The history and development of Western chamber music—specifically string quartets—in Japan from 1989 to 2014
This research illuminates and advances understanding of the contemporary string quartet scene in Japan, a topic that has not yet been researched or documented extensively. My dissertation: (1) outlines the introduction of Western classical music to Japan in the late nineteenth century, and describes the rise of a chamber music movement, identifying string quartets from the early 1900s to 1989; and (2) presents the findings of detailed research into seven string quartets from 1989 to 2014, highlighting one string quartet, the Quartet Excelsior. (This research involves study of their performance venues, audiences, repertoires, programming, recordings, reception, and outreach. Research methodology and sources included a brief survey for the string quartet members and for hall managers; in-person correspondence with hall managers and music critics; an analytical study of newspapers and periodicals; information collected from the quartets’ websites and their social media; and email correspondence with some of the quartet members.) The findings of this mostly qualitative research offer insights into the string quartet music scene in Japan since 1989 to 2014, signifying the Quartet Excelsior as a leading ambassador for the genre. String quartet culture, which peaked in the 1970s and has somewhat declined since, has started to become lively again with the activities of the seven string quartets and the chamber music concert venues that I discuss.
string quartet ensembles in Japan, ARCO, Classico, Erdödy, Excelsior, Lotus, Morgaua, YAMATO, jyousetsu (permanently existing)
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign