Relating to Bartok

 

When I met Tomoko in 1983, the first question she asked me was: “Who is your favorite composer?” I answered “Béla Bartók.” Tomoko was impressed because he is usually not mentioned among the Big Bs (Bach, Beethoven and Brahms). Bartók has a way to connecting people, and there are many pieces of evidence that link Tomoko and her family to him.

One of the first connections between Bartók and Tomoko was Bartók’s country of birth: Hungary. Tomoko’s husband Desi was a Hungarian refugee. Like Desi, Bartók had to leave his country; when his father died, Bartók (age seven) and his sister were taken by mother first to the Ukraine and then to Slovakia. Indeed, when World War II started, Bartók immigrated to America; Desi immigrated because of the Hungarian Revolution. Tomoko also immigrated to the US as an adult.

Like Tomoko, Bartók started piano lessons as a young boy. Unlike Tomoko, Bartók wrote his first piano composition at age nine, and performed at his first public piano recital at age 11.

Also like Tomoko, Bartók was influenced by the music of Richard Strauss, Debussy, and Brahms.

Both Tomoko and Bartók appreciate folk music. Interestingly, Bartók started his interest in folk music when he heard an nanny singing folk songs to the little children she took care of. Tomoko routinely sang Japanese nursery songs to her daughter Beata when she was a baby, and how both of them sing those same traditional songs to Beata’s son Kai.

Both Tomoko and Bartók are nature lovers. Nature inspired Bartók in his Night music, which evoked sounds of nature. Another example is his Out of Doors sonata.

Moreover, both Bartók and Tomoko recorded their performances, and both were music teachers. Among Tomoko’s CD recording are pieces by Bartók, making a full circle in their relationship.

 

Music in Memory of Past Military

 

As a child, Tomoko experienced World War II in Japan. Her father and brother were conscripted to help the war effort as civilians, and the entire nation suffered hardship because of the war. After the war, Japan was occupied by U.S. military personnel, and Japan had to agree to never re-establish an offensive  military force.

Tomoko’s husband Desy also suffered from military action as his country, Hungary, was under the policies imposed by the Soviets. He was able to escape during the Hungarian Revolution, safely arriving in the United States -- poor but hopeful.

Composers have often expressed their feelings about war in their music, as the following examples of Ravel’s work demonstrate.

In World War I Maurice Ravel wanted to join the war effort, and so he drove a supply truck to support French troops. His piano suite Le tombeau de Couperin memorialized his friends who were killed in the war, a couple of whom were shot dead their first day at the front.  

In 1914 pianist Paul Wittgenstein a war bullet pierced his right elbow, resulting in amputating his arm. In his honor, several composers wrote pieces that could be performed solely by the left hand, including Ravel.  His left-hand piano concerto became Wittgenstein’s favorite composition to play.

Ravel’s compositions Frontispice (1919) and La Valse (2020) captured his own war-based psychological trauma and grief. Similarly, his Sonata for Violin and Violoncello (1922) and Sonata for Violin and Piano (1927) enabled his musician colleagues to share their mutual grief through duet performances.  

Music can be a powerful cathartic experience, both for a performance and for a listener, to address and remember times of war and suffering: to bear the grief and hope for peace.

Bravo for Bartók

One of Tomoko’s favorite composers to perform is Bela Bartók. In her CD “Touria” (available from Amazon), Bartók is the featured composers, showcasing six Rumanian folk dances frp, 1915, seventeen Hungarian and Slovak folk melodies, and “Allegro Barbaro” (1911).

Like Tomoko’s husband Desi, Bartók was born in Hungary (although Bartók’s town came under Romanian rule later on).  And like Desi, Bartók fled his country for America during war times. In Bartók’s case, his anti-Nazi sentiments endangered him. Nevertheless, Bartók always maintained a Hungarian spirit and sense of nationalism.

Bartók showed early musical talent, and gave his first public piano recital at age 11 in 1892 with his own composition, written two years earlier. Among his teachers was a pupil of Hungarian Franz Liszt. Later he was influenced by Richard Strauss and French composer Claude Debussy. In turn, Bartók taught Lili Kraus, one of Tomoko’s professional friends. 

Bartók’s compositions often built on folk music, particularly Rumanian folk dances. Bartók was not only a composer but also an ethnomusicologist, collecting and researching traditional Magyar folk melodies just as nationalism was blooming. Tomoko points out, “The folk inspiration fostered music that came from the heart, and yet how the composers built upon that folk music helped them express their own individuality.”

Bartók played “Allegro Barbaro” privately ten years before the published version of this short dance-like piece was performed publicly in 1921. Each of his pre-published performance was unique, changing speed as well as accents and dynamics. The piece’s title translates into “brisk barbarian”, which was an ironic reference to critics’ labelling of Bartók and his colleagues as young barbarians. Interestingly, the piece was based on Ravel’s “Scarbo.” The final rendition offers a unique counterbalancing of French and Hungarian folk melodies. The tonal pitch is constant, but the major, major and modal relations around it change. “Allegro Barbaro” has two themes, alternating between F# and F. The cadences are surprising, jagged, irregular but they still have chromatic motion. Even this this piece was written relatively early in his career, his compositional style was already mature.

It is no wonder that Tomoko appreciates Bartók: he brings cultural understanding to create an original compelling sound.  And Tomoko brings her own performance gifts to provide a unique experience for her own listeners.

The Impact of Immigration

In this climate of nationalism and concern about immigrant populations, it is important to remember the richness that immigrants bring to this nation. Tomoko and her husband exemplify the impact of immigrants to the United States – and the impact that people in the United States made in helping them succeed.

Tomoko recounts her career journey. “I wanted to get out of Japan. Europe was the cultural center, but the US was very welcoming to musicians such as Paderewski. I got an exchange student status, but I had to have a job to pay tuition. Tomoko came to the country with little money: “I didn’t want to be tempted to go back home.” Her musical skill opened doors for her. “Fortunately, UCLA had a special opera workshop, and a Japanese composer was there, so I was an accompanist for the program.” The Japanese community also welcomed her as a piano teacher for their children.

Tomoko also notes her professional opportunities in the US. “I was the first Asian teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. The first non-white was a black woman who did jazz.” Tomoko mentions the diversity of the conservatory. “There are lots of Eurasian students now. It is good for them to connect with different cultures.” Tomoko asserts: “Without music you don’t see as much of the world, and you don’t see the challenge.”

Because of her musical contributions Tomoko was able to become a US citizen five years after she got her green card (being single, it took her longer than if she were married at the time). She had to be interviewed, and was worried because of the spelling test. But the interviewer said, “I am a member of the Marin Symphony,” so it was an easy process.

One of her witnesses at the interview was her future husband Desy. He too is an immigrant: a refugee from the Hungarian Revolution. He was a medical professor at the University in Budapest, but had to redo his residency when he arrived in the United States. He had only one suitcase and $30 when he was dropped at St. Mary’s Hospital, and sometimes had to sleep in the park because he could not pay for lodging. Nevertheless, he once again became a successful and very regarded doctor.

The United States is richer because of Tomoko and her husband – and their talented daughter.

When asked what she liked about America, Tomoko responds: “I love the freedom. It is very comfortable, like a flowing painting. There is not tension and stress that I felt in Japan. It’s “high tech high touch.”

Taking Opportunities

Tomoko retells a traditional Japanese story. “Once there was a young man who had no job and no money. On the side of the road he saw a piece of straw. He picked it up, and made a dragonfly out of it. A child came by the road with his grandma, crying bitterly. The young man gave the straw dragonfly to the grandmother and child, and the crying stopped. The grandmother gave the young man an orange as payment. Later a performer passed the young man, and said, “I’m so thirsty.” The young man give the thirsty performer the orange, and the grateful performer paid the young man money for the kind gesture.” Tomoko concluded, “Every culture has a similar story. The moral of the story is to take advantage of opportunities.”

Tomoko knows the power of opportunity, personally and professionally.

A UCLA professor, Herbert Jan Popper (who directed the UCLA Opera Theater),  heard Tomoko perform in Tokyo, and talked with her saying that she was very good. He told her about the US and musical possibilities. He was able to get her to be listed along with a group of Japanese singers for a Japanese opera that was going to be performed for UCLA. He advised her to apply to the Conservatory of San Francisco because the paperwork was relatively easy. Tomoko took his kind advice, and was able to spread her wings in America.

Tomoko’s husband also saw an opportunity to escape Communist Hungary, and come to America. He had been a professor at the University of Budapest, but when he arrived in the United States, he knew no one, spoke little English, and had no green card. He had so little money that he had to sleep in the park. Someone gave him $5 just to make it through, and he had a tough time for five years.  Even with his past experiences, he had to apply for five years residency at a hospital. Nevertheless, he became once more a successful doctor.

Tomoko recalls how Pablo Casals was performing at the age of 96. At that time, in 1972, one of Tomoko’s college friends was inspired by Casals, and flew to Arizona State University where he was playing a benefit concert to raise money for an International Cello Library. Tomoko went along with her friend, and met Casals at the airport. They spent a meal with him and his young wife, who was the same age at Tomoko.

Chances might come even late in life, as local concert opportunities are growing for mature and senior citizens who play piano. Not surprisingly, therefore, Tomoko tells her students to focus on building their musical discipline in their youth. She reminds them that they need to be prepared as opportunities open up later. 

The Dance of Music

When Tomoko was a child, she saw her mother dance to music as she worked around the home. She remembers dancing at a party with a Hungarian young man, who would become her husband. And Tomoko has watched her own daughter dance to music as she skates during practice and in the Olympic ring. In short, dance and music have always played an important role in Tomoko’s musical life.

Tomoko notes how Bartok’s compositions often built on folk music, particularly Rumanian folk dances. Chopin and Liszt also used folk dance tunes. The communal spirit of dance responds to the spirit of the music. “Music and dance are natural parts of human community celebrations such as weddings.”

Performance involves the whole body, much like dance, asserts Tomoko. “The music starts from the heart and comes out through the fingers.” She continues, “Like the neck in singing, the wrist is very important; the fingers follow the wrist action.” Of course, performance requires high eye-hand coordination. The whole body needs to be in a good position ergonomically to play optimally.

In addition, dance, like piano performance, involves practice and discipline. “Look at Dancing with the Stars.” They spend hours and days training and practicing so that it looks natural and easy when they perform on TV.”

Dance and music combine artistry and discipline. Both build upon pattern, yet offer variations. Both come from the heart and express individuality. And both bring people together. You can hear Tomoko’s piano performances that can make your heart dance – at http://www.tomokohagiwara.com/recordings.html

The Many Musical Faces of Freedom

Tomoko asserts that music is freedom. She has many examples to prove it.

Freedom is very personal for Tomoko. After World War II, Japan was occupied by the United States. In a way, that situation gave Japan freedom to appreciate art more and see its importance. Yet in terms of music, Japanese piano technique was very disciplined, and students did not have much freedom in how they played. Tomoko left for the United States to find the freedom to seek the personality of the piano. Even though she knew little English, she could be understood through the international language of music; the piano gave her freedom to communicate.

In the 1960s Tomoko traveled to Europe, and later she met her future husband: a Hungarian who witnessed his country’s revolution in 1956. Hungary was behind the Iron Curtain, and freedom was limited. In 1972 Tomoko married this refugee in Austria, and they were able to come to the U.S. for more freedom.

Tomoko notes the voice of freedom expressed in folk music. Bartok and Chopin, for instance, drew upon the national musical spirit, which enabled people to express their sense of inner freedom.

For freedom also lives in the mind and heart. For instance, Tomoko says, “Your music is your own; no one can steal your heart.” Tomoko continues, “I love Mozart so much. I repeat it 20 times. It gives me freedom.”

It should be recognized that freedom does not mean lack of discipline. For instance, Tomoko states: “When I give a recital, preparation is most important. The performer is not free if not prepared.” Tomoko knows that having the freedom of showing personality requires careful choice. Music has lots of vocabulary, so the more knowledgeable the performer, the more clearly the personality can be expressed freely.

With age also comes freedom. “All my recordings are after I reached 65 years old,” Tomoko states. “You are free.” Feel free to enjoy the fruits of Tomoko’s freedom as expressed in her dozen of CDs.