New Takashi Asahina series from St. Laurent Studio in Canada

[Oscar]

Vol.1 - Cond. Osaka Phil., w/ Takahiro Sonoda - Brahms: Piano Concerto No.1 in D minor, Op.15; & Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat major, Op.83. Recorded LIVE in Festival Hall, Osaka, May 14, 1976. Issued in January 2022.
St. Laurent Studio YSL T-1123. Transfers by Yves St. Laurent.
https://www.norpete.com/c1925.html

Vol.2 - Cond. Tokyo S.O., Symphony No.9 in D minor (Nowak edition). Recorded LIVE at Orchard Hall, Tokyo, March 16, 1991.
St. Laurent Studio YSL T-1246. [If ever there was a true 'sleeper', this monumental performance and great recording suffice as contender, an absolute revelation! Yves St Laurent has done himself proud with this glorious issue! -ed.] Transfers by Yves St. Laurent.
https://www.norpete.com/c1943.html

CRITIC REVIEWS:

“Takashi Asahina was loved by music fans for his strong and dignified style of conducting. He specialized in the works of Beethoven, Brahms and Bruckner. He won the government’s Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1969, Person of Cultural Merit in 1989 and Order of Culture in 1994. He was also honored with the Japan Academy of Arts Award in 1976.

A Tokyo native, Asahina graduated from the Department of Law at Kyoto University and worked at railway company Hankyu Corp. for two years before launching his career as a conductor in 1936, despite having no formal education for the job. He used to boast to friends that he was probably the only conductor in the world who has operated a train. During wartime, Asahina held a series of performance tours in various parts of China controlled by Japanese forces. Immediately after returning to Japan in 1946, Asahina helped found the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, which became the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra in 1947, and served as its executive conductor and music director up to his death at age 93.

Asahina remained active throughout his life and was invited twice to perform with the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra in 1996. His energetic performances gained popularity especially among younger generations in his final years. He complained of ill health after performing at Nagoya on Oct. 24 and was hospitalized at a Kobe hospital. Subsequent performances were canceled. He died on the very night of the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual yearend performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, which he conducted more than 250 times during his career. On Sunday night, conductor Hiroshi Wakasugi took Asahina’s place for the orchestra’s performance.”

- The Japan Times, Dec. 31, 2001.

“Takahiro Sonoda’s musical education began at a young age with lessons from his father, a music teacher, before starting piano studies with Leo Shirota at age 6. Sonoda graduated from Tokyo Music School, the precursor of the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

In 1954, he performed under the baton of Herbert von Karajan with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. The following year, he debuted as a soloist with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and went on to perform with a number of renowned conductors. Some of the prestigious awards he received include the Japan Record Academy Award for his recording of Beethoven’s ‘Hammerklavier’ Sonata in 1996 and the Suntory Music Award in 1997.”

- The Japan Times, Oct. 9, 2004.

[mswd...@gmail.com]

On Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 9:20:01 PM UTC-6, Oscar wrote:
> Vol.2 - Cond. Tokyo S.O., Symphony No.9 in D minor (Nowak edition). Recorded LIVE at Orchard Hall, Tokyo, March 16, 1991.
> St. Laurent Studio YSL T-1246. [If ever there was a true 'sleeper', this monumental performance and great recording suffice as contender, an absolute revelation! Yves St Laurent has done himself proud with this glorious issue! -ed.] Transfers by Yves St. Laurent.
> https://www.norpete.com/c1943.html

The Bruckner has already been released on Canyon several times already, coupled with the Te Deum that closed the concert.

[Oscar]

Now playing Vol.3 of the St. Laurent Studios series:

Bruckner: Symphony No.4 in E-flat major, WAB 104 'Romantic' (Ed. Haas)
Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra / Takashi Asahina
Suntory Hall, Tokyo
July 21-25, 1993

In collaboration with Henry Fogel.

Very, very good. The recording is excellent, full-bodied and pitch-perfect transfer.

[mswd...@gmail.com]

Just to be clear, this looks to be the "Romantic" from the Canyon Osaka cycle. I found that recording quite enjoyable. The NHK one on Fontec is quite good, too.

[Néstor Castiglione]

Asahina did receive formal training as a conductor prior to his appointment as music director of the Harbin Symphony Orchestra, an ensemble composed mostly of anti-communist Russian émigrés. In the late 1920s, Asahina studied conducting under Emmanuel Metter, then the head of the music department at Kyoto University. He also received pointers in conducting from Leonid Kreutzer and Alexander Mogilevsky.

I haven't heard the YSL Asahina series yet, but have accumulated mounds of other recordings from various labels. I've said this elsewhere, but I do believe that Fogel's well-meaning comparison to Wilhelm Furtwängler has possibly inhibited wider recognition of his talents in the West. Asahina was nothing like the German conductor and anybody hoping to hear his Second Coming may be in for a big disappointment. If anything, he sounds a bit like a seemingly unlikely amalgam of Kna and Svetlanov; possessing the breadth and a bit of the improvisatory energy of the former, but fused to the emphatic power of the latter. One senses that notions of orchestral discipline and architectural cohesion were secondary factors, if that, to Asahina. All that matters is the sound being created right there in the moment, with conductor and orchestra both holding on as if each measure played were their very last. Some people may not like the results (in fact, it took me about 20 years to appreciate them myself), but at his best Asahina was a unique and very compelling artist.

Would be interested in hearing this Sonoda performance. NHK issued live performances of him in the Brahms concertos a couple years ago. The Brahms PC 1 was very good, but Sonoda was having a bad night in the PC 2.

[Oscar]

Vol.4 (YSL 1248 T) has arrived!

Brahms: Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op.68
New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra
Orchard Hall, Tokyo, February 5, 1990

Wagner: Die Meistersinger, Prelude
Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, February 4 & 5, 1980

[Oscar]

Vol.4 (YSL T-1253) has just posted to https://www.78experience.com!

Bruckner: Symphony No.5 in B-flat major
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Orchestra Hall, Chicago, Ill., May 16, 1996.

Asahina appeared with CSO for two engagements, in May and October 1996.

[Oscar]

Mea culpa, the CSO disc is Volume 5.