Jean Sibelius - Symphony No. 2; Andante Festivo (Chiaki Murakawa)

Information

Composer: Jean Sibelius

• Andante Festivo JS 34b
• Symphony No. 2 in D Major Op. 43

Yamagata Symphony Orchestra

Chiaki Murakawa, conductor

Date: 2025

Label: MClassics

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Chiaki Murakawa, Founding Honorary Conductor of the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, died in June 2025 at 93. This album captures his final symphonic performance, recorded live on August 10, 2024. A central figure in Tohoku’s musical life, Murakawa built and shaped the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra with lifelong dedication. His deep affinity for Sibelius’s music—performed and refined with the orchestra for over fifty years—infuses this interpretation, blending the landscapes of Finland with those of Yamagata. The recording preserves a powerful, resonant performance, offering a moving testament to Murakawa’s artistry, passion and enduring legacy.

Chiaki Murakawa graduated in composition from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and pursued conducting studies in the U.S., earning a Master of Music from Indiana University and further training in New York with Leopold Stokowski. He debuted as a conductor with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra in 1966 and went on to lead major Japanese orchestras including Sapporo, Japan Philharmonic, and Kyoto Symphony Orchestras. In 1972, he founded the Yamagata Symphony Orchestra, serving as its Music Director and Permanent Conductor. Murakawa also taught at Tokyo College of Music and received numerous honors, including the Yamagata Prefecture Educational Merit Award and the Saito Mokichi Cultural Award.