An interview with Principal Conductor Kah-Chun Wong published in the August issue of Ongaku no Tomo (Friends of Music) / Special feature "Introduction to Shin Buru Ota 2024"
The next challenge with the Japan Philharmonic
Bruckner conducted by Ka-Chun Wong
Kah-Chung Wong, who is well-known for his Mahler performances, will be conducting Bruckner for the first time as the chief conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO).Symphony No. 9" As this is a much talked about and highly anticipated performance, there is a lot of speculation and expectation flying around, but we had the opportunity to hear more about it.
Interview and text: Hiromi Saito
Rather than following trends, I want to explore the "traditional performance" of Bruckner.
Conductor Kah-Chung Wong's roots lie in wind instruments. He started playing the cornet in elementary school and the trumpet in junior high school. There's also an interesting story about him taking Bruckner to his trumpet lessons. ©Yamaguchi Atsushi
Mahler performance is a hot topic!
Highly anticipated Bruckner's "9th"
Your performance of Mahler's Symphony No. 9 with the Japan Philharmonic in May was truly magnificent. I believe Mahler's view of life and death is strongly expressed in this work. I would like to ask you about your motivations and reasons for choosing Bruckner No. 9 for your first performance with the Japan Philharmonic.
"Of course, it's the 200th anniversary of Bruckner's birth, but our Mahler collaboration with the Japan Philharmonic began with his Symphony No. 3, which became the starting point for our creations. From there, we made a sharp turn and went on to Mahler's Symphony No. 9, and then to Bruckner's Symphony No. 9. The two works have a similar view of life and death, and Mahler and Bruckner were active in Vienna and had a close relationship in many ways. After Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 in September this year, we have Mahler's Symphony No. 2 "Resurrection" coming up (note: March 2025). In the long run, we want to show what meaning our performances can bring to various composers and works, as there are 'ups and downs in life.'"
Differences between Mahler and Bruckner Orchestrations
Regarding the differences in orchestration between Mahler and Bruckner, for example, Mahler's "9th" is for a four-horn ensemble, while Bruckner's "9th" is for a three-horn ensemble and even features a Wagnerian tuba. I think there are significant differences in the orchestrations of the two, but how do you perceive the differences in the acoustic worlds that result from these?
"These two men are completely different people, and as composers they are completely different artists. I think a big part of this is that Bruckner was an organist. In his works, he often sees music as a large block of sound mass. This can be clearly heard in his orchestrations. The use of three horns was already standard in the 1850s, in the middle of the 19th century, and the Wagner tuba was created at a time when Wagner was beginning to seek a very powerful sound in his operas. Bruckner's 9th Symphony is by no means special when you look at the orchestration in the score. The exception is the use of the Wagner tuba, but this Instruments are also used in his early works. In comparison, Mahler's "9th" seems to approach music from the perspective of a symphony composer and conductor. For him, being a composer was not his primary role; it was more of a hobby. He conducted orchestras around the world, including Vienna and New York. He had only two months in the summer when he could compose in his mountain cabin. He began with songs, then orchestral pieces, and then large works using vocals. Mahler always approached composition from the perspective of a symphony, and his sonic palette was the sound of an orchestral symphony. I think the difference between the two is that one composed from the perspective of an organist, and the other from the perspective of a conductor."
Absorbing philosophy from historical sound sources to create a church-like acoustic space in the hall
──This will be your first time performing Bruckner with the Japan Philharmonic. What are you most interested in?
"What interests me most is the classical aspect of this work. When I say classical, I don't mean the 'classics' of the Classical or Romantic periods, but the old 'traditions of performance.' In the 21st century, attention has been drawn to new performance techniques. New Beethoven performances -- using gut strings, no vibrato, using open strings -- and the same goes for Brahms, right? The current performance trend is toward newer, faster, and lighter pieces. The same can be said for Bruckner, where performances are becoming lighter. The so-called heavy, dark performances are gradually becoming less and less fashionable. I fell in love with Bruckner when I was young. Whenever I had lessons as a trumpeter, I always brought along excerpts from Bruckner. You can produce forte and fortissimo sounds, so brass players absolutely love Bruckner. It's almost like a dream to play it (laughs). I grew up listening to old records. I've heard so many great works by Eugen Jochum and Serge Chisholm. Although each performance is completely different, they are all wonderful. So, I'm looking forward to exploring "traditional performance" at this September's concert. The Japan Philharmonic Orchestra, in particular, is a tradition-oriented orchestra, so I think we're a perfect match. It will be a wonderful experience for both us and the audience. I'll also add that I'm a big fan of Carlo Maria Giulini's recording of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9, and it's a striking contrast to Celibidache's performance. Celibidache's version gets increasingly slower, and the three-movement version, which usually lasts under 60 minutes, is actually around 80 minutes. I'm very interested in this kind of "philosophy." How can we realize this kind of sound world at Suntory Hall? Together with the Japan Philharmonic, I want to transform Suntory Hall into a place that feels more like a church, a space of sound, than a music hall. I believe that this is our mission."
The first step on a 50-year journey
"It has been some time since I became fascinated with Bruckner, and I have conducted his works in Europe several times. However, I believe that my current experience in conducting Bruckner is just the beginning, the first step on a journey to come. Even 50 years from now, I would like to continue walking alongside Bruckner as a composer. I am not sure whether by then I will be able to conduct Mahler's 8th, 7th, and 3rd symphonies with ease. However, I hope that with experience I will be able to perform Bruckner's 9th, 4th, and 5th symphonies more smoothly."
For this performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 with the Japan Philharmonic, they have invited Roberto Luisi, the young concertmaster of the Hallé Orchestra. According to Wong, Luisi is "a musician who seems to have been born to be a concertmaster," so expectations are high. Furthermore, while the traditional three-movement version will be performed at this September performance, the following month in October, they will perform the four-movement version with the Hallé Orchestra in Manchester.
Performance informationHERE
