Search - Saburo Moroi, Takuo Yuasa, National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland :: Saburo Moroi: Symphony No. 3; Two Symphonic Movements

First recordings of a 20th century Japanese symphonist

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 02/25/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Saburo Moroi (1903-1977) was a German trained composer of Japanese birth and descent. Naxos says these are premiere recordings of the three works presented -- Sinfonietta in B flat, Op. 24 "For Children" from 1943; Two Symphonic Movements Op. 22 from 1942; and the Symphony No. 3 Op. 25 from 1944.



Of these the symphony is the best and most well developed work. It is a descriptive symphony where the composer's marking's identify the emotions apparent in the music. The first movement is labeled "A Tranquil Overture"; the middle movement is called "About Humor and Wit"; and the finale is labeled "Aspects of Death".



Written in 1944 just before the composer was called into the Imperial Army, the symphony projects the inevitable end of Imperial Japan after World War II. A mood of despair and defeat runs through the work. When the finale ends in a major key, it is less a feeling of victory than of happy resignation.



The near 16-minute Sinfonietta is in three movements -- Allegro grazioso, Andantino quast Allegretto, Lento affabile. The first movement is excited and builds on string figures but wears out its thematic material quickly and goes on too long. The second movement begins playfully and becomes, by turn, quiet and introverted. The excellent final movement is probably the best thing on the CD, a Brucknerian lento that builds to a satisfying end.



The symphonic movements are not much. They are poorly developed and excessively episodic. The first begins dramatically with timpani and bass underlining the theme, only to move onto to seesawing strings, to a quiet flute and low brass, back to declining strings that give way to ascending drama and Shostakovian quiet, finally to a chromatic Wagnerian-Brucknerian end. The second symphonic movement is more of the same. The whole things sounds like film music.



Takuo Yuasa, who conducts in Ireland, Scotland and Northern Ireland, leads the National Symphony of Ireland -- about the closest thing there is to a house band for Maxos -- in these performances. I found neither the playing nor the recording to be distinguished although I would not say either is bad. It is up to the average standard of this label.



This CD will be of most interest to lovers of late Romantic and 20th century orchestral music. There are echoes of Bruckner, Wagner, Shostakovich and Franck in this music but the voice is original. My wife called is sullen but not depressed. At Naxos' very attractive price, you won't lose much even if you don't care for it.



"

Pleasant if not ultimately memorable music

G.D. | Norway | 03/11/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Saburo Moroi (1903-1977) belongs to the generation of Japanese composer following in the path of Yamada in looking to Europe rather than Japanese culture for influences. The Sinfonietta is thus a tuneful, conservatively romantic work, light and brisk, tuneful and well-crafted but in the end rather anodyne.



There are more obvious Japanese influences in the Two Symphonic Movements, especially with the pentatonic second subject of the first movement, but this work too belongs, in the end, strictly in the European, traditionally romantic tradition and shows few signs of genuine originality (even if there are traces of a personal voice to be found). Neither does the Symphony no. 3, but this is on the other hand a rather worthwhile work still, with, in particular, a blazing first movement.



None of the works here are masterpieces, but Moroi's skillful handling of the material, and his ability to come up with some good ideas and fine themes makes it all pleasantly worthwhile without exactly posing any challenges to the listener. The National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland under Takuo Yuasa gives as good performances as one could reasonably wish for and the sound quality is very good. In the end, though, the music is perhaps mainly for those with special interests, but the curious can proceed with confidence."