Suntory Hall is hosting a special exhibition at Hotel Okura Tokyo (South Wing) to commemorate 150 years of friendship between Japan and Austria in November 2019. Suntory Hall and the Viennese Music Association (the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien / Musikverein Wien) have developed strong musical bonds due to a partnership established in 2006. At this exhibition, we are making valuable music-related materials belonging to Musikverein's Archive, Library, and Collections available to the public, including original notes of music, letters, pictures, and photographs. We are also exhibiting numerous behind-the-scenes photos of members of Wiener Philharmoniker taken backstage. Text: Japanese / German.

[Period]	10:00 - 18:30 daily, Sat November 2 - Sun November 17 2019 * Last admission: 30 minutes before closing * November 16 open until 17:30 (Last admission: 17:00) * Closed: November 12
[Closed]	November 12 2019
[Venue]	Ascot Hall (B2F), Hotel Okura Tokyo

The Exhibition from 'Archive-Library-Collection of
the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien'

The Exhibition of Backstage Portraits of Wiener Philharmoniker

Exhibition-related Programs

Tickets

The Exhibition from 'Archive-Library-Collection of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien'

Since its establishment in 1812, the Viennese Music Association (Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien) has made the systematic collection of materials of all kinds related to music a major part of its activities. Naturally, materials related to Japan have also become a part of its collection efforts.
At the end of the 19th century, in an era of advancing global cultural exchange, a wave of European culture rushed upon Japan, which had just opened up to the West. At the same time, Japan was introduced to Vienna through the World Expo and similar events, and numerous Viennese artists and architects were influenced by Japan. Brahms, Bruckner, Liszt, Johan Strauss Jr., and Richard Strauss were all composers living in Vienna at that very time.
During this exhibition, we will uncover the various hidden traces of Japan that can be found in Vienna from the viewpoint of music and art from the late 19th century up to the present.

During the exhibition period, we are planning events unique to this exhibition that will let visitors 'hear' the history of musical exchange between Japan and Vienna through lectures by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Otto Biba and Prof. Dr. Ingrid Fuchs, director and deputy director of the Archive of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Wien respectively, as well as through free mini concerts in which musicians including the members of Wiener Phlhamoniker will play some of the exhibited musical scores.* Free Exhibition catalogue

Valuable music-related historical materials and paintings

The painting 'Rokudan in Vienna - Johannes Brahms und Countess Kiwako Toda' by Tadashi Moriya

A rare chance to see in Tokyo the painting 'Melody ROKUDAN in Vienna (Brahms and Countess Kiwako Toda) ' (below) and articles belonging to Johannes Brahms from the Ogaki City Moriya Tadashi Art Museum collection.

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  'Japanische Volksmusik (Japanese Folk Music)'
  arranged by Heinrich von Bocklet, from the library of Johannes Brahms.

Vienna in the late 19th century, the era of Emperor Franz Josef I and Empress Elisabeth

Vienna had been transformed into a centre for cultural exchange, as symbolised by the 1873 World Expo. The formation of the city was similar to that of Edo (Tokyo) at that time.

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  Vienna City (1866)

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  Bunken Edo Oezu (Map of Edo) (1863)

• Unknown painter Erwin Dominik
  Osen (1891-1970)

  Six paintings by Erwin Dominik Osen have been made available. Osen was a Viennese painter and stage actor whose father was Japanese and who was active in the art salon scene in Vienna. (From the Musikverein collection)

• Vienna - a life surrounded by music

  Vienna was a town overflowing with music, not only in glamorous society but also on the streets.

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  'Orchideen'

  'Orchideen'

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  'The golden Hall of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde',
  a painting by Ludwig Michalek

The genesis of Vienna, the City of Music

Brahms, Bruckner, Liszt, Wolf, Richard Strauss...and the Strauss family.
Some of the most valuable music-related historical materials from the Musikverein's collections, including hand-written musical scores, letters, and photographs, are being made available to the public on an unprecedented scale. The materials also include the hand-written score of Bruckner's Symphony No.8.

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  Johannes Brahms

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  Anton Bruckner

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  Hugo Wolf

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  Johann Strauss Jr.
  (painting by W. Weingart)

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  Gustav Mahler
  (etching by Emil Orlik)

The footprints of interactions between Japan and Austria - Japanese melodies that crossed the seas

Rudolf Dittrich, a music professor who was brought to Tokyo from the Vienna Conservatory, was one of several leading figures who introduced Japanese melodies to Europe.

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  Rudolf Dittrich

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  Nippon Gakufu: Sechs Japanische Volkslieder (Six Japanese Popular Songs collected and arranged for the Pianoforte by R. Dittrich), 1894

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  Nippon Gakufu. Zweite Folge. Zehn Japanische Volkslieder (Second Series, Ten Japanese Songs collected and arranged for the Pianoforte by R. Dittrich), 1895

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  RAKUBAI: Fallende Pflaumenblüten. Japanisches Lied mit Koto (Falling Plum Blossoms. Japanese Songs with Koto arranged for the Pianoforte by Rudolf Dittrich), 1894