Go to contents

Comforting tired fans with Beethoven’s philosophical jokes

Comforting tired fans with Beethoven’s philosophical jokes

Posted August. 21, 2020 07:34,   

Updated August. 21, 2020 07:34

한국어

“Music delivers important values and messages beyond entertainment. We worked hard despite the current difficult situation and will do our best for the rest of the program.”

Violinist, conductor, and professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich Christoph Poppen who is serving as a music director of the summer classical music festival titled “Classic Revolution” to be held for the first time this year at the Lotte Concert Hall seemed unexpectedly positive.

He came to South Korea even with the mandatory self-quarantine period of 14 days. However, “Classic Revolution,” which is entirely composed of Ludwig van Beethoven’s songs carefully selected by Poppen himself, has been directly hit by a second wave of COVID-19 right before its opening date on Monday. Most orchestral and orchestral performances featuring a symphony orchestra of the local government were canceled.

The German conductor says he feels disappointed about the cancellation of the Symphony No. 3 concert on Wednesday, in which he was supposed to conduct the KBS symphony orchestra. “As Symphony No. 3 has a message that light is more powerful than darkness, it would have been very meaningful given the current circumstances,” he said.

However, two ensemble concerts will be held during this year’s festival, where he will play the violin as well. He and pianist Kim Tae-hyung will play Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 1, 5, and 7 together on Tuesday. His last appearance during the festival will be conducting the Seoul Tutti chamber orchestra on August 30 before returning to Germany the next day.


gustav@donga.com