Twilight of the Romantics [Cafe Romanticism 9]

[Cafe Romanticism]
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It seems the rainy season has arrived early in Kamakura, and I was only able to enjoy a few days of refreshing early summer weather once again. While I cannot hope for a perfectly clear, breezy day, I would like to enjoy walking outdoors as much as possible, even on cloudy days, as long as the mood is pleasant.

Since insects and mosquitoes have started to appear this week, this will likely be the last time I enjoy coffee outdoors.

Let us enjoy a tea party with the flower spirits in the secret sanctuary of my valley, where the last of the halcyon flowers are blooming. Even in such a small flower garden, good poetry and music can create a barrier that shuts out the mundane world and protects this blissful tea session.

The coffee set is a pair of antique English mugs, and the book is "Ariake Poetry Collection" by my neighbor, the great poet Ariake Kambara. The translation of Christina Rossetti's poem by Ariake, which appears only in this collection, is a masterpiece of Japanese translated poetry and a monument where the two giants of Japanese and English Romanticism meet.

And to accompany the tea party with the great poems and flower spirits, I would like to prepare some of the most exceptional performances from Romantic music.

Since the beginning of the 21st century, young performers from various countries have focused on Romantic music, and new recordings have been appearing one after another. Even the most beautiful Romantic pieces do not suit the sweltering heat, so I want to savor these performances to the fullest while I still can.

Blue and white porcelain is refreshing and perfect for an early summer coffee time. It suits the pale pink of the lilies, and thanks to the meticulously painted Qing Dynasty flower-and-bird motifs, it creates a truly paradisiacal atmosphere.

While Romantic music has been re-evaluated in various European countries in recent years, France in particular seems to have had a surge of various events commemorating the 100th anniversary of Fauré's death last year.

The catalyst for this was the masterpiece "Fauré: From Music to Silence" by V. Jankélévitch, pictured here. Jankélévitch was a philosopher influenced by Spinoza and Bergson, but his music theory based on meticulous analysis is also highly regarded.

Although this book itself was published in 1974, it seems that the young people who read it during their student days have begun to play leading roles in the 21st century. Unlike the 20th century, which was dominated by the Classical period, this century has seen many critiques and performances that truly understand the soul of Romanticism.

The classification of "Romanticism" in Western music history is far too broad. Schubert, Schumann, Chopin, Liszt, Brahms, and Wagner are all categorized as Romantic. While it is true that Romantic elements can be found in every composer, I believe that "graceful melody," "sophisticated harmony," and "character pieces" are the three greatest characteristics of Romantic music.

These characteristics are most notably felt in the piano pieces known as "Nocturnes." The "Nocturne" is a lyrical character piece for piano established by Chopin based on the ideas of the Irish composer John Field. I would like to introduce the works of Chopin and Fauré here, as they are particularly perfect.

First is Chopin's "Nocturne No. 19," performed by Hélène Grimaud.

Since this piece was not published during Chopin's lifetime, it is considered a posthumous work, Op. 72, but it is actually an early work composed when Chopin was 17 years old.

In the first part, a melody reminiscent of Bach's counterpoint is woven into the wave-like left-hand accompaniment, and from the 20th to the 22nd measure (01:17–01:28), it modulates from minor to major, as if "shadows are constantly shifting into light (Jankélévitch)." From the 23rd measure of the second part (01:29–), third chords and chromatic techniques are used, creating a distinctly Romantic tone. These few measures are the highlight of the piece and can be called the twilight of the Romantic music that Chopin brought about.

While conventional performances tend to eliminate the reverberation, Grimaud's performance makes good use of it. Since the way Romantic music sounds changes significantly depending on the performer's style and the quality of the recording, it is necessary to patiently compare them, but the joy of finding a good source is exceptional.

Fauré's "Nocturne No. 5," performed by Aline Piboule, is also a wonderful recording.

Fauré wrote thirteen nocturnes, but the 5th, 6th, and 13th are particularly perfect. Aline Piboule, a fellow Frenchwoman like Grimaud, recorded this album in Dolby Atmos to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Fauré's death, using a Gaveau piano housed at the Music Museum in Paris. This piano, with its weight and transparency, suits Fauré's musical ideas perfectly, and the included nocturnes and barcarolles are ideal for a rainy afternoon.

Grand symphonies and epic songs are valuable experiences when heard in ceremonies or theaters, but they can be a bit too grandiose for everyday listening. On the other hand, Romantic miniatures blend well into daily life and add a touch of color. In particular, the nocturnes of Chopin and Fauré are, as Jankélévitch says, things that "whisper to those who have ears to hear," and are "the light of twilight, as well as the vague light when night turns to dawn."

[Cafe Romanticism]
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