Opus 001: Beethoven “Spring” & Daitengu “Usake”
As our very first music and Sake pairing, we started by conceptualizing how the pairing would function, we realized there are so many ways music affects us on every level of our senses.
We needed to start with a specific piece to constrain our imagination. Just as music has infinite possibilities and innovation can spring from functioning brilliantly within the constraints of theme and style, Premium Sake has constraints in the form of legally defined brewing guidelines by the Government of Japan, similar to German Beer Purity laws.
Written By Chika Inoue and Greg Beck
Pairing:
<MUSIC> Ludwig van Beethoven - Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 “Spring”
<Sake> Usake by Daitengu Brewery (Fukushima, Japan)
Overture
As our very first music and Sake pairing, we started by conceptualizing how the pairing would function, we realized there are so many ways music affects us on every level of our senses.
We needed to start with a specific piece to constrain our imagination. Just as music has infinite possibilities and innovation can spring from functioning brilliantly within the constraints of theme and style, Premium Sake has constraints in the form of legally defined brewing guidelines by the Government of Japan, similar to German Beer Purity laws.
Today’s musical pairing will be with Spring Sonata by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827). This four-movement Sonata brings a refreshing contrast, offering a burst of vitality and joy. It is a celebration of life that transcends seasonal changes, offering listeners a sense of renewal and hope. This music is admired for its lyrical beauty, technical brilliance, and Beethoven’s optimistic spirit. Listening to this piece captures the essence of embracing life's changing rhythms and the feeling of spring is always alive within.
About Beethoven’s Spring Sonata
Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24, commonly known as the “Spring” Sonata, was composed during 1800-1801. It was composed during his period of growing recognition as a composer in Vienna. It was written around the same time as his early symphonies, No. 2 in D major and No. 3 in E♭ major, Op. 55 “Eroica”, as well as Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23 which originally was meant to be published alongside with the Spring Sonata. Overall, it was a dynamic period marked by political changes, cultural developments, and economic shifts in different parts of the world, just like in our today's modern world.
At the time, the United States was still a young nation having gained independence from Britain only 24 years earlier, in Europe Napoleon as First Consul of France led his forces to a decisive victory against the Austrian army, and Japan in the midst of Edo period (1603–1868) due to its strict social order and 210 years of isolation among foreign policies, the nation experienced a development in the arts, literature, and theater. Amidst this period of transformation and turbulence, the Spring Sonata emerged as an artistic beauty of optimism and became one of the most popular and frequently performed violin sonatas in the classical repertoire.
The music consists of four movements:
I. Allegro
II. Adagio molto espressivo/Allegro molto
III. Scherzo
IV. Rondo/ Allegro ma non troppo
Each movements have YouTube link attached, which are performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin and Lambert Orkis, piano. It’s fascinating to compare the music above and this recording by David Oistrakh (violin) and Lev Oborin (piano), captured live in Paris on June 27, 1962. The musical nuances and the intricate dialogue between the instruments are some of the most enjoyable aspects of chamber music. Chika has also arranged this piece for the soprano saxophone and piano (see YouTube above). You can hear her version of the piece performed live, collaborating with concert pianist Mikiko Yamaguchi in Osaka, Japan. These multi-movement pieces generally follow tempo rules which exhibit the process of growth and expansion: fast, slow, then moderately slow, and finish with fast. The intricate interplay between the violin and piano creates a delicate balance, with each instrument weaving together melodic lines that complement and enhance one another. The technical brilliance and expressiveness of both instruments are essential to capturing the piece's vibrant energy, as their dynamic dialogue brings out the full emotional range.
Matchmaking
Greg Beck, as a certified “Kikizakeshi” and Sake Sommelier, came to realize that Beethoven's masterpiece naturally pairs with a spring seasonal sake, making it an obvious choice for a celebration of the season. Like almost all premium Sake, Spring Seasonal Sake are brewed in Winter, using the freshly harvested rice. Carefully brewed to tank age until being bottled in Spring. Spring Sake are meant to be floral and fruity, celebrating the return of life and made to be enjoyed at picnics under the Sakura (Cherry blossom trees). This is why he thought Usake by Daitengu Brewery was a perfect match .
About Daitengu Usake
Usake (pronounced "OO-Saw-kay") is brewed at Daitengu Brewery in Fukushima Japan. This family-owned brewery was founded in 1872. The current president the 4th Generation, great Grandson of the brewery's founder, and his daughter is the current head brewer and future president of the company when he retires. Even today, female head brewers are quite rare, and even more so one this young.
Saori Kobari, Manager and Sake Brewer: Born as the eldest of three sisters at Daitengu Brewery. After graduating from university, she got a job at a company in Fukushima Prefecture. In 2014, after getting married, she left her job and joined her family's Daitengu Brewery, where she began brewing sake. Currently, she leads the brewery as the head brewer and is also responsible for sales and managing the online shop.
Saori Kobari is still only in her 30s, making her young for any head brewer. Since taking over, she continues to dutifully brew the family brand, Daitengu, upholding the traditional style and signature flavor multiple generations of their customers have come to expect. Usake is Saori's personal brand, and purposely sounds like "Usagi", the Japanese word for Rabbit. Saori chose this because she was born in the Year of the Rabbit and because, according to her: "Who doesn't love rabbits?"
The Sake she makes using the Usake name are meant to express her personal preferences in Sake, more feminine and unconstrained by her family style. Amusingly, in a recent interview, she admitted that after several years of brewing Usake, Saori realized her affinity for Umami and a clean, dry finish were probably the result of her family's style and that influence has made successive years of her Usake less dramatically different than she originally imagined.
Tasting and Pairing ~ Beethoven meets Usake
Usake Spring is a Junmai Ginjo-style Sake, meaning every grain of the Yume no Kaori (lit. "Dreamy aroma") rice was polished to 60% of it's original weight before brewing. This highly polished rice has fewer fats and proteins from the grain, producing a more elegant, lighter body that allows the Spring-like floral aromatics and fruitier notes of the rice and yeast to come forward. Greg describes,
The complexity mirrors the musical progressions of Beethoven's Spring Sonata. With an upbeat first-flavor of playful, yet easy acidity, a mild, silky mouthfeel and gradually expanding Umami in the middle, followed a sharp, quick finish that doesn't linger on the palate.
He illustrates how music and sake share an intricate, evolving structure that connects the two art forms. While sake is traditionally paired with Japanese cuisine, which is undoubtedly a great match, experiencing the layers and harmonic complexity of sake on its own reveals a golden, unmatched richness.
Coda
In pairing Beethoven's 'Spring Sonata' with Usake Spring Sake, we celebrate the art of blending tradition with innovation. The vibrant energy of the Sonata harmonizes with the delicate, yet expressive flavors of the Sake, each enriching the other's narrative of renewal and transformation. As the seasons change, both in music and in taste, we are reminded of the beauty in life's transitions, where every note and every sip invites us to embrace the present while looking forward to what's next.
Note from Greg: “I will carry it all Spring at my shop (Secret Sake in Long Beach, CA) , and I can special order refrigerated stock of the Spring Usake upon request!”
Photo credits: Photos taken from Fukushima Pref. Official Website “Fukushima-no-sake”
About the Authors
Chika Inoue: Concert saxophonist and arranger based in Los Angeles and Kyoto, she has received numerous performance awards in competitions, lavishing praise as a soloist and chamber musician. She strives to create connections between Japan and the world, raising awareness about its unique heritage and artistic contributions, while encouraging cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration. https://www.chikainoue.com/
Contact Chika
Greg Beck: Greg is the founder and owner of Sake Secret, the only Sake Specialty shop in L.A. County. He studied Japanese in college and found his way to sake through the festivals, sake bars and brewery visits while living and working in Hiroshima for 5 years. As his passion for sake grew, he returned to the States to share the secrets of sake with everyone. He is a certified "Kikizakeshi" and Sake Sommelier. Contact Greg