Masaaki Suzuki - Japanese Christian Classical Musician

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bookslover

Puritan Board Doctor
For those who are interested in classical music (all 1-1/2 of you), you might be interested in checking out recordings by Masaaki Suzuki. He was born in Kobe, Japan, in 1954 (he just turned 67 at the end of April, 2021) and is a harpsichordist, organist, and conductor who specializes in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. He founded the Bach Collegium Japan in 1990, when he was 36, and the group began performing concerts and making recordings two years later.

He has recorded all the cantatas of Bach (there are about 300 of them) and much of Bach's other music, as well as music by other composers, of course.

Interestingly, he is a Reformed Christian, a member of the Reformed Church of Japan. Both his parents were believers, as well. This is very unusual in gospel-resistant Japan. In recordings and performances, he says he takes time to explain Bach's music to his musicians and audiences, especially the sacred music, since there is simply no tradition of liturgical Christian music in Japan.

He is a fine musician with an international reputation (he has performed extensively in the United States and Europe). As I said, check him out, if interested.
 
The Bach Collegium Japan under his direction has produced some truly luminous recordings. I didn't realize he was Reformed, that's neat to know.
 
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Thanks, Richard.

I, like my dear brother Ruben, did not know that the maestro was in the RCJ. Good to know that he's Reformed.

Even as is young Gert van Hoef, a fantastic organist in Holland (so lots of Bach and many other wonderful organ composers): witness his Reformed testimony in the current issue of The Outlook. He has many great YT videos to check out!

Peace,
Alan
 
Thanks, Richard.

I, like my dear brother Ruben, did not know that the maestro was in the RCJ. Good to know that he's Reformed.

Even as is young Gert van Hoef, a fantastic organist in Holland (so lots of Bach and many other wonderful organ composers): witness his Reformed testimony in the current issue of The Outlook. He has many great YT videos to check out!

Peace,
Alan
It is good to see you Alan.

all 1-1/2 of you
What am I, negative 0.5? ;)

Thanks for the information. I have followed his work too. Now I'm pleased to hear of his faith.
 
The quality of his direction, and the musicians under it, can be heard pretty clearly in the final section of BWV225:
 
There are breathtaking Japanese performances of Beethoven’s 9th all over YouTube.
 
Are there any Japanese jazz fans on here? Japan took the ball and ran with Jazz in the '70s and up.

Hiroshi Fukumura's Morning Flight is a masterpiece of trombone playing. Imagination Opus is spectacular. It is an experience to throw the album on and listen to the whole thing on a nice pair of headphones.


The Japanese Jazz label, Three Blind Mice, had so many great releases:


The link above should bring up a playlist with many of their releases.
 
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