years since opportunities toexperience traditional music and Japanese instruments have

Programbeen introduced into school curricula, thanks to the struggles of the ethnomusicologist Fumio Koizumi and others.

Pre-Concert Talk: Cultural Resources in the composition

But I’d guess that most music teachers still subconsciously
think that music that can be written on five-line staves is su-

Speaker: Rica Narimoto, Mikayo Hojo and Akiko Asai

perior to other forms of music. With the majority of teach-

Interpreter: Ruka Shironishi

ers of that mindset, just how many students and children
are going to be able to feel their Japanese ethnicity throughConcertmusic? Even Asai felt a sense of danger in having been immersed in a Japanese education system that is exclusively

AKIKO ASAI		

devoted to Western music, and desperately tried to bridge

The Air Sculpture by Alto Saxophone and Accordion

this divide. As Kotoko Fukunaka points out in her work,(2009)

Chronicles from the “Music from Japan Festival”—Music and
1)

TOSHIO HOSOKAWA

Voyages to the Unknown , it has come to the point that even

Melodia (1979)

Japanese people have to try hard to come in contact with

RICA NARIMOTO“Japanese traditional music”. Our society has either realized

Catalogue III for solo accordion (2012)

this and is ignoring it, or has not even realized it at all. Now,

*Commissioned Work

this Japanese cultural resource that is unique in the world

MIKAYO HOJO		

exists as distant from us as it is to those living abroad, or to

Kagiroi: Shimmer – For Accordion and Cello (2011)

those foreigners who do not speak Japanese.

AKIKO ASAI

By learning from Polina Medyulyanova’s use of tradi-

The Resonated Voice (2011)tional Uzbek materials to create new pieces, I learned thather unique expressions are made possible by an ear that

Performers:

is fully open to the materials that surround her, and by an

TOMOMI OTA, Accordion

expert eye for beauty that can value, use, and sort through

TIMOTHY RUEDEMAN, Alto Saxophoneobtained information without prejudice. With an approach

MICHAEL NICOLAS, Violoncellolike hers, you must first learn that it takes time and effort tofeel the preciousness and appeal of the object through yourown sensibility. With the September 2012 lecture concert in

Program note

New York City, Asai suggests that Japanese composers also
face the cultural resources of their own country, and con-

The Air sculpture by Alto Saxophone and Accordion

nect these resources to new forms of creative expression, as(2009)

Polina Medyulyanova does.
55

浅井

暁子

In this series, I extracted many materials from Itchu-Bushi
by listening to a lot of songs and disjointed them smaller. I
composed “CATALOGUE III for solo accordion” using theirsmall materials.
For example there is a pattern called Nagashi. In this pattern, Shamisen is played the same pitch using an open stringwith accelerando. At the same time Joruri singer sings longtone with very slowly glissando. And I disjointed the Na写真 27

演奏後の大田氏と壇上にのぼる成本氏

gashi to seven small materials.

I was fascinated by the animated sound of Accordion pro-

1.Shamisen: play the same pitch many times

duced by the air, when I first listened to the real sound2.Shamisen: accelerandoof the instrument. The inhaled air is exhaled through the

3.Shamisen: play with ritardando at the last two or three

reeds shaping the phantasmagoric sounds. Although thenote of accelerando

Accordion is a one of keyboard instruments, the vocalized

4.Shamisen&Joruri: keep on quartet-tone intervalsound is changeable with complete control. The voice can beetc...

sometimes a whisper, sometimes a scream. Alto-Saxophoneis also considered as an extremely expressive instrument

I composed using one material from these small materials

and widely used in various genres of music. In this work I

or combining some materials.

focused on the breathing of two instruments, and I gave thistitle hoping their sound would create the airy sculpture in

In this piece the materials are displayed like a catalogue. So

the performance space. The musical structure of this work is

I applied the title “Catalogue”. And the title of each small

based on a poem titled “Traum vom Gesichtertausch” frompiece is the name of way to play Shamisen or the pattern of

Doktor Erich Kästners Lyrische Hausapotheke (1936). …

Shamisen music. The followings are each title and the small

Where is my face? ...What is my face? …

materials used at composing.

About “Catalogue III for solo accordion” (2012)

I.

Rica Narimoto“Catalogue III for solo accordion” was composed for thiscalled Sawari
II.

Suri-a: very small soundIII.

Neribach: particular way of playing theconcert. This piece is a part of the series under the same
title, “Catalogue”.

shamisen in Itchu-bushi
IV.

In recent years, I composed with inspiration from Itchubushi, a genre of Japanese traditional music. ‘Itchu-bushi’

Sawari: Playing open strings with noise

Suri-b: the noise sound from rubbing thestring with finger

V.

Nagashi: accelerando on same pitch

was initiated by Miyako Itchu I in Kyoto and developed in
Edo(Tokyo) during the second half of the 17th century. It

Some of my recent works were based upon my analysis ofusually consists of Joururi, a certain type of narrative chant-

Itchu-bushi. The immediate aim of my analysis is NOT toing, and a certain number of accompanying Shamisens, themimic its sounds by western musical media, but to acquire

number dependent upon the case. The Shamisen is a tra-new compositional methodologies and a new perspective on

ditional three-stringed instrument, shaped quite similarly

my creativity. In this way, I am aiming to demonstrate myto the guitar but played by a plectrum called Bachi. In my

cultural identity. In fact, my composition is a cross-cultural

works, there are some series like “catalogue”.

project fusing the West and the East. Hopefully, my attempts
will indicate some solutions to the issues surrounding com-56

Lecture Concert in New YorkJapan in last March had a great impact on my thinking andcomposing. As a Japanese, I choose the image of “Kagiroi”
to express “dawn” more than “spark”, which has long beenused by poets of “pillow word.” This is the work composed
to pray the coming of the “dawn.”
The Resonated Voice (2011)
For the last few years, I have continually sought ways to
写真 28

bridge the gap between the music I like to write and the

演奏するニコラス氏と大田氏

music that resonates with my heart. This work uses the archetypes of the two modes “ryô” and “ritsu” as its main ma-posers in the current cross-cultural environment.

terial, and the sounds are layered on top of each other. These
Kagiroi（ か ぎ ろ い ）: Shimmer—For Accordion andmodes were introduced to Japan from China together with

Cello—(2011)“shômyô” which is considered one of the roots of Japanese
vocal expression. The layers are controlled by projecting the

The etymology of “Kagerô”( 陽 炎 ) is “Kagiroi.” It origi-

opposing natures of “ryô” and “ritsu” (heaven and earth, left

nated from “Kagiruhi” which means sparkle. Also “Kagiroi”

and right, man and woman…) on the dualities of the ac-indicates a state of the light of dawn. It is the incipient lightcordion such as the right and left buttons and the expansionof the day we can see before sunrise, the sky was suffusedand compression of the bellows.

with rich red and blue colors. It seems to be a natural phe-

As a whole, this work is an experiment to see if the use

nomenon and only appears on clear days of severe winters.

of the aforementioned sound materials for me to express

The word “Kagiroi” can be used to indicate either “spring”

musical elements which I believe to be a source of my emo-

2)or “burning” in Japanese poetry — “Makura Kotoba ,” thetional support (such as long phrases, controlled transition,“pillow word.” Also, this word is generally applied in thecontinuous sequence, etc.) can produce “music” that reso-

composition of “Waka”—a type of traditional Japanesenates with my heart”. Almost all the musical elements are

3)poem. The poet Kakinomoto no Hiromaro composed aunder the composer’s control, but the opening of the valves

poem to describe the scene of “Kagiroi,” according to “Man-and the vibration of the reeds inside the accordion cannot

4)yoshû ,” as follows:

be controlled even by the performer. This observable fact
makes one realize that it is the flow of air that produces the“ 東の野にかぎろひの立つ見えてかえり見すれば月かsounds. I named the work “The Resonated Voice” in the

たぶきぬ ”

hope that the sounds imbued with soul will effectively reach

Himugashi no no ni kagiroi no tatsu miete kaerimi sureba

people’s hearts as in the case of human voices.

tsuki katabukinu
On the eastern plain is seen a flickering of glowing dawn:

About Performers

Looking back, I see the moon setting in the west.
Tomomi Ota began playing the piano at an early age, andWhen I composed this work, I imagined the blending of the

took up the accordion at the age of ten under Noboru Emo-tone colors of accordion and cello, and I considered the pos-ri. After graduating from the Senior High School of Kunita-

sibility of expressing the sound and melody line through thechi College of Music in piano, she moved to Germany andcolors of the word “Kagiroi.” But in the process of compos-

studied the accordion at Hochschule für Musik Detmold

ing, the image of “dawn” became all the more clear in myAbt. Dortmund (Accordion Education Department) andmind. Like many other persons, the earthquake of eastern

Folkwang Hochschule Essen (Artists Course). In February
57

浅井

暁子

2009, she passed the “Konzertexamen” at Folkwang Hoch-

Ensemble, the New Hudson Saxophone Quartet, Flexible

schule Essen with highest honours. She studied with Prof.

Music, and The Walkmen for the Naxos, Helicon, Allegro

Mie Miki. Furthermore, from October 2007, she studied forRecords, New Focus Records, and CC’nC labels.

a short period with Grzegorz Stopa at the Konservatorium

Dr. Ruedeman has served on the faculty of the Oberlin Con-

Wien Privatuniversität. In 2002, she won third prize at theservatory of Music, NYU, Long Island University, William

Third JAA International Accordion Competition (Advanced

Paterson University, and Montclair State University, andSection). Having returned to Japan in summer 2009, she hasreceived his BA in English Literature from Oberlin College,

performed widely as a soloist, as well as in chamber mu-

BM in music performance from the Oberlin Conservatory

sic and with orchestras. She is active in collaborating withof Music, and MA and PhD in music performance fromcomposers in creating new works, and has also performed

New York University.

in music for the stage. Currently, she teaches accordion at
Ongaku Center Co., Ltd. and is a trustee of the Japan Accor-

Canadian cellist Michael Nicolas, a rising star of his genera-

dion Association. Official site: www.tomomiota.net

tion, is a dynamic performer on the classical and contemporary music scene. He performs across North America,

Saxophonist, Tim Ruedeman has performed throughout

Europe, and Asia, in collaboration with many renowned

the United States, Western Europe, and Asia. The Phiadel-arists and ensembles, including the Met Chamber Ensemble,

phia Inquirer wrote, “Tim Ruedeman’s saxophone solos

Speculum Musicae, Musicians from Marlboro, Metropolis

were the evening’s tour de force. He proved the extreme

Ensemble, the Da Capo Chamber Players, and the East

virtuosity required for playing slowly and softly, and the

Coast Chmber Orchestra (ECCO). Nicolas is a frequent

intricacy of holding a tone.” Recent and upcoming seasons

guest at music festivals such as Bridgehampton, Marlboro,

include performances at the Lincoln Center Festival, Ken-

Ravinia, and Chmber Music Northwest. From 2008-10 henedy Center, Avery Fisher Hall, Late Show with David Let-

was Associate Principal Cellist of the Montreal Symphonyterman, Symphony Space, and the Bang On A Can Mara-

Orchestra, but decided to leave the tenured position to pur-thon. Mr. Ruedeman has appeared as soloist with the S.E.M.

sue a more multifaceted career path and to dedicate more

Ensemble, Greenwich Symphony, Manhattan Chamber Or-

time and energy to contemporary music.Nicolas has worked

chestra, and Hanover Wind Symphony, and as an orchestralwith distinguished composers such as Milton Babbitt, El-

and chamber performer with the New York Philharmonic,

liott Carter, Mario Davidovsky, Joan Tower, and John Zorn,

Long Island Philharmonic, Charleston Symphony, Bridge-

as well as many of his own generation, He is a member ofport Symphony, Philharmonia Virtuosi, Absolute Ensemble,

the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE). Born andImani Winds, North-South Consonance, the New Sousa

raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Nicolas made his concerto

Band, Desshoff Choir, Cantori NY, the Russian Chamber

debut with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 1999, andChoir of NY, and the Merce Cunningham Dance Company.

returns there regularly to perform. He is a graduate of the

A committed performer of new music, Mr. Ruedeman has

Juilliard School, where his teachers and mentors included

given the premieres of over sixty new works and is a mem-David Soyer, Fred Sherry, Harvey Shpiro, and Aldo Parisot.

ber of the new-music ensemble Flexible Music and the New

He lives in New York City.

Hudson Saxophone Quartet.
Equally at home in commercial and jazz music Tim has
toured with rock legends The Cars, Todd Rundgren, Chris-

About Composers

topher Cross, Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Denny Laine of the
Moody Blues, Bo Bice of American Idol, Findlay Brown, andRica Narimoto was born in Wakayama prefecture, Japan,

The Walkmen; and has shared the stage with jazz legends

she completed her M.A. at the Aichi Prefectural University

Muhal Richard Abrams, Ned Rothenberg, Billy Drewes,of Fine Arts and Music, graduating at the top of her class

Bruce Arnold, and Peter Erskine. Mr. Ruedeman can be

and receiving the University’s prestigious Kuwabara Prize.

heard on recordings with the Absolute Ensemble, S.E.M.

She studied under Takayuki Morikawa, Akihiko Matsui, Bin

58

Lecture Concert in New York

Kaneda, Keiki Okasaka and Naoyuki Terai, and after graduation she continued to study at several master course underPhilippe Manoury, Joji Yuasa and Tomoyuki Hisatome.
Her music has been performed at many countries, Japan,
the Netherlands (Gaudeamus Music Week), Germany, Austria, Egypt(Alexandrina Contemporary Music Biennale),
Ukraine(the International Festival of Modern Art TWO
DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS OF NEW MUSIC/2D2N), theUnited States etc. and she has won a number of importantcompetitions including the 2008 Irino Prize. Her work com-

写真 29 レクチャー時の客席の様子

bines contemporary music composition techniques withthe traditional rhythmical structures of the 17th Century

Violin and Violoncello (CD; Composer Group Cue Works

Japanese Itchu-Bushi form in order to create abstractions

ALCD-70 )of space and time and produce a unique musical signature. She got a grant from the Asian Cultural Council in

Akiko Asai was born in 1977, in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka,

the United States and stayed in New York for six-month in

Akiko Asai studied composition at Tokyo University of the2011, exploring the work of American composers who areArts, graduating in 2001. She then gained her M.A. at New

known for translating ideas of identity and multicultural-

York University Graduate School in 2004, and was the re-ism into distinctive musical styles. At the end of her stay incipient of the NYU Graduate Music Composition Awards.

NY, she had a recital,”Portrait concert : Rica Narimoto”, all

Since her student days, she has had a keen interest in con-works were her compositions including playing her works

temporary dance and composed works using various media,

by herself and it gained popularity. She is an also lecturer

including video and stage. She studied composition with Yo-

in the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music,

shiko Nosaka, Toshihiko Hisayuki, Shin Sato, Dinu Ghezzo

Kanazawa University and Kinjo Gakuin University.

and Justin Dello Joio. She is currently Associate Professor ofMusic at Kanazawa University, where she has been research-

Mikayo Hojo was born in Ehime in 1972. She studied com-ing “Shomyo” as a researcher of the Research center for the

position at Tokyo University of the Arts and its graduate

International Cultural Resources.

school, gaining her Ph.D. While she was an undergradu-

Recent her works include “N-opera Macbeth” for fourate student, she was awarded the Ataka Prize. Other prizes

Soloists, piano and three percussions (2004: New York,

include Achievement Award at the “Competition for Or-

2006:London), “Rukoshinso” for Soprano, Mezzo Sopranochestral Song set to Works by the Three Literary Greats ofand Piano (2007), “Under the Mask II for String Orchestra

Ishikawa” and finalist at the 11th Tokyo International Com-(2009), “Ishikawa Folk Song Series” for six Violoncellos

petition for Chamber Music Composition. She studied com-(2011)

position with Shohachi Yokoyama, Kenjiro Urata, Manabu
Kawai, Izumi Yamada and Kaoru Koyama. She is currently

Interviews with Composers in Pre-Concert Talk

Associate Professor at Nara University of Education.
Major Works: 5 Songs on the Poems of Saisei Muro (pre-Asai（以後 A と記載）:

miered by Hiroyuki Iwaki and the Orchestra Ensemble

There are two different opinions about having a lecture ofKanazawa in 2001, and performed again in 2006 by Jean-

concert; one is that understanding compositional concept

Pierre Wallez and the same orchestra); Opera Yôsei no utau

would help you enjoy the music deeper, the other is that it

Shima (premiered by Ehime Kenmin Opera, Shinji Mori-

would take away the fresh impression from you. Many Japa-

guchi (conductor), Machiko Kunimatsu (director) in 2004);

nese musicians don’t often talk or explain too much, because

Haru no Aosa ni (premiered by Hiroshi Wakasugi and thewe believe that the music is the only way to show the com-

Geidai Philharmonia in 2007); Duo ~in a strained time~ forposers’ intention. However, here in NY, I try to follow the
59

浅井

暁子

American manner. I know that many composers do havesical music. In the program note you show us one of yourlogical explanations of their music, so I try to bring them toanalysis on “itchu-bushi,” which is Nagashi, melodic inflex-

you. I hope this talk will be the light for you to explore newions and developing each characteristic fragments.

sounds.

Could you explain another way of analysis?

I introduce to you two Japanese composers from Japan, Rica
Narimoto and Mikayo Hojo. I would like to hear about theN:works we are going to listen to today.

The “Catalogue”, that is performed today, is the third series
of using Itchu-bushi. Before this series, I composed with the

As Ms. Narimoto tells in the program note, she has beenother way.

researching and analyzing the Japanese traditional musicalAs I have mentioned earlier, I composed using the curvy

form “Itchu-bushi” for several years and trying to combine

lines from graphic notation. For example, the second series

the materials into her works.

is under the same title, Trace.

Could you tell us about when you first met “Itchu-bushi”and

The naming of the series Trace came from my attempt to

how you felt about it?

‘trace’ the melodic inflexions of ‘Itchu-Bushi’ and to incorporate it into my composition. All the pieces in the series

Narimoto（以後 N と記載）:

are based on the curved lines which I acquired while record-

About 10 years ago, I went to the Contemporary Music Fes-

ing the melodic inflexions of Itchu-bushi. For instance, thetival in Austria. In that festival, Japanese Contemporary Mu-

first piece in this Trace series, the string instruments always

sic was focused. The main subject was contemporary music,

play glissando tracing the curvy lines on the graphic nota-

however, Japanese Traditional Music was performed at few

tion. My compositional approach for Trace series was to beconcerts. At that concert, I listened to the Itchu-Bushi musicquite faithful to the original Itchu-bushi music in terms of

performed by Miyako Itchu 12th who is the present head ofthe melodic inflexions shown by the line chart. In this series

Itchu-bushi school. I don’t know why, but when I listened

I was focusing on the melodic inflexions of Icthu-Bushi mu-

to that music, I was very very moved. And I asked him tosic.

teach me how to play the shamisen instrument and about
Itchu-bushi. Then I started to learn about that music. The

A:

Shamisen is a traditional three stringed

instrument. As I

I would like to know whether your goal is to represent thestudied, I noticed that music has interesting structure. And I

same power of impression in your work to create a com-hoped to know why that music is interesting. Then I started

pletely different value of arts by inherited art elements.

to analyze.

I attempted to record a variety of Itchu-bushi

in western music notation.

However, this turned out toN:

be impossible since Itchu-bushi contains many microtones

At first, this is most important thing.

and is in an irregular meter – in fact, the music never is in

The immediate aim of my analysis of Itchu-bushi is not toa measured time. These things are fascinating for me. Aftermimic its sounds by western musical media, but to acquirea few unsuccessful attempts, I ventured to make a graphic

new compositional methodologies and a new perspective

notation. When I watched that graphic notation, like a line

on my creativity. I compose using the materials from Itchu-

chart, I thought of an idea using the result of analysis for my

Bushi all right, but it is one of my compositional approches.

composition.

I like Itchu-Bushi very mych. But as a composer, it is one of
the means of composing. For instance, in my other works,

A:

I’m composing inspired by art works, poet, literature, etc.

It is really interesting that you met Japanese traditional arts

I hope to find my own unique compositional approaches.

out of country, but it happens very often, because you don’t

On the other hand, hopefully, my attempts using Japaneseoften get to see traditional arts, even if you live in Japan. We

traditional music will indicate some solutions to the issues

realize how much we are influenced by western-based clas-

surrounding composers in the current cross-cultural envi-

60

Lecture Concert in New Yorkronment.

network in other Asian countries. This is my treasure.”A:

A:

Lastly, Ms. Narimoto spent six months in NY as an AsianThank you very much.

Cultural Council grantee last year. Did you get new ideas foryour music or meet anything that made you change?

A:
Next, I would like to ask Ms. Hojo about her works.

N:

I heard that you take it important to listen to the sound you

Fortunately, last year I stayed here as a grantee of Asian Cul-

write and you find which direction the sound demands totural Council for six months. During my stay, I attended 213

go and what kind of harmony the sound wants for next. This

cultural events in NY and California, and I met a lot of great

strategy is seen in master Japanese composers.

musicians. They gave me a strong inspiration.

It’s maybe very intuitive and impossible to explain by words.

Before coming to New York, I never felt like expressing

Could you tell us how you do so?

myself by playing my music in concert. Many wonderfulperformers played my pieces and they made me happy. But

Hojo（以後 H と記載）:

New York has changed me. It was the first time to hope that

感覚的に音を並べていく作業をしているので、こうI play my work by myself. and I had a recital in NY. She

いった法則性があります、というのを説明するのはと

was also inspired to perform her own music in concert forても難しいのですが、ただ近年、創作する際同じ動機

the first time. Accompanied by violinist and fellow grantee

がまるで異なる方向性を目指す、ということを考えて(2007) Amy Iwazumi and bassoonist Shotaro Mori, Narimo-

います。一つはどんどん厳しい方向へ追いつめて、響to played her first concert in New York City on September

き、倍音構造も緊張感の高いものとして提示する、一17, 2011, at the Renee Weiler Concert Hall at the Greenwich

つはどんどん響きを解放して昇華させていく方向を提House Music School.

示する、というものです。こちらは倍音構造も協和し、“Before coming to New York,” she wrote, “I never felt like

緩めていくので、快く響くのではないかと思われます。

expressing myself by playing my music in concert. Many

特に、この「響きを解放する」時に用いる和音は、少wonderful performers played my pieces and they made me

し雅楽で用いられる笙の和音（合竹）に似ている部分

happy. But New York has changed me.” At the end of herがあるな、と自分でも感じることがあります。もちろtime in New York, Narimoto shared, “It was very significant

ん、私の場合は意識的に用いているわけではないので、

to have shared much time [in the U.S.] with many ACC

全く一致するというわけではないのですが、音の塊と

grantees from Asia because they are all professionals and ex-

して用いる際の音域は高音域で、音程関係にも類似す

perts in different fields. They are wonderful teachers of their

る点があります。笙は個人的にもとても好きな楽器で、

own fields and their own countries. Now I have a strong

様々な現代作曲家も笙の音列や和音を作品創作に取り入れているため、出会う機会もおおいのですが、私も自らの創作の際に影響を受けている、無意識に用いているのかもしれません。
A:
I know your music consists of very rich and colorful harmonies and poetic melodies. When the composers startcomposing atonal music, they try to keep themselves fromrelying on beautiful melodies and harmonies.

写真 30

作曲家に対するインタビューの様子
Shironishi 氏、北條氏、成本氏、浅井

写真右からFor me it seems to be a challenge to compose music withthose elements.
Could you explain to us what you regard ‘Uta,’ Japanese po61

浅井

暁子

etic sense, and how you’ve reached that way?

A:
I’m interested in the titles of your works. You often titleH:

your works in very difficult even to read Kanji characters. If「前衛」といわれる作品に、旋律がないものが多いこ

you have a certain reason why you choose Hiragana for thisとに、私は現代音楽の作曲を始めた頃とても疑問に

work, not Kanji ?

思っていました。でも、数は少ないのかもしれません
が日本人の作品には旋律のあるものがたくさんありまH:す。それは、日本人の伝統音楽のスタイルからくる影

これまでは、主に、漢詩が語源になっている複数の意

響のように私は思えます。日本の伝統音楽、邦楽では味を持つ漢字をタイトルに用いることが多かったので

旋律、日本では「うた」と呼ばれるのですが、この「うた」

すが、今回は初めてひらがなを用いました。この「かだけ、もしくは主に「うた」が中心になって音楽が進ぎろひ」というのは日本の古い詩、「和歌」で用いらめられるものが多く存在します。三味線やお琴は歌いれる枕詞です。この枕詞というものは特定の語の前にながら演奏することも多いですし、尺八は旋律のライ

置いて語調を整えたり、情緒を添える言葉、修辞法のンだけで音楽が進められます。１９７０年代に活躍し一つです。枕詞として用いられる際にはひらがなを使た日本人作曲家の作品に「うた」が存在するのはここうので、今回はあえてひらがなを用いています。
「かからの影響もかなりあるのではないかと思います。私

ぎろひ」はもともと、ちらちら光る火が語源になっては、もちろん旋律のない作品を否定するものではありいるのですが、ひらがなで用いた場合は、もう一つのませんが、自身はこういった「うた」がある作品に魅意味、夜明け方の光、日の出一時間ほど前に見られる力を感じました。ですから、こういったスタイルを自最初の光、この意味に近くなると思います。こちらの分の語法で継承していていこうと思い、あえて「うイメージを強くもって今回の作品は創作しました。

た」のある作品を書き続けていますし、これからもそういった作品を作り続けたいと思っています。私にし* 北條美香代氏のコメントについては、当日 Ruka Shi-

か書けない「うた」を創作することを目指しています。

ronishi 氏が通訳して参加者に伝えた。

A:A:

As you told us, you have researched the mutual effectives

Thank you very much.

between words and music of Albarn Berge’s works.
Could you tell us how his works influenced you?
H:

The efforts of contemporary composers
Today, the productions of the composers taken up in

私は、博士論文の研究でアルバン・ベルクの Op.4、

this concert program will deepen understanding of ‘cultural

アルテンベルク歌曲集におけるテクストと音楽との関resources’ from everyone’s individual perspectives. This ele-

連性について調査しました。それで見えてきたことはたくさんあるのですが、そこからいくつか例を挙げると、例えば詩の重要な言葉を音楽的なクライマックスと一致させ、重要な言葉を印象的に響かせるために、
わざと粘着性をもってクライマックスをずらす工夫、
逆に空白の時間、「間」を取り入れるなどといった工夫を取り入れているということでした。これは、もちろん私の声楽作品の中で直接的にも生かされています
し、それだけではなく器楽作品において、先ほども述べた「うた」の旋律線を創作するときに、旋律の持久力を伸ばす、といったことで取り入れたりしています。

62

写真 31

北條氏と言葉を交わすルーシュ氏

Lecture Concert in New York

ment changes into musical idioms by its unique methods
and is incorporated into its expressions.
Mr. Toshio Hosokawa is a composer who is currently
in the spotlight. In many interviews, he has said that while
in Germany, he was charmed by the essence of Japaneseculture. He has been studying its appeal through his grandfather, who mastered flower arrangement, and his mother,
who plays the Koto. Also, I present the following as themes
which are valued in the music he produces*:・・

写真 32 コンサート後の様子

Breathing (exhaling-inhaling) – the most significancein Zen meditation『OUR AUDIENCE CONSISTS OF ALL PEOPLE』(Roche,

You go from nothing, from the zero point, and come (to2010) -- 第 5 回 Roche Commissions award in 2008 を受け

nothing, the zero point)取った細川俊夫氏と H. Hoffmann-La Roche, Ltd. の・

Nature and the experience I get from it

Jacky Vonderscher によるインタビュー（March 8,

・

When I say nature, by that I mean not only external

2010 in Basel）電子冊子

phenomena like waves, wind, and the sea but also inner
nature.
・

The Japanese word for nature (“shizen”) actually meansa “source,” “to be according to one’s own nature.”

William Robin「Haunting Unpredictability」(New YorkTimes, 2011)
Carme Miro
(Sonograma「Interview with Toshio Hosokawa」
Magazine, 2011)
Conversation Video「Toshio Hosokawa and Stefan Dohr」

Despite these being ideas Japanese have inherited from

(The Berlin Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall)time immemorial, I want to point out that they have been

Toshio Hosokawa「Melodia」(Col legno『Toshio Hoso-lost while rapidly absorbing European and American ideas.

kawa』, 1998) 作品解説

Japanese people do not know Japanese culture, nor do theyknow the depth of European culture. While they do not

Ms. Rica Narimoto is a composer who has performed

understand the differences in the roots of each culture, Japa-

productions all over the world. In 2011, she received a grantnese composers seek to create the same sound as European

from the Asian Cultural Council, and for six months stayed

composers. I fear these composers are those who do not try

in New York doing creative activities. In recent years, she

to find their own music. In this, Mr. Hosokawa decided tohas been composing productions from the inspiration she

also be involved with master-student relationships which he,got from a type of “joruri,” a traditional music in which thewho cannot approve of complete imitations, himself experi-

narrator recites poetry and prose with a shamisen accom-

enced.

paniment, called “Itchu-bushi”.-”CATALOGUE III for solo

Today’s musical performance, “Melodia,” is a production

accordion,” to be performed for the first time today, is one

telling how Mr. Hosokawa was inspired by the free-reedin a series of productions made in the middle of analysis of

instruments used in Japanese court music. This production“Itchu-bushi” which extends to her many layers, with a fo-

was dedicated to accordionist Ms. Mie Miki, who first per-cus on the named playing method. She finely analyzes each

formed it in the November of 1979 in Hanover. She wrote

playing method she adopts based on their characteristics,

in her blog, “Mr. Helmut Lachenmann, who listened to myand finishes up the production by making each element de-first performance at the time, said to me, ‘Probably no one

velop and changing their assembly. By establishing a unique

can write accordion music superior to this anymore’. Unfor-

perspective and way of composing which has both Western

tunately, Mr. Hosokawa is not writing”.

and Oriental sections, she is trying to discover her own expression.

* 参考文献Ms. Mikayo Hojo is a composer who stresses the produc63

浅井

暁子

ing of “melody=song”. Starting with opera, she powerfully

unclear. But it was wildly-accepted that “Manyoshû” was collectedcomposed and presents many vocal music. Using Alban

between the latter half of the 7th century and that of the 8th century,

Berg’s productions as an example, from the image of sounds

and the editor was said to be Ômoto no Yakamochi.

that stand out and thorough analysis of Western music,
such as his finished essays regarding the cooperation of text
and music, he composes pieces frequently using a balanced
intuition, following carefully the sounds which he demands
next. This approach can also be found by listening to theexpression of “inner voice”. Mr. Toshio Hosokawa speaks ofthis “inner voice”, in which he is influenced by the approachof Japanese composers, who persistently drive themselvesto their limits with introspection. Regarding the inheritanceof traditional culture, it is not just the study of methodology itself, but is also close to expressions which one studies
by observing the master’s way of life and approaches. Her
production also has a characteristic of the title’s “hiragana”
becoming an element that creates the production’s image.
Each composer grasps Japan’s ‘cultural resources’ withdiffering perspectives, and from approaches, which arepresenting the expression of music according to individual
analysis and research, I think we may be able to exhibit the
new possibilities of ‘cultural resources’. That is the objectiveof today’s concert.

Special Thanks to:
Ruka Shironishi for Interpretation in Pre-Concert Talk
Megumi Yodomura for Concert Management
Kimiko Tsukuda for Postcard Design
Hanae Azuma for Recording
Fumio Tanai for Photography註1) 福中琴子『音楽、未知への旅 —— ミュージック・フロムジャ
パン音楽祭クロニクル』洪水企画を筆者が翻訳
2) “Makura Kotoba” is the rhetorical usage of “Waka.” It always put
specific word in the front to adjust the tone or add some kind of
atmosphere. It was used from the period “Manyoshû” prevailed.
3) The poet of Asuka Period (Bc. 592-710). His birth and death years
are both unknown, but he is the most famous Tanka poets of“Manyoshû”.
4) “Manyoshû” is the oldest collection of poems. It includes more than
4500 works composed by people of different social standing. The
actual date of colleting time and the identity of the editor were both64