As a conductor and Early music specialist, Masaaki Suzuki is in high demand. Renowned for his Bach recordings with his ensemble and choir Bach Collegium Japan, he is also still a busy conductor, leading orchestras all over the world. Next month he makes a return to Singapore, re-connecting with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, a relationship that now dates back more than ten years.
Suzuki first conducted the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) in 2015 in a programme of CPE Bach, Beethoven, and Poulenc, with his son Masato Suzuki as organ soloist. Since then, he has visited the orchestra on multiple other occasions. In addition, he was also Visiting Professor at Singapore’s Yong Siew Toh Conservatory for Music, where he led projects with the Conservatory orchestra, including a series of Bach cantatas.
However, such activities were put on hold by Coronavirus. “Before the pandemic, I was visiting Singapore every year, sometimes twice,” says Suzuki, “and I have many fond memories working with the SSO and also with the students of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory. So it’s great to be back in the country for the first time in almost seven years.”
In April, Suzuki is conducting a highly unusual programme with the SSO. In fact, they are giving Asian premieres of two symphonies by the 19th-century Bohemian composer, Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda (1801–66), a contemporary of Franz Schubert.
“Originally the programme was the idea of the late Hans Sørensen, SSO’s former Director of Artistic Planning,” Suzuki says. “He was very enthusiastic about exploring non-standard repertoire, and he came up with a project of performing Kalliwoda’s symphonies. It’s the first time for me to conduct these pieces.” Bachtrack spoke with Sørensen in 2023, ahead of another revival of an orchestral rarity, Józef Kozłowski’s Requiem.
Kalliwoda (or Jan Křtitel Václav Kalivoda) was born in Prague, and is perhaps best known today for his charming Oboe Concertino. He was a composer and violinist, serving as Kapellmeister at the court of Donaueschingen in Germany for 40 years, composing over 450 works including seven symphonies. He composed concertos, chamber music, choral music, songs, and four operas. His symphonies were praised in his lifetime for clarity of form, contrapuntal textures and skilled orchestration, and Robert Schumann was very fond of his Symphony no. 5, writing in 1840 that “it is quite special and the tenderness of his music is unique in the world of symphonies.”
I ask Suzuki about the stylistic features of the two symphonies they are performing. “We are performing the Fifth and the Seventh symphonies – they are both attractive works,” he says. “It’s interesting that Schumann thought highly of his symphonies – in a way one could say his orchestral skills are better than Schumann’s. For example, Kalliwoda’s contrapuntal writing is excellent. The Scherzo of the Seventh Symphony starts as a two-part canon involving all the instruments which continues for a while. This is followed by an Adagio third movement, which is a funeral march and quite dramatic. In the Fifth Symphony, the finale is tempestuous and has a thrilling appeal.”
I ask whether Suzuki has tackled music by other neglected composers in the past. “I haven’t explored unknown 19th-century repertoire that much. I once conducted a symphony by the Swedish composer Franz Berwald (1796–1868) with the NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo in 2020. It was part of a programme that Herbert Blomstedt was supposed to conduct, but because of the pandemic he couldn’t travel and I jumped in. That was also a charming piece.
“In earlier repertoire, I have recently finished recording all the cantatas of Nicolaus Bruhns (1665–97) with the Yale Institute of Sacred Music. Bruhns is famous only amongst organists, but he composed 12 cantatas which are worth a listen. I’m happy to take on neglected works, but ultimately, it’s not about whether the piece is famous or not; it’s about whether the music has substance and I can commit to it. Otherwise, you need to work extra hard to bring the work across to the audience.”
In between the two Kalliwoda symphonies, we have more familiar repertoire: Mozart’s Violin Concerto no. 5 with Sayaka Shoji as soloist. Surprisingly, Suzuki tells me that it’s the first time he is performing with the Japanese violinist. In addition, Shoji intends to play on pure gut strings (ie. strings without metal windings) and a Baroque bow, so they will perform the concerto with a small-sized orchestra, which should suit the intimate space of the Victoria Concert Hall. Shoji has recently been exploring the performance practice of the 18th and 19th centuries, and has recorded Mozart’s violin sonatas with fortepiano, so this should be an exciting collaboration.
“I’ve always enjoyed working with the Singapore Symphony,” Suzuki says. “As one of the leading orchestras in Asia, they are diligent and passionate, and I remember when we performed Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in 2019, they did a great job – the orchestral part is very tricky in that work. Perhaps the members have changed somewhat since I was last there, but I’m very much looking forward to working with them again, and to discover Kalliwoda’s music together.”
Elsewhere, and away from the Bach Collegium Japan, Suzuki is in high demand as a conductor. He was in Lahti in Finland last October conducting Mozart and Schubert, and over Easter he conducts 14 performances of St Matthew Passion with the Netherlands Bach Society. After his SSO concert, he leads the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall in Beethoven and Mendelssohn, and in May he conducts the Orchestra of Castilla e Léon in Mozart and Mendelssohn. And next season, he is conducting Messiah with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
I ask if when he performs early 19th century repertoire such as Schubert and Mendelssohn with modern orchestras, does he take a “period” approach? “Well, these days when I conduct orchestras in Europe and sometimes even in the US, they immediately play without vibrato although I haven’t said anything. When I ask why they aren’t using vibrato, they would reply, ‘we didn’t think we should use it’,” Suzuki says.
“But actually, the vibrato or non-vibrato thing is not the issue. In the 19th century, vibrato was always used ornamentally. Essentially, my approach is to explain what kinds of sound I want. For instance, I tell them that I want simple and direct sounds – and to string players, I ask them to play on open strings where possible and use first position rather than higher positions. Also, some European orchestras have the tendency of playing a fraction after the beat, so I ask the players to play on the beat with me. I also explain the kinds of articulation I want. In the end, though, I try to bring out the spirit of the piece. In the case of Kalliwoda, it’s not a difficult to play – it’s like playing Mozart or Schubert – but I hope to bring out the texture and the drama of the music.”
Finally, what plans does he have with his Bach Collegium Japan, which he now shares conducting duties with his son Masato? “We’ve just finished our series of Bach’s chorale cantatas in Tokyo and Kobe,” Suzuki says. “Masato has started a series titled ‘The Path to Beethoven’, leading up to the anniversary in 2027 which is also being recorded. He is combining the symphonies with important works by contemporary composers such as Haydn’s Seven Last Words on the Cross and Cherubini’s Requiem in C minor, which is new repertory for us.
“Meanwhile, I am performing Bach’s Mass in B minor in the summer, and the E flat major version of Bach’s Magnificat in December which we haven’t recorded yet. I’m also revisiting some of his cantatas, placing them into different contexts. Then, 2027 is the 300th anniversary of St Matthew Passion, so I’ll be conducting that quite a few times.”
He tells me that Bach Collegium’s next European tour will be led by Masato (with more details announced soon). Meanwhile, Masaaki will record the next volume of Bach’s organ works in Hamburg in August. He is also recording the two recently discovered organ pieces of Bach, which he has already given the Japanese premiere.
So, if you can’t make it to Singapore for the Asian premieres of Kalliwoda’s symphonies, there are many opportunities to catch Masaaki – whether in Europe, the US, Japan, or on disc.
Masaaki Suzuki conducts the Singapore Symphony Orchestra with Sayaki Shoji on 17th and 18th April at Victoria Concert Hall.
See upcoming performances by Masaaki Suzuki and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
This article was sponsored by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
