Why doesn't Japan have a world class symphony orchestra?

The Six · June 28, 2009, 06:50:41 AM

Quote from: imperfection on June 27, 2009, 08:03:52 PM
Only two weeks? It took me 20 minutes after leaving the airport to notice the the biggest Tower Records and HMV stores in Akihabara. They are both so freaking huge you must have been near blind to have missed them. Then, after passing by both of them, I went looking for the best sushi in the world near Kaminarimon, and came across at least 7 more CD shops.

Settle down, chief.

flyingdutchman · June 28, 2009, 07:33:50 AM

Quote from: imperfection on June 28, 2009, 01:21:18 AM
Trust me, there is. I was there last March. The HMV is near the Yodobashi Camera superstore.

Then you obviously were in the wrong ward:

http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/st/

Please, I know Tokyo and I was there last year as well.

What is near Yodobashi is Ishimaru. That is what you're talking about.

imperfection · June 28, 2009, 11:06:15 AM

It does appear that I got the record stores mixed up. Still though, that doesn't disprove my claim that Tokyo is filled with good record stores.

flyingdutchman · June 28, 2009, 12:59:09 PM

Quote from: imperfection on June 28, 2009, 11:06:15 AM
It does appear that I got the record stores mixed up. Still though, that doesn't disprove my claim that Tokyo is filled with good record stores.

Nope, not all, and in fact the cd shops in Japan are filled to the brim with great stuff. Ochanomizu Ward, just one stop from Akihabara is my favorite place to go, with Disk Union's used shop. For years Disk Union was located in a 20x20 room where I would go on a Sunday and literally would have to move slowly and in close-quarters with all the other fanatics. Now they are in a decently-sized shop and I would suggest everyone put that store on their list of a place to go when in Japan.

To get there, go to Ochanomizu station and go out the west exit. Cross the busy intersection at a diagonal and walk up about 1/2 a block. It will be up the stairs on the second floor. They have cds, sacds, lps, and great service. They don't speak English, though.

jochanaan · June 29, 2009, 01:18:17 PM

Quote from: Greg on June 28, 2009, 04:59:57 AM
The Yodobashi camera places are circled in red. Maybe they don't have the HMV labeled.

Or the HvK?

Coopmv · June 29, 2009, 04:27:08 PM

Quote from: jochanaan on June 29, 2009, 01:18:17 PM
Or the HvK?

HvK is no joking matter in the Japanese classical music circle. More important, one of their own, Seiji Ozawa was HvK's protégé and in fact conducted the memorial concert.

eyeresist · June 29, 2009, 05:48:45 PM

Quote from: jochanaan on June 26, 2009, 09:18:24 AM
Hmmm--Not as bad as I feared... *wheels spin in head* How is the singing?

Don't know. Get a translation of the reviews.

The Six · July 01, 2009, 10:35:30 PM

Quote from: Coopmv on June 25, 2009, 05:31:43 PM
The size of the population does not always guarantee success in ANY fields. Surely 1.3B+ people are a lot of people. Will China ever beat Brazil in soccer or the US in basketball? Highly unlikely. With 10% of China's population, Japan is far more accomplished in science and classical music than China ...

China was the most advanced country on the planet for centuries. It's not really fair to put them down now because you don't like their pianists.

greg · July 02, 2009, 06:20:51 AM

Lithuania beat the US in basketball once...

hautbois · July 03, 2009, 01:44:21 AM

Not....world...class?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9X2DPPbwgk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbIJMDNGC6o

Sorry i don't share your view, perhaps i don't have a higher taste for things.

Howard

greg · July 03, 2009, 03:47:00 AM

Exactly. The NHK Symphony isn't too bad...

Coopmv · July 03, 2009, 04:41:13 AM

Quote from: The Six on July 01, 2009, 10:35:30 PM
China was the most advanced country on the planet for centuries. It's not really fair to put them down now because you don't like their pianists.

I am aware of the Chinese cultural heritage. They have been around for a long time, as have been the Egyptian and Iraqi (they go back some 7000 years). There was no put-down here. China has never produced any composers that have such universal acceptance as Bach or Beethoven, period.

Coopmv · July 03, 2009, 05:28:24 AM

Quote from: Greg on July 03, 2009, 03:47:00 AM
Exactly. The NHK Symphony isn't too bad...

The NHK Symphony has to be the top symphony in Asia.

hautbois · July 03, 2009, 09:51:57 AM

Quote from: Coopmv on July 03, 2009, 05:28:24 AM
The NHK Symphony has to be the top symphony in Asia.

Along with the Malaysian Philharmonic, though technically speaking the Malaysian Philharmonic is not Malaysian at all, but does that matter? It is a world class orchestra in a major Asian city.

Howard

Coopmv · July 03, 2009, 10:00:28 AM

Quote from: hautbois on July 03, 2009, 09:51:57 AM
Along with the Malaysian Philharmonic, though technically speaking the Malaysian Philharmonic is not Malaysian at all, but does that matter? It is a world class orchestra in a major Asian city.

Howard

Are members of the Malaysian Philharmonic mainly Europeans?

mahler10th · July 03, 2009, 11:00:30 AM

Kees Bakels is the Conductor Laureate at the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra after being Music Director there for 8 years. He is now 12 years with them.
Kees is a Dutch conductor whose work I've always admired very much. I think he has a lot to do with bringing that Orchestra up to the status of World Class.

flyingdutchman · July 03, 2009, 11:53:19 AM

There are many provincial orchestras in Japan. Not about Japanese orchestras, but I remember the Montreal Symphony Orchestra with Dutoit coming to my small city of Koriyama, Japan and my daughter and I going to see them. Many orchestras outside of Japan do come yearly on tour.

Coopmv · July 03, 2009, 05:16:55 PM

Quote from: jo jo starbuck on July 03, 2009, 11:53:19 AM
There are many provincial orchestras in Japan. Not about Japanese orchestras, but I remember the Montreal Symphony Orchestra with Dutoit coming to my small city of Koriyama, Japan and my daughter and I going to see them. Many orchestras outside of Japan do come yearly on tour.

In the good old days when Karajan embarked on a world tour with his BPO, multiple concerts were always given in Japan ...

hautbois · July 03, 2009, 06:50:09 PM

Quote from: Coopmv on July 03, 2009, 10:00:28 AM
Are members of the Malaysian Philharmonic mainly Europeans?

Yupe. Europeans and Americans, and actually a substantial amount of Asians as well, just not Malaysian.

Howard

p.s. Kees Bakels is an amazing conductor, well at least from the work that i have witnessed of him with the MPO. Apparently he is very highly regarded in the performing circuit, even said to be one of the best living conductors today.

mahler10th · July 03, 2009, 06:54:52 PM

Quote from: hautbois on July 03, 2009, 06:50:09 PM
Yupe. Europeans and Americans, and actually a substantial amount of Asians as well, just not Malaysian.

Howard

p.s. Kees Bakels is an amazing conductor, well at least from the work that i have witnesses of him with the MPO. Apparently he is very highly regarded in the performing circuit, even said to be .

Yes Howard, I for one would like to hear him guest recording with some of the bigger European Orchestras. I know he does it, but we want more recordings of the same!

Quote"one of the best living conductors today"

Oh yes.

Why doesn't Japan have a world class symphony orchestra?

imperfection

eyeresist

greg

greg