GENJI GAKUCHOU Légende de "Genji" - Yamada, Kōsaku

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Yamada, Kōsaku : GENJI GAKUCHOU Légende de "Genji"

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▼Overview

▼Details

▼Movements

▼Videos

▼Sheet Music

Work Overview

Music ID : 4629

Composition Year：1917　
Instrumentation：Piano Solo　
Genre：Various works
Total Playing Time：15 min 00 sec
Copyright：Public Domain

Piano Solo

piano solo

Commentary (2)

Author : Nakatsuji, Maho

Last Updated: March 12, 2018

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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Unbeknownst to him, The Tale of Genji flowed into the composer's heart, and at another unknown time, it overflowed from his breast. That work is Kosaku Yamada's Genji Gakuchō.

Orchestral Suite

Genji Gakuchō was composed in 1917 as a suite for orchestra. However, only two movements, 'From the Chapter Hana Chiru Sato' and 'From the Chapter Suma', were completed as orchestral works. It was premiered on June 9, 1917, at a musical soirée at the residence of Foreign Minister Ichiro Motono, under the composer's baton.

Piano Version

The piano work Genji Gakuchō was originally a piano sketch for the orchestral version. Etsuko Terasaki, who had a deep knowledge of Japanese classical literature, was involved in its composition, and the work is dedicated to her. The piano version of Genji Gakuchō was premiered on July 10, 1917, at the 'Second Concert for the Presentation of Kosaku Yamada's Works'. The program notes for that day stated that although the work was originally for orchestra and difficult to perform on the piano, it could be understood to the extent that one might appreciate an oil painting through a photograph.

Structure of the Piano Version

The piano work Genji Gakuchō consists of seven movements:

'From the Chapter Kiritsubo', where the tonality of E major is clearly established.
'From the Chapter Wakamurasaki', featuring striking major second intervals.
'From the Chapter Suetsumuhana', with a leisurely opening.
'From the Chapter Momiji no Ga', building to a climax from continuous triplets.
'From the Chapter Hana no En', where the melody repeatedly ascends and descends.
'From the Chapter Hana Chiru Sato', beginning with octave unisons.
'From the Chapter Suma', with a wide dynamic range from ppp to ff and sf, and a timbre reminiscent of an orchestra.

Score Availability

The score, an edited version correcting misprints in the autograph manuscript, is included in Volume 4 of The Complete Works of Kosaku Yamada (Shunjusha, 1991).

Critical Reception and Composer's Intent

Incidentally, when Genji Gakuchō was premiered in 1917, it received criticism in magazines and newspapers. Yamada responded to these criticisms in writing, explaining Genji Gakuchō in the magazine Hōgaku. According to the composer's account, this work is not a translation of The Tale of Genji into sound, but rather an expression of 'a certain voice' that Yamada perceived through the narrative. In other words, it can be said that this work is a kind of 'paraphrase' of The Tale of Genji. Furthermore, it should not be forgotten that Genji Gakuchō was created under Yamada's creative credo: 'One does not make; one gives birth.'

Writer: Nakatsuji, Maho

Author : Sugiura, Nanako

Last Updated: February 13, 2024

[Open]

Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

Commentary

Composed in 1917. The following scores exist:

Autograph manuscript Ms.477
Shunjusha Old Complete Works
Shunjusha New Complete Works
Hustle Copy
Muse Press

Seven chapters from The Tale of Genji are featured. These are seven pieces that capture the characters and worldviews of each chapter. While Debussy's influence is discernible, Yamada's unique techniques, such as rests that evoke a sense of space between notes and the use of Japanese scales, depict an elegant world.

It should be noted that the two pieces, "Hana no En" and "Hana Chiru Sato," have the following history:

In the Old Complete Works, although the table of contents listed "(ho) Hana no En," the corresponding page mistakenly contained the score for "Hana Chiru Sato" under the title "Hana Chiru Sato." In the New Complete Works published later, the title of the piece on the corresponding page was corrected to "Hana no En" to match the table of contents, but the score remained unchanged, resulting in the original "Hana Chiru Sato" being replaced by "Hana no En." Conversely, (he) "Hana Chiru Sato" was similarly swapped.

Consequently, the inversion of the pieces and titles for "Hana no En" and "Hana Chiru Sato" was carried over into the New Complete Works and Hustle Copy editions. In the Muse Press edition (Volume 3 of Kōsaku Yamada Piano Works: Supplementary Collection), published in 2022, the original form was restored.

The consistency between titles and pieces can be verified by cross-referencing the date written alongside the title on the cover of the autograph manuscript (a separate sheet from the score) with the date written at the end of the piece's score. On the cover of "Hana no En," "25.März 1917" is inscribed, and the same date is written at the end of the score for the original "Hana no En."

Furthermore, the autograph manuscript Ms.1316 of the orchestral version of "Hana Chiru Sato" still exists, and this score can also be used for verification.

Regarding "Genji Gakuchō," we quote Yamada's own words.

Yamada stated the following at the beginning of the pamphlet for his second recital:

Genji Gakuchō was born on March 21st at the home of my esteemed friend, Mr. T. And as you can see from the composition chronology, it was born in a very irregular manner. Furthermore, its birth was almost too coincidental. However, I had wished to write something like this for quite some time. And Mrs. E habitually enjoyed reading The Tale of Genji, and that very evening, it was almost miraculous, the thoughts I was writing down and the passage she was engrossed in perfectly coincided. Thus, I was almost guided and stimulated by her to write this musical piece.

This piece was written as a suite for orchestra. Therefore, performing it on the piano might be somewhat difficult. Those who heard the orchestral performance at the Foreign Minister's Official Residence will, I believe, understand how significant the difference is. However, to the extent of viewing an oil painting through a photograph, I believe anyone can listen to it as is.