If you regularly take trains in Japan, you will be familiar with some of the departure melodies that are played on station platforms just before a train departs. The tunes differ by railway company and locality and are meant to have a calming influence on passengers, letting them know that a train is about to leave without causing a sudden panicked rush. Departure melodies are generally very pleasant and many people grow fond of them as they associate them with particular areas or a favorite railway line.
Now one of these departure melodies is to play a part in a special celebration of railway culture: a concert that will be performed this August by the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra.
Dedicated to both railway fans and classical music enthusiasts the concert is meant as a serious and passionate tribute to the charm of railways, in which everyday memories and musical expression are brought together.
Called the “Okesutora Tetsudo Hakubutsukan,” or “Orchestra Railway Museum” in English, the concert will feature music from Mozart’s Symphony Number 1 that is used as a departure melody at Tobu Railway’s Ikebukuro Station.
Famous works that mimic the dynamic rhythms of locomotive engines will also be played, such as Arthur Honegger’s “Pacific 231” or “The Little Train of the Caipira” by Heitor Villa-Lobos.
Richard Rodgers’ “My Favorite Things,” which has been used in a series of Kyoto-themed JR Central commercials, will also be featured in the concert.
Tickets are now on sale for the concert, which will be performed at Sumida Triphony Hall on Tuesday August 18th from 7.00 p.m.
Special events will also be held in the hall before the performance begins, but details of these have not yet been unannounced. However, there will be elaborate railway models on display and special railway-themed merchandise will also be available.
For more details please visit the New Japan Philharmonic website.
Article by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved.
