Debut Concert of "Mito dell'arco" (English) / Concert Hall ATM, ART TOWER MITO

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Mail to: webstaff@arttowermito.or.jp

Debut Concert of "Mito dell'arco"

The curtain rises on the "myth of the bow."

A brand-new string quartet, consisting solely of original instruments, will soon emerge at Art Tower Mito. Its name is "Mito dell'arco."

Some music -- even that from the distant past -- continues to emit the same, unchanging light throughout the ages. The numerous scores left to us can be compared to packages bursting with the fluctuating emotions -- either deep cogitations or gushers of passion -- of the composers who wrote them, expressed in the form of music. Through the mere fact of being performed, those scores soon come to life in the form of sounds traversing the ages, and move the hearts of those of us alive today. People are constantly seeking for the "classics," and those pieces are waiting to be revived.

The name "Mito dell'arco" -- the "myth of the bow" in Italian -- plays on the fact that "Mito," the name of the city in which ATM is situated, also means "myth" in Italian. The group will be make its beginnings this fall as ATM's new in-house string quartet. Four musicians, each in possession of an original instrument, will engage themselves in the performance of the "classics" of the string quartet repertoire.

In doing so, they will attempt to answer such questions as these: What is the true merit of Haydn's String Quartet in G, which the composer himself said "was written with a completely new, special technique?" What is the spiritual scenery that can be glimpsed in the mature style of Haydn's String Quartet in D Minor? What sort of drama is the mysterious discordance of Mozart's "Dissonance" String Quartet trying to depict? There are many discoveries, surprises and delight that have spawned from composers' quills. Mito dell'arco is embarking on an uncharted musical journey, attempting to catch each breath of the composer with the youthfully fresh and exquisitely subtle sound of original instruments. Mito dell'arco, "the myth of the bow" -- four musical messengers with their bows join with Art Tower Mito to present the new joy of chamber music. Don't fail to witness the moment when a legend is born in the historical city of Mito.

September 8 (Wed) 6:30 p.m.
Concert Hall ATM
Seating begins at 6:00 p.m.
A ¥3,000 / B ¥2,000 (All seats reserved)

Program
Haydn: String Quartet in G, Op. 33-5 (Hob. III-41) "Greetings"
Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 76-2 (Hob. III-76) "Fifths"
Mozart: String Quartet in C, KV 465 "Dissonance"

Performers

Classical violins: Ryo Terakado, Dmitry Badiarov

Classical viola: Yoshiko Morita

Classical cello: Hidemi Suzuki

A message from Mito dell'arco Member, Hidemi Suzuki

The Italian word "mito" is pronounced with an accent on the "i," and means the same as the English words "myth" or "legend." The word "arco" connotes "bow," as in "bow and arrow." Thus, "Mito dell'arco" can be interpreted as "the myth of the bow."

In recent times, there has been a worldwide boom of performances with original instruments. Many different kinds of performers play original instruments at various music festivals, and all sorts of students are taking courses in the field. Many famous original-instrument performers and groups also make visits to Japan each year.

Nevertheless, the truth is that there are still few opportunities for delicate and refined chamber music to be performed, since the big events and concerts that form the centerpieces of music festivals still tend to be large-scale orchestral and operatic works. Moreover, many of us who play original instruments belong to several orchestras and ensembles at once, forcing us to pursue the bulk of our activities with orchestras to some degree.

Just as I was wondering about and discussing how to increase the opportunities to play and perform chamber music, Art Tower Mito presented me with a proposal to create an ensemble of original instruments. That is how the new string quartet came into being.

While the string quartet is a format developed during the time of the Classical composers (e.g., Haydn and Beethoven), there was still a strong tradition of Baroque music when they were active. What we four members of Mito dell'arco -- with our long experience of performing music from the Baroque era and earlier -- wish to express is music from the mid-18th to early 19th centuries. That period corresponds with the time that the quartet started to take root as a performance format, and extends to the Romantic era.

That was an age when the audience of music expanded greatly: from the aristocracy to the general public. In line with that, the demands imposed on music also changed greatly, with many variations seen in instruments and bows. We would like to express this music, which kept on changing from one thing to another, using the appropriate "tools" (i.e., instruments) for each. Another important part of our job is to direct attention to unknown composers and pieces that are gradually being forgotten.

Using bows and instruments that have been handed down to us as "legends" depicted in books and pictures, we discover new sides to old evergreens, and perhaps add new pages to the "legend" of chamber music through the usage of the bow stemming from our experience and research.

We wonder how all of you will interpret the meaning of our quartet's name. We kindly ask for your warm support for Mito dell'arco as we set off on our journey.

Hidemi Suzuki

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