September Tokyo Regular Concert: God of Wine "Bacchus" Program Notes Released
713th Tokyo Subscription Concert (September 6th and 7th, 2019) Program Notes
小沼純一
At the September regular concert, the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra will perform works that have been commissioned in the past. This time, two new and old works, the second commissioned work from 1959 and a new work from this year, 2019, will be performed in the form of sound combinations with works by French composers.
When you think about how it is put together, the first thing that catches your eye is "Bacchus" -- or "Dionysus" in Greek mythology -- the god of wine in Greek mythology.
Saint-Saëns included in his opera Bacchanale, a ballet inspired by the god of wine. Roussel literally plays the leading role. The former is set in Gaza, Palestine, now an autonomous Palestinian territory and known as a place frequently bombed by Israel. The latter is set on the Mediterranean island of Naxos. Both are far removed from the composer's time and place. It is precisely this distance that stimulates the imagination. Moreover, mysterious events unfold here, at odds with the Bible and Greek mythology, and with the reality of our everyday lives. Yet the composer senses the vitality of music in this distance, crafting an ancient tale as music of the present. The same can be said for the two commissioned works. While not based on narrative, the differences in artistic perspectives between the West and the Asian archipelago, as well as the world-historical realities facing 20th- and 21st-century composers, are constructed through the abstract medium of musical sound. Oshima Michiru has written that the four works are "full of human energy, sadness and anxiety, diversity, personal conflict, and the uncontrollable threat of nature..." and it seems to me that this very energy ties the four works together. This energy is surely expressed through the Bacchanalian festivals and dance, and is also present in the folk songs.
I am writing this article in the middle of a scorching heatwave, but it is precisely for this reason that programs like this can help us to rediscover the rhythm and energy that makes music tick.
Saint-Saëns: "Bacchanale" from the opera "Samson and Delilah"
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), born in Paris, died in Algiers, North Africa. While many of his composers are now in their 80s and in good health, it's amazing how vital a man who traveled across the Mediterranean at such a young age in the first half of the 20th century and died there is. It was an era of imperialism and colonialism, so there was likely a strong interest in different cultures and the Orient. This is evident in the titles of his piano concertos, such as "In the Style of Egypt" and "Suite Algerie."
"Samson and Delilah" is an opera based on the Old Testament. Samson of Israel was an incredibly strong man who repelled attacks from the Philistines. One day, he fell in love with a woman named Delilah. The Israelites tried to learn the secret of the hero's strength through her, but it was difficult to uncover. Samson finally let slip a secret, and while he was drunk, his hair was cut and his eyes were blinded. He was then forced to grind a millstone in prison day after day. However, as time passed, the judge's hair grew back, and he regained his strength. He knocked down a pillar in the temple, crushing both himself and the Philistines under it. Thus, the homeland was saved.
The composer originally conceived it as an oratorio, but changed course midway through the project to become an opera. Although it was based on a French text, it premiered in Weimar in 1877 in a German translation. The French premieres were held in Rouen in March 1890 and Paris in October, but they did not receive good reviews. It was not until November 1892 that it achieved success at the Paris Opera.
Ballet scenes were important in grand operas of the time, and Bacchanale is the final act of a three-act opera, depicting Samson's capture and the Philistines celebrating their victory. The opening scene features an oboe solo, based on the Hijaz scale (maqam Hijazkar) of "E Fa So G # La Si Do Re Mi." It's a kind of pagan call, so to speak. The rhythmic section that follows likely expresses the Philistines' temperament and festive spirit. Of course, the "bacchanale" here has the nuance of a festive scene, and has no connection to its Greek mythology or Old Testament origins.
Roussel: Ballet Music "Bacchus and Ariane" Suites Nos. 1 and 2
Albert Roussel (1869-1937) was a young man who resolved to become a man of the sea after reading Jules Verne's novel, "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," as a child. While studying in Paris, the young man happened to be captivated by music and initially attended a naval academy, becoming a naval officer. However, at the age of 25, he left the military to begin studying music in earnest. He was, of course, influenced by the music of his time. However, the greatest defining feature of this composer is his rhythm. One might even say colorful rhythm. He creates music unlike Debussy or Ravel, Milhaud or Poulenc, and is unlike anyone else but himself.
Bacchus and Ariane is known as a part of the ballet repertoire, along with Le Feast des Spiders (1912), based on Fabre's Les Insecta. Roussel also produced other works that evoke dance, such as Aeneas (1935) and his only opera, Padmavati (1918), which is often referred to as an "opera-ballet." Bacchus and Ariane premiered on May 22, 1931, at the Paris Opera. Choreography and the role of Bacchus were by Serge Lifar, set and costumes by Giorgio de Chirico, and conductor Philippe Gaubert—a truly mythical list, looking back.
Mythology allows for many different traditions. This is why there are multiple episodes about gods or people with the same name. The same is true of Greek and Roman mythology. In ballet, you cannot use words like in opera, so the story is inevitably simple. Roussel has made the ballet music into two suites that can be performed in concerts. Below we will explain the general outline and where in the music they fall.
After defeating the Minotaur in the Cretan labyrinth and escaping Crete with Ariadne, Theseus and the princess reach the island of Naxos. This is the prologue. And so the curtain rises on the play.
Suite 1 (consisting of five parts)
The prelude [1. Allegro con brio (A major 4/4)] begins with a dance by the victorious young men [2. Allegro molto (C major 3/4)], a dance that evokes the battle with the Minotaur [3. Andante, Allegro vivace 2/4], and finally the appearance of Bacchus [4. Meno allegro-Allegro energico]. After Ariane is put to sleep, Bacchus reveals himself as a god and banishes Theseus and his companions from the island. He places Ariane on a rock and disappears [5. Adagio in E-flat major 2/4].
Suite 2 (consisting of eight parts)
Ariane awakens from her sleep [1. Andante 3/4]. Despairing at the departure of Theseus and his companions, she throws herself into the sea. Bacchus then appears from behind a rock and saves Ariane [2. & 3. Adagio]. Bacchus then dances [4. Allegro]. After a brief, quiet scene of Ariane dreaming, the two share a kiss and a drink [5. Andante 4/4 – Allegro deciso 3/4]. Ariane's dance gradually gains momentum [6. Andante 4/4 and 12/8]. The dance of Bacchus and Ariane [7. Moderato e Pesante 10/8] leads to a climax [8. Allegro Brilliante 4/4].
