Ikuma Dan: Symphony No. 1 in A (1949/56) / Masashi Ueda & Tokyo Symphony

Ikuma Dan [團伊玖磨] (1924~2001, Japan)
交響曲第1番 イ調
Symphony No. 1 in A
Tokyo Symphony Orchestra
Masashi Ueda, conducting
Recorded: unknown (probably late 1950s-early 1960s)
This symphony was composed from August of 1948 to January of the next year, and it won the special prize in the orchestral music contest held by NHK in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of its foundation. Its first performance was given in the Hibiya Hall by the NHK Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Hidemaro Konoye on 22nd of March, the broadcasting memorial day, of 1949 [quoter's note: The exact date of the first performance is March "21st" of "1950"]. Since then it has been performed under batons of Hidemaro Konoye, Hisatada Otaka, Kazuo Yamada, Kurt Wöss, Masashi Ueda, Tetsusaburo Hirai etc. It is now one of the most popular symphonies composed by the Japanese. In 1956, the composer changed a part of this work during his stay in London.
When he composed it, he was studying the problem of "form." Therefore, he intended to start from the traditional sonata form and to establish his own style after absorbing that form in his way. He composed it in order to make use of the two basic themes throughly without introducing any other element and to express systematic cubism at the same time. That experiment, however, wasn't his only purpose. He also tried to incorporate specialities of traditional symphonies with four movements - constructiveness of the hirst one, lyricism of the second one, speedness of the third one and dynamism of the fourth one - into only one movement. It succeeded, and the composer could take the first step toward establishing his own style.
The music begins andante prelude which presents materials of the following main part. [① E - C / F-sharp - E - C / A - G - A / C - E - G - B / D ; ② B - B - D - E - F-sharp - D - C-sharp / F-sharp - F-sharp] At first the brasses play solemn melody, the basic form of the first theme of the main part. The following melody which begins with a low-pitched tone is used later as the second theme by solo oboe.
The main part begins with the bright first theme. Its tempo is quickened into allegro and it is played mainly by the strings. When the tempo slows down into andante, an oboe starts to play the gentle second theme. While these two themes are dealt with throughly in the development there are speediness and lyricism in it, too. Then as the recapitulation the first theme appears in andante as it did in the prelude. Thus the melody is smoothly ensued by the second theme which reappears in andante. Then the melody reaches the dynamic climax based on the second theme. After that, it finishes as if it faded away.
This is well-arranged music which is tinged with Japanesque romanticism peculiar to the composer.
by Naomi Momma from TOCE-9429 "Ikuma Dan: Symphony In A/Symphony No. 2 In B Flat" booklet
instrumentation: Piccolo (replaced by Flute III), Flute 2, Oboe 2, English Horn (replaced by Oboe III), Clarinet 2, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon 2, Contrabassoon, Horn 6, Trumpet 3, Trombone 3, Tuba, Timpani, Triangle, Cymbal, Tam-tam, and Strings
[...] The 1956 revision was made in reflection on the fact that the orchestration was a little too heavy, as it was his first work in triple-wind. This work is one of his most widely performed symphonies, and has been performed throughout Asia by the Beijing Central Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, the State Symphony Orchestra of DPRK (Pyongyang), the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and others.
00:00 Andante maestoso (introduction)
Main part
-Exposition
03:33 Allegro
06:10 Andante con moto
-Development or sherzo part (ternary form)
08:52 Presto
09:58 Allegro
11:41 Andante
12:28 Presto
-Recapitulation
13:59 Andante maestoso
by Yoshiyuki Fujita from FOOL-20466~9 "Ikuma Dan: 6 Symphonies" booklet
楽器編成：ピッコロ（フルートIII持替え）、フルート2、オーボエ2、イングリッシュ・ホルン（オーボエIII持替え）、クラリネット2、バス・クラリネット（クラリネットIII持替え）、ファゴット2、コントラファゴット、ホルン6、トランペット3、トロンボーン3、テューバ、ティンパニ、トライアングル、シンバル、タムタム、弦楽合奏。
[...]なお改訂は、彼にとって初めての3管編成による作品ということもあって、オーケストレーションがやや過重になったことへの反省からなされたものである。この作品は、彼の交響曲の中では最も数多く演奏されているものの一つで、北京中央楽団、上海交響楽団、朝鮮人民共和国国立交響楽団（平壌）、シンガポール交響楽団等によってアジア各地で演奏されている。
　アンダンテ・マエストーソの序奏では、すでに二つの主要主題（① E - C / F＃ - E - C / A - G - A / C - E - G - B / D、② B - B - D - E - F＃ - D - C＃ / F＃ - F＃ ）が提示されており、弦楽器群による第1主題に始まるアレグロでは、主として第1主題が扱われ、アンダンテ・コン・モトでは第2主題がオーボエによって柔らかく歌われ、第1主題を加えて一つのクライマックスが生み出される。金管による和音と、ティンパニによる段階的に細分化されるリズム--この雅楽的ともいえるリズム（逆行も含む）は、彼が好んで用いている要素の一つで、交響曲の中にもしばしば見られる--が、プレストのスケルツォを導入するが、それはアレグロとアンダンテとの中間部を経たのち、対位法的に扱われたスケルツォを再帰させる。そしてこの3部形式をなすスケルツォそれ自体に、二つの主要主題の展開が託されていると見ることもできよう。アンダンテ・マエストーソで第1主題がやや拡大された形で再現されると、第2主題も加わって力強い終結部が形づくられて行くが、やがて徐々に力を抑え、第1主題の動機を回想しつつ、曲は静かにとじられて行く。
（藤田由之、FOOL-20466~9『團伊玖磨 交響曲全集』解説書より）

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