Prague, a city in Bohemia, is where the great composers, Dvorak and Smetana, flourished. Their sounds are familiar to most Japanese with the symphony "From the New World" by Dvorak, and symphonic poems "My Country" by Smetana.
It is fitting for the name "the Country of Strings" and there are many string chamber music concerts being held at many places every night in Prague, the capital of Czech Republic.
To me as a former violinist in an orchestra, Czech and Prague are a country and a city of my admiration from childhood. It was a natural matter for me to come to Bohemia as if I was drawn by the sound of strings. In St. Nicholas Church, the memorial Mass for Mozart was first held immediately after the news of his sudden death in December,1791. Stavovske Theatre is where the opera"Don Giovanni" was first conducted by the composer himself. Mozart's charming cottage called Bertramka is also in Prague. I can strongly feel and realize his presence in those places, and the feeling really touches me to the heart.
Prague was once the capital of the Holy Roman Empire. When I listen to the sounds of Prague with its 2000-year history, I can hear the sound of music that echoes on the cobbled streets.
In this exhibition,I try to express the tracks of the past Bohemian musicians with my greatest respect and search for their figures which appear from time to time in the 21st century Bohemia.
Yoko Oyama |
