Multiple Pianos Create Formidable Sound

From left, pianists Kim Jun-hee, Paik Kun-woo, Kim Sun-wook and Kim Tae-hyung play together in a rare concert featuring four pianos at Seoul Arts Center, Sunday. The four artists, shown here performing an encore piece on one instrument, are touring South Korea through Friday. /Courtesy of Credia

Evgeny Kissin’s Seoul tour in April seemed like it would be the most talked-about classical music event of the year. Barely a month following the Russian sensation’s performance, however, maestro Paik Kun-woo and three rising South Korean pianists set the Seoul Arts Center concert hall on fire -- again.

The beauty of a live piano performance is, in addition to hearing inspired melodies in real time, seeing the artist’s flying fingers in motion. Seoulites saw Monday and Tuesday such dynamics of not two but eight hands, conjuring to life four Steinways in ways the local art scene has never seen before.

A single one of these instruments is enough to generate the sound of an orchestra. Many multiple-piano pieces were originally conceived with the sound of the harpsichord or light fortepiano, and on modern instruments sounds tend to be unpleasantly thick and cluttered.

The recent performance -- something rare not only in Korea but also abroad -- brought together four shining artists that individually possess the star power to attract more than enough attention. In 2007 Paik rewrote classical music history by playing all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas in just seven days. This time, joined by the three rising pianists -- Kim Tae-hyung, Kim Sun-wook and Kim Jun-hee -- the maestro pianist added a splash of color to the sometimes-monotonous local music scene (the three Kims, all barely past their teens and sharing the same alma mater as well as an impressive resume of top wins in international competitions, are unrelated).

With their inspired performance, the four artists hushed doubts that such a concert would be for show, and that four grand pianos could, with the right repertoire and teamwork, work together like a single unit. It was also a special treat to see the four alternate the parts of first, second, third and fourth pianos, instead of the elderly artist dominating the lead, for Wagner’s Overture to ``Tannhauser’’ and Milhaud’s ``Paris Suite’’ for Four Pianos, Op. 284.

A grand spectacle unfolded when Rachmaninov’s ``Symphonic Dances,’’ Op. 45, for two pianos, was presented in relay form, with Paik at the first piano and the three youngsters joining him one at a time for the three movements. The heated concert peaked with Ravel’s ``Bolero,’’ transcribed by Jacques Drillon, as the four instruments gave way to delightfully attuned interplay.

A full standing ovation followed, as heated as that in Kissin’s recital, and in return the players offered ``Carmen Fantasie,’’ and, sitting in a single row in front of one piano, Lavignac’s ``Galop-Marche.’’

Another special event took place Sunday, which also happened to be Paik’s 63rd birthday, and the three Kims sang happy birthday to Sun-wook’s piano playing.

The four pianists continue their tour tonight in Daegu and Friday in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 100,000 won. Call (02) 318-4301.

Maestro Paik, Rising Stars to Offer Four Piano Show

Maestro Paik Kun-woo, second from left, will give a rare concert featuring four grand pianos in May with three next generation pianists Kim Jun-hee, left, Kim Tae-hyung, third from left, and Kim Sun-wook, right. /Courtesy of Credia

Following 2007’s historic marathon of Beethoven’s complete piano sonatas in a week, maestro pianist Paik Kun-woo brings another unique project _ featuring four grand pianos in concert with three of South Korea’s hottest young artists, Kim Sun-wook, Kim Tae-kyung and Kim Jun-hee.

The idea for a concert featuring pieces for eight hands was conceived a few years ago, Paik told reporters Monday in Seoul. ``During (Franz) Listz’s time, renowned pianists came together for a concert featuring multiple pianos. I wondered how it would be to do something similar here, today,’’ he said.

Paik and the three Kims will alternate the parts of first, second, third and fourth pianos for Milhaud’s ``Paris’’ Suite for Four Pianos and Wagner’s ``Overture zu Tannhauser’’ transcribed for eight hands. Also included are Ravel’s ``Bolero’’ transcribed for the four instruments and Rachmaninov’s ``Symphonic Dances,’’ Op. 45. ``The multiple pianos will create grand sounds, and harmonize and resound like the glimmerings of twilight,’’ said the maestro.

While the performance itself is a one of a kind event, however, the pianist noted the significance of playing with young artists. ``If I think about it, my senior Han Dong-il inspired me. When I was going through hard times and loneliness in a foreign place, he was always there for me,’’ said the 62-year-old, who, with the elder pianist Han, was one of the first Korean musicians to debut overseas.

``In the past, Korean musicians had to build their careers on their own, but young musicians these days are blessed with well-trained local teachers,’’ he said. `` I am very proud of this new generation.’’ Paik saw the three young pianists perform in Paris, where he is currently based. ``They are all extremely talented, and cherish one another very much,’’ he said.

The three Kims are friends from the Korean National University of Arts. All barely out of their teens, they are seen as representing the new generation of pure, ``domestically-bred’’ musicians who have championed international events without having studied in the West at a young age. All three agreed it was a great honor to play alongside the maestro, and that it would be ``fun’’ to mix chemistries. >>More

Pianist Jerome Rose Inspires Students

Pianist Jerome Rose gives a master class last week in southern Seoul. Side by side, teacher and student play and converse through music on two grand pianos. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Pianist Jerome Rose gives a master class last week in southern Seoul. Side by side, teacher and student play and converse through music on two grand pianos.
/ Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chulBy Lee Hyo-won

``It's fortissimo, fortissimo!'' exclaimed the pianist, as a young student tried to catch up in playing Franz Liszt's ``Dante Sonata.'' ``I don't understand how you can do that without switching the pedal.''

This is Jerome Rose, one of America's most distinguished pianists, giving a master class to young students in Seoul. He was in town for a recital at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Jan. 29, and had contacted the local Yamaha Artist Services to offer the free tutorial the following day.

``Listz, being the greatest pianist in the world, played like he was the greatest pianist in the world,'' Rose encouraged the 17-year-old student to play with confidence. ``Bravo,'' he said, ending the heated lesson on a happy note.

``All of music is in many ways autobiographical; it's an expression of your imagination and life experience and the life experience of the music you're representing,'' Rose told The Korea Times after giving his second lesson.

Rose has been seen all over the world stage since making an international debut in his early 20s. A Gold Medallist of the International Busoni Competition, he also has critically acclaimed recordings of Liszt, Chopin and Beethoven under his belt.``What I was trying to do with this young man was show him that (the `Dante Sonata') is a dramatic episode after the reading of Dante's `Inferno.' This is an absolute tome form of music, which Franz Liszt wrote from his years of pilgrimage. The years of pilgrimage are basically a representation of his entire life.

``And I don't think the young man playing the piano really understands where this piece fits into Liszt's life. He will in time… I did not have time to explain all of this to him,'' he said.``In order to understand music you have to understand life ― I think this has been said a million times by a million different people. You play who you are,'' explained Rose, emphasizing once again that who you are is an extent of one's imagination, talents, passion and human experiences, and ability to identify with the music.

``You and the music are one. When somebody sits down to play, they are living the music and the music lives through them. They are the body, the mind and the spirit of the music. The great performance is the synthesis of the body, the mind and the spirit,'' said Rose.

Five aspiring musicians each received one-hour lessons from the pianist, while some 150 people stopped by. Playing all afternoon could have easily been enervating, but explosive energy and dramatic tension pierced the air throughout. Students, parents, teachers and professional musicians came by to hear the open lecture, including up-and-coming pianist Kim Tae-hyung, 22, the first Korean to win the City of Porto International Piano Competition.

Through the master class, Rose said he hopes to inspire: ``All you can do is excite a certain imagination. That's all you hope to do in one lesson. It's to say, yes, there is music, and there is a world of drama, performance and imagination that you can aspire to. You, too, can be an artist. That's all you have to do, to inspire someone to the importance that they have, in the moment they sit down to play.''``It was so inspiring and stimulating,'' said Jeong Yong-hwan, 17, who tackled the ``Dante Sonata'' with Rose. A third year student at the elite Yewon School, he studies under Kim Dae-jin, one of Korea's most prominent pianists.

``Korean teachers usually focus on the detail, but Mr. Rose emphasized the overall feel of the piece,'' said Jeong. ``(Rose's) performance is so powerful ― it really prompts me to read Dante's `Inferno' and practice extra hard,'' he said.But Jeong wasn't the only one moved by the experience. ``Yes (it's inspiring to play with these young students) ― it's like planting a seed and seeing it grow. This is true for any teacher, it's like having children. It's very exciting,'' said Rose, who currently teaches at his alma mater, Mannes College of Music.

``The children in Korea are very special as you know,'' he said. ``The parents are very dedicated to their children. It's a very special society, and the children are very important to them. And with education being triumphant in the culture, unlike many societies, Korea is striving today,'' he said.

``I've long been dreaming of studying in the United States,'' Jeong said. ``After the lesson with the English/Korean interpreter, I realized that I needed to polish up my English,'' he said.

Yamaha Artist Services Seoul (YASS), located in COEX, southern Seoul, provides a platform for rising young talent by providing recitals and master classes with top musical experts. Jeong, for example, had attended a master class with Russia's celebrated Mikhail Voskresensky in 2006 for Chopin's ``Polonaise'' and won the Bechstein Samik Piano Competition the following year with the piece.

To learn more about YASS, visit www.yamaha-music.co.kr (in Korean)