Tokyo Adventure – Abenteuer in Tokio

Even today the picture of Japan in many a European’s mental vision is determined by fascinating attraction. On the one hand it is a country of high technology, a powerful industrial nation operating worldwide. On the other hand, like a bulwark, there are traditions that have been handed down through the generations and which generally must not be understood by an Occidental mind.

In his fantasy “Tokyo Adventure” Luigi di Ghisallo succeeded in describing this atmosphere in a captivating musical language: its overall treatment is European, but it frequently takes advantage of Japanese motifs which, however, are not authentic Japanese folk music. The composer uses a typical James Bond screen plot for his musical scenario without being strictly programmatic here.

The first impressions when arriving in Japan are those of the busy harbor of Yokohama, the entry into Tokyo megalopolis with its agglomeration of some 30 million inhabitants. The peaceful atmosphere of the venerable Kannon Temple and meeting a Geisha there for the first time is a very colorful contrast. It must not be emphasized that the melodies of the central section should be played in a simple and intimate way, as it is music typical of a love story. It describes scenes such as meeting that beautiful Oriental girl for the first time, the Geisha’s song and dance and the traditional tea ceremony at Matsubaya. Here hte music paints the indefinite pitch of the Koto, a very old Japanese string instrument which is still popular today. It should not be astonishing, if this atmosphere recalls the music of Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” or also that of the successful musical “Miss Saigon” (C.M.Schoenberg). In the final section everyday life and further adventures gain in momentum again and lead to culminating grandioso of the love theme at the famous statue of the Great Buddha of Kamakura.

The accordion orchestra version of this piece is combinable with the concert band version!