Browse all episodes of Masterpieces Performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra

This symphony is a celebration of nature by Beethoven, who came up with ideas for it while walking in the woods. The impassioned performance was conducted by Herbert Blomstedt, who continues to be active in his 90's. The orchestra has given Blomstedt the title of "Honorary Conductor Laureate" to show respect and love.

Herbert Blomstedt: Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, “Pastorale”

This masterpiece by the Finnish composer evokes the grandeur of Scandinavian landscapes. The orchestra's chief conductor Paavo Järvi conducted the performance. The Estonian-born Järvi has received the Sibelius Medal in recognition of his long dedication to the composer's works.

Paavo Järvi: Sibelius, Symphony No. 2, Op. 43

Fabio Luisi from Genoa, Italy conducted this performance of the final symphony from Brahms's Romantic period. The fourth movement exudes the composer's melancholy in his final years, invoking a Baroque musical theme. Luisi's direction heightens the intensity.

Fabio Luisi: Brahms, Symphony No. 4, Op. 98

In this episode, we bring you excerpts of a concert held by the NHK Symphony Orchestra where it gave a complete performance of the Nutcracker. Russian maestro Vladimir Fedoseyev took the baton. He has performed with the NHK Symphony Orchestra several times, often taking up Russian music, since he led the orchestra for the first time in 2013. In the excerpts, you will hear, Overture, Divertissements: Chocolate (Spanish Dance), Coffee (Arabian Dance), Tea (Chinese Dance), Trepak (Russian Dance), Dance of the Reed-Pipes, Mother Gigogne and the clowns and (XIII) Waltz of the Flowers, (XIV) Pas de deux, Intrada, Variation 1 Tarantelle, Variation 2 Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy, Coda and (XV) Waltz Finale and Apotheosis. Explore the world of the Nutcracker created by Fedoseyev.

Vladimir Fedoseyev: Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker

In this episode, we bring you some of the orchestra music from Der Ring des Nibelungen by Wilhelm Richard Wagner, which is often performed independently. The NHK Symphony Orchestra's chief conductor Paavo Jarvi took the baton. Paavo selected the music himself and performed it in a completely different order from the opera so the music could tell its story on its own. You will hear: The Valkyrie, Ride of the Valkyries, Siegfried, Forest Murmurs, Twilight of the Gods, Siegfried's Death and Funeral March, Dawn and Siegfried's Rhine Journey, The Rhine Gold and Entrance of the Gods in Valhalla. You will know what Paavo was trying to achieve with the performance.

Paavo Järvi: Wagner, The Ring of the Nibelung

We've chosen Brahms' Symphony No. 1 for the last day of this season. His first symphony took Brahms over 20 years from sketches to finishing touches. The masterpiece is the result of serious deliberations he made as he sought to surpass Beethoven, a great composer who left his mark on the history of the symphony, and produce something that would succeed his works. NHK Symphony Orchestra's Honorary Conductor Laureate Herbert Blomstedt took the baton. Enjoy the performance by the maestro and the orchestra who have built a relationship of trust through 30 years' experiences of working together.

Herbert Blomstedt: Brahms, Symphony No. 1

In the first episode of this season, we bring you musical excerpts from the masterpiece "The Sleeping Beauty," a ballet by Tchaikovsky. The conductor is Alexander Vedernikov, the great Russian maestro. The maestro himself chose the excerpts. The NHK Symphony Orchestra leads Japan's classical music world and it held its first concert in 1927 and has since performed regularly for over 90 years. It continues its excellent performance to this day. Please enjoy the wonderful synergy of the orchestra and the maestro, together with the pre-performance talk by music critic Katayama Morihide and presenter Yamamoto Miki.

*Alexander Vedernikov passed away on October 29, 2020. We extend our heartfelt condolences.

Alexander Vedernikov: Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66

In this episode, we present Brahms' Symphony No. 2, the beloved masterpiece imbued with a light, warm atmosphere and beautiful melodies. The conductor is Christoph Eschenbach, a maestro with long experience leading famous orchestras around the world. Please enjoy the wonderful synergy of the orchestra and the maestro, which will bring out the piece's power with amazing tension.

Christoph Eschenbach: Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

In this episode, we present Ein Heldenleben (“A Hero's Life”), sym. poem, Op. 40, by Richard Strauss that can be considered as a musical autobiography of the composer. The conductor is Paavo Järvi, the chief conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Järvi's approach to the music is fully understood and responded by the orchestra's high level performance and you will enjoy the music with the strong storyline and a lively tempo like a drama.

Paavo Järvi: Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Symphonic Poem, Op. 40

To start off this season, we present Rakhmaninov's Symphony No. 3, a masterpiece by one of Russia's foremost composers. The masterpiece was written after Rakhmaninov had left his home and emigrated to the United States. The conductor is Paavo Järvi, the chief conductor of the NHK Symphony Orchestra. He says the piece stands at the pinnacle of Russian Romantic symphonies.

Paavo Järvi: Rachmaninoff, Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 44

In the second episode, we present Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4., which Tchaikovsky himself referred as the best work he had done, with much satisfaction at the time of the completion of the work. The conductor is the Russian maestro Vladimir Fedoseyev.

Vladimir Fedoseyev: Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36

In the final episode of this season, we present Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, “Eroica”. The conductor is Herbert Blomstedt. The piece has long been performed with large orchestras, but now there is renewed interest in smaller sized orchestras, with fewer string players. Blomstedt has taken this approach and it was successful with very fresh and confident performance.

Herbert Blomstedt: Beethoven, Symphony No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 55, “Eroica”

Austrian composer Josef Anton Bruckner is said to have created a symphonic style of monumental proportions equivalent to that of a colossal stone structure in architecture. Yet Symphony No. 1 in C minor composed during his early years has a charming light touch reminiscent of an airy place drenched in sunlight. The agility of the NHK Symphony Orchestra as it gradually builds the pace of the performance in perfect response to conductor Paavo Järvi's lithe direction brings out the charm of the composition. Performed in the early summer of 2018 at Shibuya to resounding audience acclaim, this concert is sure to bring a ray of light to all of us hoping for a speedy conclusion to the pandemic. Relish the performance that is the convergence of 3 superb elements: an airy charming music composition, directed by a conductor with a light and modern interpretation, and performed by a symphony orchestra that is more than up to the task.

Paavo Järvi: Bruckner, Symphony No. 1 in C minor

Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major expresses the elation of a city dweller enjoying a day in the country in nature. Titled the "Pastorale, or Recollections of Country Life," the melody is a very familiar one. But this new interpretation of the "Pastorale" as conducted by Roger Norrington is full of surprises. The tempo is rapid and there is no use of vibrato by the stringed instruments. At first, the listeners are overwhelmed by the rapid change of musical scenes even before they are comfortably settled into the music, but as they gradually relax into the composition, they experience the feeling of release at the openness of the space depicted by the score. Although known for its sumptuous sound, here the NHK orchestra demonstrates a fresh new appeal through their rhythmically well-modulated performance in response to Norrington's baton. Bask in the feeling of being in the great outdoors while listening to "Pastorale" at a time when the pandemic has restricted outings of all kinds.

Roger Norrington: Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, “Pastorale”

Symphony No. 1 in C minor written by Johannes Brahms and widely regarded as one of the greatest symphonies of the nineteenth century is conducted here by fellow German Christoph Eschenbach. He is known for adding unique insights gleaned from his deep-dive into the score and giving exacting instructions to every instrumentalist to infuse the performance with deeper meaning. Eschenbach's association with the NHK Symphony Orchestra goes back to November 1979; together they have performed all the Brahms symphonies and that seasoned partnership is evident in this performance. Take pleasure in this gem polished to brilliance by the exhilarating artistic interplay between conductor and orchestra.

Christoph Eschenbach: Brahms, Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

This 2008 concert of Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 was conducted by world-renowned Fabio Luisi who will assume the post of Chief Conductor of the NHKSO in September 2022 for a term of 3 years. There is great anticipation that their collaboration will produce a musicality that widely resonates with our modern time. Beethoven's seventh symphony is a masterpiece that expresses the everyday human emotions of the Viennese through rhythmic devices suggestive of dance. As directed by Luisi and faithfully performed by the NHKSO, this rendition will surely bring the listeners to their feet to dance along with Luisi and the citizens of Vienna. Take pleasure in the carefree and ebullient music, pleasing to both the eye and ear that only an implicit trust and bond between conductor and orchestra can produce.

Fabio Luisi: Beethoven, Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

If Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64 can be characterized as a musical portrayal of a person resolutely going forward overcoming difficulties with unwavering faith, then Blomstedt and the orchestra play as though the symphony was written about them, making this a very personal performance. You are sure to be moved by this performance recorded in September 2011, just 6 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake and touted as one of NHKSO's finest performances. While affected areas were still recovering 10 years after this disaster, Japan, along with the world was faced with another horror in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. Find comfort in Blomstedt and NHKSO's musical message that is just as relevant today during these trying times as it was 10 years ago.

Herbert Blomstedt: Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 in E minor, Op. 64

In Maestro Roger Norrington's performance there is no vibrato - since he prefers to move the audience emotionally with pure tones, not by the artifice of vibrato. That was the challenge Norrington and the NHKSO set for themselves in this performance of Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73. Brahms' music known for its flowing quality sounds refreshingly crisp in this performance that could be said to be experimental. The musical height achieved by the uncluttered tone produced by the taut strings alongside other instruments is a revelation, a Brahms performance that can't be heard anywhere else. Revel in a completely different take on a masterpiece that only a courageous challenge can produce. May the challenges in your lives be as fruitful in 2022.

Roger Norrington: Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

Here we present Scheherazade, symphonic suite, Op. 35, by Russian Romantic composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in this sneak-peak performance prior to his official assumption of his post as chief conductor. Included is a brief interview with the maestro in which he reveals that during the last two-three years, he has come to reflect more and more on the meaning and significance of art and music in today's world. Enjoy the latest collaboration of Maestro Luisi and the NHK Symphony Orchestra from their performance in Okinawa this May.

Fabio Luisi: Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade, Symphonic Suite, Op. 35

This piece by Hector Berlioz, Harold en Italie (“Harold in Italy”), symphony, Op. 16, is his symphony with a viola solo. In this performance, the solo is played by Ryo Sasaki, principal violist for the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Berlioz saw great possibilities for individual instruments to express human feelings. He believed that he could create the dramatic operatic atmosphere by composing heart-rendering monologues for instruments without relying on opera singers. Be mesmerized by the drama produced by the no-holds-barred collaboration of Sokhiev, NHK Symphony Orchestra and Ryo Sasaki.

Tugan Sokhiev: Berlioz, Harold en Italie, Symphony, Op. 16

The last in this summer series is the NHK Symphony Orchestra and Sawallisch's 2002 performance of Ein Heldenleben, symphonic poem, Op. 40, by Richard Strauss (“A Hero's Life”). Marvel at Sawallisch's unflagging passion for music as he conducts the orchestra just before his 80th birthday.

Wolfgang Sawallisch: Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Symphonic Poem, Op. 40

The eminent German conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch is credited for having created NHKSO's characteristic "sound rooted in the German tradition" during his 40-year association. In his final November 2004 collaboration with the orchestra, he imparted a soft watercolor-like diffused edge to the sharp and clear modern tones giving the music even more depth. Pay particular attention to the maestro's left hand. The subtlety Sawallisch desires the orchestra to convey is expressed in these movements. In this final performance with the NHKSO, Sawallisch wanted to communicate so much and the orchestra responds magnificently. Sit back and enjoy the confident performance that comes only with total trust between conductor and orchestra.

Wolfgang Sawallisch: Brahms, Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68

Although Christoph Eschenbach belongs firmly in a line of distinguished conductors of the German tradition, he began his illustrious music career as a pianist. Since his focus moved to conducting in the 1970s, he has held the directorship of numerous renowned orchestras throughout the world and received the highest musical honors. He has also performed as a featured pianist with the NHKSO many times. As a conductor, this 2017 performance was the first collaboration with the NHKSO in thirty years. Eschenbach is a perfectionist, an exacting conductor who pays attention to the minutest of details to polish the sound for a consummate performance. Be amazed at the virtuosity of an orchestra that presents very different interpretations of symphonies by the same composer reflecting the zeitgeist and the style of the conductor.

Christoph Eschenbach: Brahms, Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98

We present this brand-new September 2022 performance as the last of the three featured in this series. Fabio Luisi names Sawallisch as one of his mentors and a role model as a musician. In Part 1 of this series, you heard the Brahms symphony that was Sawallisch's final collaboration with the NHKSO. Now, listen to Luisi's Brahms symphony and see if you can detect any indication of the direction the orchestra is headed under his directorship. You may catch the melodic phrases that Luisi, an Italian, infuses into this new performance. Brahms is one of the representative composers in the NHKSO repertoire. Speaking of the repertoire, Luisi stated he will perfect it by making it deeper, newer and different, and this intent can clearly be felt in this rendition. Watch this and the other two performances in this series as the standard for comparison for all other Brahms symphony performances.

Fabio Luisi: Brahms, Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73

Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23, by Koyama Michie (Piano), NHK Symphony Orchestra, Otaka Tadaaki (Conductor)

Koyama Michie: Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23

Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64, by HIMARI (Violin), NHK Symphony Orchestra, Umeda Toshiaki (Conductor)

HIMARI: Mendelssohn, Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Dvorak, Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70, by NHK Symphony Orchestra, Shimono Tatsuya (Conductor)

Shimono Tatsuya: Dvorak, Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70

This time, the masterpiece we share is Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64, conducted by the NHK Symphony Orchestra's Permanent Conductor, Otaka Tadaaki.

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 conducted by Otaka Tadaaki

This time, the masterpieces we share are by Franz Schubert, and include the first movement of Symphony No. 2 as well as Symphony No. 4 in its entirety, both conducted by Suzuki Masaaki.

Schubert: Symphony No. 2 and No. 4 conducted by Suzuki Masaaki

This time, the masterpiece we share is Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, also known as Eroica, conducted by Yamada Kazuki.

Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 conducted by Yamada Kazuki

The NHK Symphony Orchestra leads Japan's classical music world. It held its first concert in 1927 and has since performed regularly for over 90 years. It continues its excellent performance to this day and has gained international recognition for performances with renowned conductors and soloists. Enjoy the vibrant music forged by the NHK Symphony Orchestra and each conductor's highly individual interpretations that created these unforgettable performances. Music critic Katayama Morihide and presenter Yamamoto Miki set the scene in an introductory segment to the prerecorded concerts.

All Episodes of Masterpieces Performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra

All Episodes of Masterpieces Performed by NHK Symphony Orchestra

Season 1

Herbert Blomstedt: Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68, “Pastorale”

Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 5/4/2019

Paavo Järvi: Sibelius, Symphony No. 2, Op. 43

Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 5/5/2019

Fabio Luisi: Brahms, Symphony No. 4, Op. 98

Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 5/6/2019