The year end is filled with performances of the beloved Beethoven Ninth, known familiarly as the "Choral" symphony, prized for its message of hope in the lofty poetry of Schiller's "Ode to Joy."
That is not the only musical program to be presented during that period however. Major orchestras continue to serve their regular audiences with staples and surprises from the vast repertoire of great symphonic music.
The Tokyo City Philharmonic, ninth among the city's major orchestras, presented a program of works of the romantic period which most concertgoers know but hear less often than other overtures, concertos and symphonies. It brought out a good audience of musical connoisseurs who relished the opportunity to enjoy them.