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Kenichiro
Kobayashi,
is
a
conductor
well
known
as
"Kobaken
of
the
flame"
or
"The
man
that
has
conducted
the
ninth
symphony
most
in
the
world".
At
the
end
of
last
year,
He
conducted
the
ninth
symphony
with
the
Japan
Philharmonic,
which
ended
in
a
great
success.
We
asked
Mr.
Kobayashi
who
is
soon
becoming
the
music
director
of
the
Japan
Philharmonic
Orchestra,
his
prehistory
of
becoming
a
musician
and
some
conceptions
of
himself.
Text:
Yukiko
Komine
/Photo:
Fumio
Saito
|
 The
Ninth
Symphony
is
a
work
that
tests
the
condition
of
your
heart.
I
sometimes
even
pray
to
Beethoven.
"Being
a
conductor
for
thirty
years,
I've
conducted
the
Ninth
Symphony
more
than
350
times
and
I
think
that
this
is
something
that
tests
the
condition
of
ones
heart.
I
get
very
exhausted
and
sometimes
I
even
pray
to
Beethoven
by
feeling
anxious.
The
performance
of
the
Ninth
Symphony
differs
every
time.
The
Ninth
Symphony
changes
by
the
concert
hall
and
by
the
enthusiasm
of
the
audience.
When
I
am
face
to
face
with
the
Ninth
Symphony,
I
sometimes
have
caught
up
by
a
sensation
of
a
huge
shinning
ring
standing
in
front
of
me,
and
feel
like
I
have
heard
the
energy
of
this
universe.
But
the
moment
we
finish
performing,
we
always
realize
that
we
have
never
heard
Beethoven's
voice.
That
desire
of
wanting
to
hear
Beethoven's
voice
is
my
motivation
to
keep
me
going
and
to
perfect
my
performance.
Seeking
for
that
"something"
other
than
technique
resulted
the
number
350
times.
Musical performance is an expression of infinite thoughts just like Romain Rolland.
"I
strongly
believe
that
if
Romain
Rolland
hadn't
heard
the
Ninth
Symphony,
he
wouldn't
be
able
to
create
"Jean
Christophe".
I
think
the
outrageous
writing
he
spins
out
from
the
heart,
were
inspired
by
the
Ninth
Symphony.
The
Ninth
Symphony
is
like
an
inexhaustible
spring,
it
touches
people's
heart.
For
example
Richard
Wagner
once
said
"If
I
hadn't
heard
the
Ninth
Symphony,
I
wouldn't
of
become
a
musician."
Also
Mahler
used
to
transcribe
the
score
of
the
Ninth
Symphony.
I
myself
was
too
very
much
moved
when
I
listened
to
the
Ninth
Symphony
for
the
first
time
at
fourth
grade.
I
used
to
creep
in
to
the
school
hall
and
would
play
an
impromptu
or
play
the
record
and
read
the
score
of
the
Ninth
Symphony
in
the
moonlight.
I
didn't
know
the
way
of
composing
that
time,
but
I
used
to
study
with
the
scores
of
the
Ninth
Symphony.
I
would
say
it's
my
roots.
My
strong
desire
of
wanting
to
be
a
musician
was
at
first
opposed
by
my
father.
He
finally
agreed
when
I
was
in
my
eighth
grade
when
my
work
was
introduced
in
NHK.
In
the
funeral
address
of
my
father's
death,
I
knew
for
the
first
time
that
he
too
was
aspiring
to
be
a
musician
when
he
was
young.
I
realized
that
his
objection
was
from
his
parental
feeling
knowing
that
to
become
a
musician
is
not
easy.
There
for
I
still
have
strong
feelings
to
my
father.
The glimpse of sensation,
applauses from the audiences sounded like an earthquake.
"The
most
impressing
experience
of
palpable
sensation
was
the
Ninth
Symphony
with
the
Amsterdam
Concertgebouw.
It
was
twenty
years
ago.
When
four
soloists
appeared,
I
realized
that
the
tenor
singer
wasn't
there.
When
I
told
the
audience
"
I
cannot
perform
today",
everybody
stood
up
and
said
"
No
problem.
Get
on
with
it."
I
had
to
sing
the
tenor
part
myself.
The
strong
passion
of
not
miss-hearing
the
crowning
work,
made
the
audience
this
overwhelming.
At
the
finale
of
that
day,
the
applause
from
the
audience
was
like
a
sound
of
an
earthquake.
It
was
my
first
experience.
A good concert must have the aura that the audience indulges and also the orchestra must have the aura to be able to provide that. Music is something that the performer, conductor, and the audience create together. That day was a great example. The reason why I put the ensemble on stage from the first movement of the Ninth Symphony is that to let them share the atmosphere and to integrate with them.
I'll give my full effort for at least three years as the director of Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
"In
fact
I've
been
the
kapellmeister
for
Japan
Philharmonic
till
now
so
I
have
been
working
with
them
for
quite
a
while.
The
entire
orchestra
is
enthusiastic
like
a
family-like
community
with
reflections
of
characters.
They
try
as
hard
as
possible
to
impress
the
audience's
heart
and
even
though
they
are
burnout,
they
always
show
their
spirit
in
sending
comfort
and
healing.
I
really
think
it
is
a
tremendous
way
of
life.
With
these
splendid
people,
I'll
work
hard
for
at
least
three
years
as
the
music
director.
I
don't
mind
holding
new
series
like
"Kobaken
Dream
Concert".
I
would
also
like
to
hold
a
concert
with
audience
close
to
us,
so
that
we
can
both
perform
music,
songs
and
communicate
since
I
like
to
be
close
to
the
audience.
I
hope
that
efforts
like
this
will
interest
more
sponsors.
We will be asking much cooperation by the Tokyo International Forum too. It takes time for a hall to get mellow. To become a prestigious hall like The Gewandhaus, I want the Tokyo International Forum to take the effort to become a good hall.
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Kenichiro
Kobayashi
●Graduated
composition
and
conductors
course
of
The
National
University
of
Fine
Art
and
Music.
Won
first
prize
and
special
award
in
The
1st
Budapest
International
Conductors
competition
in
1974.Conducted
in
many
major
European
Orchestras.
Received
the
"Middle
Cross
with
the
Star"
decoration
from
the
Hungarian
government
(the
highest
awarded
to
private
persons
who
are
not
government
officials).
Became
music
conductor
of
the
Japan
Philharmonic
Orchestra
from
this
March.
Conducts
also
at
the
Hungarian
National
Philharmonic
Orchestra,
Nagoya
Philharmonic
Orchestra
(Conductor
Laureate),
the
Czech
Philharmonic
Orchestra
(Permanent
Guest
Conductor),
and
is
guest
professor
at
the
Tokyo
National
University
of
Fine
Art
and
music.
Released
more
than
thirty
CD's
from
Pony
Canyon
and
Octavia
Records.
Composed
a
work
in
commemoration
of
the
400th
anniversary
of
the
establishment
of
government
relations
between
Holland
and
Japan
called
"Passachaglia"
which
was
performed
for
four
days
in
the
Netherlands
with
the
Netherlands
Phil,
and
ended
in
a
standing
ovation.
He
conducted
a
very
successful
opening
concert
of
the
Prague
Spring
Festival
as
the
first
Asian
in
May
2002.
The
concert
was
broadcasted
all
over
the
world,
and
was
introduced
by
many
medias.
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