Nippon No "Daikyu" Gassho Ga Shakai Wo Kaeru

[Machine Translation] Symphony No. 9" ("The Ninth"), completed by Beethoven in 1824, has been performed all over the world, and in Japan it is especially well known for its year-end performances. Before World War II, the Ninth was already compared to "Chushingura" and "Dojoji," and was a favorite with packed houses when it was performed. The Ninth was not merely a famous piece of music, but a familiar piece of music. This book discusses how the Ninth was accepted and established in Japan from around 1925 to 1955, roughly the first half of the Showa period.

ベートーヴェンが一八二四年に完成させた『交響曲第九番』(『第九』)は、世界中で演奏され、日本では特に年末に演奏されることで知られている。すでに戦前において、『第九』は「忠臣蔵」や「道成寺」に比せられ、上演すれば満員となる曲だった。単に名曲だから聴くというのではなく、文字通り親しまれてきたと言ってよい。本書は、日本の一九二五年前後から一九五五年前後、おおよそ昭和期の前半にあたる時期に限って、『第九』がいかに受け入れられ、定着していったかを論じていく。