Pietari Inkinen Press Conference - European Tour Report and Looking Ahead to the Next Season

Pietari Inkinen press conference report

2019June 6th (Thursday) Suginami Public Hall Grand Salon

Speakers/panelist:

Pietari Inkinen (Principal Conductor)
Toshikuni Hirai (Chairman)
Yukihiro Masumi (Planning and Production Department Manager)
Junko Kurahara (Interpreter)

1　About the 6th European Tour

Chairman Hirai Toshikuni (hereinafter Hirai):This European tour was the first in 13 years, and was a very high hurdle for the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, which is in a difficult financial situation. We had been determined to make it happen, and now it has finally come to fruition. This tour was made possible thanks to the support of many people.

I believe that experiencing different environments and acoustics in halls every day has made the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra physically, mentally, and musically tougher. Furthermore, with the conductor and musicians striving for the best possible acoustics in a variety of halls, I believe the orchestra's sound has naturally been refined to a richer, more mellow quality. It was a great surprise and delight for us to see that these invisible effects were clearly recognized at the Tokyo Regular Concert after the orchestra returned to Japan. The relaxed, natural sound that reverberated throughout the hall was the style that Inkinen had been striving for, and I believe it was one of the results of what we created together.

The Finland performance was not originally part of the tour plan. It was only thanks to the efforts of Pietari Inkinen, who personally took action and produced it, that it was made possible. This Finland performance was truly significant in that it marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Akio Watanabe, and we traveled to Finland for the first time with Finnish-born Principal Conductor Pietari Inkinen, and allowed the Japanese Philharmonic Orchestra to perform Sibelius for the first time in Finland. In Helsinki, many government dignitaries, including the former president, attended. In Kouvola, the entire city was invited to participate in the 10th anniversary celebrations of the city's founding, and many people, including the mayor and city council president, attended.

In Kouvola, we held a workshop for 80 local elementary school students and teachers. There was still snow in Kouvola, but we thought about how everyone should feel as spring arrived, singing Yuming's "Haru yo Koi" (Come Spring). We ended the workshop with Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons," inviting participants to think about the kinds of birds that might appear in spring. We also exhibited panels at all venues about our "Music for the Disaster Areas" initiative and the state of recovery in the disaster-stricken areas. We believe that this cultural exchange through music has blossomed greatly, including in diplomatic terms.

The orchestra grows during the tour, and as the relationship between conductor and orchestra narrows, they are able to produce great music. There are many things that go through life, but in the end, the greatness of these artists is their focus on creating something great. I personally was very happy to be able to experience this together with them.

This tour would not have been possible without choosing a tough schedule, but the conductor and musicians overcame it brilliantly and completed the project, and I believe that this experience will be a great asset for the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, which is currently undergoing a generational change.

Planning and Production Manager Yukihiro Masumitsu (hereafter referred to as Masumitsu):This tour marked the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Finland, the 150th anniversary of relations between Japan and Austria, and the Japan-UK Season of Culture. Despite the intense schedule, it was a valuable experience for the artists, stage staff, and administrative staff, and I believe it will be a valuable asset for the Japan Philharmonic's future activities. I would like to introduce the soloists who performed with us. Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason performed at the Royal Wedding, and the video of that performance was widely shown, making him extremely popular in the UK. I believe he is undoubtedly a rising star. Pianist Jonathan Biss also presented a wonderful approach to Beethoven, not shying away from a periodical approach. On the final day in Edinburgh, we performed with John Lill (a master who once recorded Rachmaninoff concertos with Professor Otaka), and he also came to our Tokyo regular concert. He delivered a truly captivating performance.

A major feature of this European tour was that at every venue we had a huge number of visitors, not just Japanese people but also local people.

Principal Conductor Pietari Inkinen (hereinafter Inkinen):Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you all for coming today. As Chairman Hirai mentioned, it is a great honor to have all of you here today, thanks to your ongoing support. First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the corporations and individuals who have provided such generous support in making this European tour a reality. I would also like to personally convey the same gratitude to Mr. Hirai. Without his efforts, this tour would not have been possible.

April 2019 was the most intense and focused month since my work with the Japan Philharmonic began. The pieces performed on this European tour, partly by coincidence, had many similarities to the pieces I played when I first performed with this orchestra 11 years ago. The performance of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 and the performance of Sibelius's work were also a program that reminded me of the time we first met, and I felt a connection.

The schedule was also extremely demanding. We had to travel almost every day and then perform there. However, despite this demanding schedule, everyone was focused and dedicated, facing the new environment and new hall every day, and they performed with an amazing attitude, sincerely engaging with the audience. We truly came together as a team and focused our energy on facing the new situation. I believe that by facing our common challenges, our bonds have become even stronger.

About the Finland performance

We had originally planned to perform in Finland, but it was canceled. I was very disappointed, and desperately wanted to perform in Finland, so I worked hard and fortunately the plans were rescheduled, and we were able to perform in Helsinki and, most importantly, in my hometown of Kouvola. Performing in Kouvola was a unique and wonderful opportunity, and I believe the audience understood and felt that it was a special occasion. It was a wonderful concert, and the warm applause we received from the audience and the wonderful opportunity it provided for the citizens and the gratitude of the people of Kouvola were all conveyed to us.

Of course, it is extremely significant in the history of the Japan Philharmonic that we were able to perform a concert in Finland. This is because the orchestra has been with Sibelius's Symphony No. 2 since the Japan Philharmonic began to make its mark under Professor Watanabe. Finally, a new chapter has been written in the history of the Japan Philharmonic with the performance in Finland. Personally, I would say that the performance in Finland was one of the highlights of my many collaborations with the Japan Philharmonic.

Changes in sound

There's no doubt that Vienna's Musikverein is a special venue, no matter what the circumstances. For us as members, it was a truly invaluable experience to experience what the Musikverein has to offer us and how it has transformed the orchestra. The very first note that rang out there was like a dream, and experiencing how the sound developed from there was an unforgettable, wonderful experience. It lingers in your ears forever, and it motivates you to maintain the quality you experienced there in the future. Even if you go to a venue with poor acoustics, it will inspire you to seek out that same quality. Once you've experienced the sound of the Musikverein, you'll never forget it. It was extremely important for us to be able to experience this together, and I believe that for our younger members in particular, performing in that venue was a wonderful experience that will be of great value to them in the future.

What was extremely interesting was when we returned to Japan and went to Suntory Hall for our triumphant return concert. Suntory Hall is, of course, a hall with fantastic acoustics, but after the tour, I had this strange feeling that the sound seemed somehow different than usual, and it was a surprise to us that not only I but the other band members felt the same way. Because Suntory Hall can't change in a month, it was our sound that had changed.

The significance of the tour

Another significant benefit of touring like this is the intense time we spend together. We talk a lot, occasionally have drinks together, and celebrate together, which I felt was extremely meaningful. Spending time differently from our usual schedules helps foster a sense of team spirit. In that sense, these few weeks made me realize how important touring is for the growth of the orchestra and the relationship between conductor and orchestra. Musically, tours like this also contribute greatly to building trust. Since we perform the same program repeatedly at many concerts, performing the same program in a different environment almost every day allows for various experiments. Musically, there's the potential for development during the tour, and new ideas can be tried quite spontaneously and spontaneously. This is possible only because the trust we build over time is deepened by spending time together.

Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to each and every person who worked hard to make this tour possible. Thanks to the wonderful organization, this tour was a wonderful, smooth and wonderful time.

2　About the 2019/2020 season

Inkinen: To celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, we will be performing a cycle of symphonies. It has been a long time since the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra performed a cycle of Beethoven's works at a regular concert. We have been on a journey through a wide range of repertoire, starting with Finland and including Mahler from Germany and Austria, but we thought now would be the right time to start performing the complete Beethoven works, so we have decided to perform them all.

We will also be performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto with two wonderful soloists: Volodin and Melnikov. We performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with these two soloists during our European tour, and it was a wonderful experience. While the same piece was performed by soloists with different personalities, this tour taught us how the orchestra can adapt quickly and flexibly, and how it can respond sensitively to soloists with different styles. I believe we will be able to demonstrate the same adaptability when performing with the two soloists in the Beethoven cycle.

We approached this tour with a repertoire we were confident in, and I believe that this is precisely why we were able to further develop and refine our fundamental quality. I am convinced that our sense of self as an orchestra has definitely increased, and I am proud that we were able to reach new heights and a high standard, especially in Sibelius's No. 2. We will approach the upcoming Beethoven cycle with this strong sense of self.

I also decided to combine Beethoven's works with Dvorak's, especially his rarely performed overtures. I have been performing with the Prague Symphony Orchestra for many years, which has deepened my connection with the Czech repertoire. I personally believe that these works are truly magnificent. I am also currently recording these works with the German Radio Symphony Orchestra, of which I am the principal conductor, so I wanted to perform this repertoire with the Japan Philharmonic.

I myself am looking forward to performing with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, and would be delighted if we could continue our musical journey together.

Masumi: I would like to present the current Beethoven that a modern orchestra can perform in a natural way. One of the words the maestro used was "Trust Music." I believe this means trusting both the music itself and the score itself. However, rather than a groundbreaking interpretation, I would like to present the maestro's current Beethoven with a natural interpretation, similar to the Sibelius and Wagner works you have heard so far. In addition to Dvorak, we will also be performing pieces by Czech composers such as Martinu, which we don't usually perform. As you know, the Japan Philharmonic has a long history of working with Czech conductors such as Smetáček and Bělohlávek. I hope you will pay attention to this.

3　-Q&A session

-When has the Japan Philharmonic previously performed a Beethoven cycle?

Benefits:Most recently, I performed with Maestro Kobayashi at Suginami Public Hall. Before that, I performed with Professor Watanabe (1982), and although it wasn't called a cycle, we ended up performing the entire piece.

-When I interviewed you three years ago, you said that you wanted to give the Japan Philharmonic more of a German Romantic feel. Could you please tell us what kind of feel you would like to give the Japan Philharmonic when they perform Beethoven next time?

Inkinen:I think it's a question of what kind of sound we're aiming for, and I believe that we'll only experience this as we continue to perform together in the future. Every orchestra has its own DNA, its own unique identity. In the case of the Japan Philharmonic, it has a very bright and delicate sound, and that will never change. I also believe that this tour has given us a great strength. That is the mutual trust we have in each other musically, and I believe that our future performances will develop based on that trust, and I believe that this will be fully demonstrated in the Beethoven cycle. There's no doubt that we will move in a direction that is fearless and full of energy.

-Is there any reason why Beethoven's Coriolan or Leonore are not being planned this time?

Inkinen:Unfortunately, it is not possible to incorporate an infinite number of things into a program. Of course, it would be possible to perform everything, including the overtures, in two years, but we decided that it would be more interesting to combine rare pieces by Dvorak with Czech repertoire.

- Beethoven's works are imbued with energy and messages, and although it may be coincidental timing, I suspect that performing the cycle in today's modern society also conveys some kind of message. As a maestro, is there anything you would like to convey by performing the cycle in this day and age?

Inkinen:I think the image we associate with Beethoven's works is somewhat stereotypical. But it's precisely because there is truth in them that they continue to circulate as stereotypes. Beethoven's works undoubtedly contain a message of uniting people, regardless of their backgrounds, and I believe that this message is universal. It's also undoubtedly an even more important theme in today's world. That's why I believe we should return to this piece and never forget it. I'm sure that everyone here is very familiar with Beethoven's nine symphonies and has heard them many times. Yet, despite its fame and universal recognition, there are many people out there who have never heard Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 live. It's true that the piece may have a cult-like image attached to it. Still, I believe Beethoven's music will remain relevant in any era. Therefore, when we perform Beethoven's works, we are not just performing for connoisseurs, those who already know Beethoven well and want to hear him again. We always approach our performances with the awareness that we are performing for a new generation, a new audience.