Paik Kun-woo performs Beethoven piano concerto

In celebration of the 100th year of the Dong-A Ilbo and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven or the patron saint of music, an evening concert offers an audience a special opportunity to taste two pieces of piano concertos and two of orchestral music. Renowned South Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo plans to perform in a concert at Seoul Lotte Concert Hall at 5 p.m. next Sunday. Paik Kun-woo or the truth-seeker of the piano keys will Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 and No.4, the Coriolan Overture and the Creatures of Prometheus Overture in collaboration with KBS Symphony Orchestra led by Korean Symphony Orchestra artistic director Chung Chi-yong.

Paik back in 2005 released “Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas,” an album produced collaboratively with the Decca Record Company Limited, a world-famous British record label for classical music, making him join the global ranks of specialists in Beethoven. After completing a whole collection of Beethoven’s 36 piano sonatas in a week in 2007, Paik finished it once again in eight days in 2017 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall.

The first half of the upcoming concert starts with the Coriolan Overture, which depicts the misfortune of a hero in ancient Rome in a dimly passionate melody and moves to the Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, essentially the first of Beethoven’s concertos. The piece of work hints the ambition and passion of Beethoven, a young musician who was headed to Vienna, the world’s capital of music, to become a top pianist.

The Creatures of Prometheus Overture opens up the second half of the concert. The Beethoven-composed ballet music illustrates his firm belief in enlightenment by focusing on a mythical hero who brought fire to humans. The finale is the Piano Concerto No. 4 in G-flat major, a concerto filled with bright, warm and graceful vibes, different from Beethoven's other works. Composed by Beethoven who was at the age of 36 with his creative genius at its peak, the piece enjoys widespread popularity and affection along with the No. 5 "Emperor.”

Audiences during the concert are supposed to sit next to an empty seat to contain the spread of COVID-19.


Hyo-Lim Son aryssong@donga.com