天孫降臨伝説とは次のようなお話です。
アマテラスオオミカミが、孫のニニギノミコトへ神の世界から地上へ降りて国を治めるように言い、神の皇子による国造りが始まりました。時が経ち、ニニギノミコトの子孫のカムヤマトイワレビコが、東方に王都としてふさわしい土地があると知り、奈良盆地へ攻め入り大和の国をつくりました。カムヤマトイワレビコは初代天皇とされる神武天皇として即位し、大和朝廷の開祖になったと言われ、神武東征(じんむとうせい)伝説として伝えられています。
この作品は、霧島山系の豊かに広がる大自然とそこにまつわる神話をもとに、4つの曲からなる組曲の第1曲として、平成22年に行われた東京音楽隊九州公演のために作曲されました。曲名の「天の逆鉾」とは、ニニギノミコトが地上へ降り立つ場所を探すのに用いた鉾を降臨の地である高千穂の峰に逆さに立てたとされているものであり、現在も力強く立ち続けています。
曲は、天孫降臨伝説を表現したファンファーレに始まり、それに続く神武東征伝説での戦いが描写されます。中間部で民衆の子守唄が聞こえた後、再び戦いが描かれる中、ついに王権を収めた勝利のファンファーレが奏でられ、終結部へと向かいます。
The “Takachiho” in the title of this piece refers to “Mt. Takachiho,” which is located in southern Kyushu along the border of Hyuga and Satsuma. Mt. Takachiho is the most sacred peak in the Kirishima mountain range, and it is wellknown for being the site featured in the legend of the descent of Amaterasu’s grandson.
This legend is usually recounted as follows.AmaterasuOmikami ordered her grandson NiniginoMikoto to descend from Heaven to Earth to rule the country, which established Japan as a country ruled by the descendants of the gods. After some time had passed, NiniginoMikoto’s descendant KamuyamatoIwarebiko discovered that there was land in the east that was perfect for a royal capital, and he invaded the Nara Basin to establish the Yamato Province. KamuyamatoIwarebiko ascended to the throne as Emperor Jinmu, the first emperor of Japan, and he is said to have been the founder of the Yamato Dynasty, according to the myth of the Eastern expedition of Emperor Jinmu.
Written for Tokyo JMSDF Band’s Kyushu concert in 2010, this piece was composed as the first part of a fourpiece suite based on the rich and expansive nature of the Kirishima mountain range and the myths associated with this area. Its title “The Pike of God” is a reference to the pike used by NiniginoMikoto to find a spot where he could descend to Earth. This spot was said to have been the peak of Mt. Takachiho, where the pike was found inverted and is still standing strong today.
The piece opens with a fanfare that depicts the legend of the descent of Amaterasu’s grandson, which leads into the scenes of battle from the legend of the Eastern expedition of Emperor Jinmu. A lullaby of the commoners can be heard in the middle section, followed by the return of the battle scenes. The fanfare associated with the victorious establishment of royal authority is then performed before the piece approaches its coda.
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