MOROI: Symphony No. 3, Op. 25 / Sinfonietta, Op. 24 / Two Symphonic Movements, Op. 22

Album review

Born and educated in Japan but trained in the German symphonic tradition, Saburo Moroi was among the first Japanese composers to develop his music along western lines. For its deliberate simplicity and studied prettiness, the Sinfonietta in B flat, Op. 24, "For Children" (1943) is not Moroi's most impressive effort, and it seems a weak choice to begin this program; listeners may wonder if they have stumbled on an undiscovered work by Humperdinck, so similar is Moroi's quaint style to Hänsel und Gretel. Somewhat more weighty are the Two Symphonic Movements, Op. 22 (1942); Wagner and Bruckner seem most influential here, though the work's Teutonic mannerisms are somewhat altered through the astringent modernism borrowed from Shostakovich. The Symphony No. 3, Op. 25 (1944), is the disc's most serious work, as may be imagined of a symphony composed in that troubled time. Moroi's skills are most apparent in his tight control of the themes, in his propulsion and drive, and most importantly, in his achievement of an overarching design that unifies the three movements. Takuo Yuasa and National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland give a full-blooded performance of the symphony, which is the plainly the most gratifying of the three works to play, and the most rewarding to hear. Naxos' reproduction is fine, though a little variable in dynamics, so watch the volume.
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