北朝鮮：金正日総書記はモーツァルトが好き

The Telegraph
North Korea's leader orders birthday tribute to 'fellow music prodigy' Mozart
By Graeme Baker
Last Updated: 1:27am GMT 30/12/2006

North Korea took a break from its hit parade of rousing revolutionary songs yesterday to celebrate the work of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in Pyongyang.

Kim Jong-il, the renegade leader known for his many eccentricities, ordered his nation to mark the 250th birthday of Mozart by staging a rendition of his most famous works.

The celebration was in stark contrast to North Korea's normal diet of titles including Let's Support our Supreme Commander with Arms and Song of Coast Artillerymen.

"A concert was given at the Moranbong Theatre to mark the 250th birth anniversary of Mozart," the state owned KCNA news agency said.

advertisementIt added: "Put on the stage were the orchestra of The Marriage of Figaro piano concerto No 23 and other music pieces of Mozart, who composed dozens of operas and symphonies and many other instrumental music and vocal songs, contributing to the development of Western music in the second half of the 18th century.

"The State Symphony Orchestra successfully presented the peculiar attraction and diverse emotion of music pieces of Mozart through exquisite rendition and truthful representation." North Korea's government has banned popular music from South Korea and the West as subversive and has a habit of jailing people who own records not to the liking of officials.

But Kim is known to be an admirer of the Austrian composer and claims to boast similar talents.

According to his official biography, Kim was also a musical prodigy, penning the song The Embrace of My Motherland at 10 and writing several revolutionary operas by his early 20s.

His talents apparently do not stop there.

Official state news carried reports that he bagged 11 holes-in-one while playing his first game of golf.

外信「金総書記は音楽神童？」 (中央日報・日本語版 2007/01/02)

北朝鮮官営・朝鮮中央(チョソンジュンアン）通信が「暮れの１２月２８日、モーツァルトの誕生日２５０周年を記念する音楽会が平壌（ピョンヤン）の牡丹峰（モランボン）劇場で行なわれた」と報じた。

同通信によると、記念音楽会では、モーツァルトのオペラ管弦楽『フィガロの結婚』の序曲、ピアノ協奏曲２３番、交響曲第３９番のすべての楽章が演奏された。通常、社会主義の建設や祖国統一などを主題にした曲が演奏される北朝鮮で、モーツァルトの曲が響きわたったのは異例のことだ。

ロイター通信は、朝鮮中央通信が報じた内容として「北、砲兵音楽（ａｒｔｉｌｌｅｒｙ　ｍｕｓｉｃ）をモーツァルトに変える」という見出しのもと「北朝鮮は韓国や西側の大衆音楽を『破壊的だ』として忌避し、共産党の役人が好まないレコードを持っている人を投獄させているとされてきた」と伝えた。

続いて「金正日（キム・ジョンイル）国防委員長は自伝で１０歳のとき『祖国のふところ』を、２０代初めに数曲の革命オペラを作曲するなどモーツァルト並みの音楽神童だった」としている。英紙デーリー・テレグラフは「北朝鮮指導者は『音楽神童』、モーツァルト誕生日への献辞を命令」という見出しのもと、モーツァルト音楽会は『武装でかしずこう、我々の最高司令官』、『海岸砲兵の歌』などと言った、通常北朝鮮で演奏される曲とは明確に異なるものだと伝えた。


2007.01.02 16:55:34