[From Ryu Taehyung's Seat] Spring-Tinted Symphony... The Flowers Have Fallen, but the Fragrance Remains

2022 Yesul-ui Jeondang Symphony Festival
30 Orchestras Nationwide Participate, Festival Held Throughout April
Many Visitors Fill Concert Hall Seats... Also Watching on Large Screen in Front Yard

In April, when cherry blossom petals scatter and fresh greenery flourishes, the classical music scene was ablaze with the 2022 Seoul Arts Center Symphony Festival. This festival, which began in 1989 to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, marked its 34th edition this year. With participation from 30 orchestras nationwide, the 'Spring Symphony' performances filled classical music fans with emotion. From its opening on April 2nd to its closing on the 24th, I attended ten performances in the audience up to the 17th.

The opening concert on the 2nd featured the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yun-Sung Jang. The program included works by Franck, celebrating his 200th birthday this year, and Vaughan Williams and Scriabin, marking their 150th birthdays. Franck’s symphonic poem "The Accursed Huntsman" evoked a peculiar atmosphere with its dense wind ensemble, recalling the storyline. Vaughan Williams’ "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" was intriguingly performed by positioning the string section separately within the string orchestra like a band, making their exchanges visually apparent. Scriabin’s "Poem of Ecstasy" shone with a blend of all instruments. Elements that were inaudible on recordings stirred the heart powerfully in live performance. The star soloist was Ji-Young Lim, who performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Her trance-like, shamanic playing beautifully expressed profound loneliness and anguish to the core.

The performance of the 경기 Philharmonic conducted by Massimo Zanetti on April 5th. Photo by Seoul Arts Center

On the 5th, the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Massimo Zanetti featured pianist Ju-Hee Lim performing Ravel’s Piano Concerto. While her technique sparkled, the unique fragrance of Ravel was somewhat lacking. The performance of Respighi’s "Fountains of Rome," highlighted by the active playing of concertmaster Hana Jeong, was decent but not overwhelming. Debussy’s "La Mer" also fell short in terms of the ensemble’s focus and conviction.

On the 7th, the Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by James Judd presented pianist Su-Yeon Kim in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13. Kim’s elegant touch, more pressing gently than striking, delivered small yet powerful sounds that moved the world. Richard Strauss’s "Ein Heldenleben" was remarkably excellent. James Judd’s clear and organized beating, different from interpretations heard on numerous recordings, revealed the shape of Strauss’s music to the audience as a gardener trimming the growing grass. Violinist Pil-Gyun Kim applied a sweet tone like a glaze to the stillness, and the responding brass section, including horns, burst forth. It was a rare sight to see Strauss’s music performed properly.

On the 9th, the baton of the KBS Symphony Orchestra was held by Markus Stenz, former principal guest conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Karissa Chu, winner of the 2021 Yoon Isang Competition, performed Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 4. Despite her small stature and modest volume, her bowing was precise, but the richness and luster were insufficient, and occasionally she produced a shrill sound. Stenz’s interpretation of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4 was far from the ascetic and simple style typical of Bruckner. It resembled a cursive script written in one stroke or a festive performance like "Fireworks at the Royal Palace." The well-organized and neat second movement stood out, and the tremolo of the string section, including the guest concertmaster, was profound. Although there were noticeable horn mistakes at times, they did not disrupt the overall pulse of the piece. After the brass chorale-like passage evoking sublimity in the fourth movement, it would have been better if the strings had been more lyrical.

The Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Lee Byung-wook, performed violin concertos by Fabiola Kim and Walton. Photo by Seoul Arts Center

On the 10th, the Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Byung-Wook Lee featured violinist Fabiola Kim performing Walton’s Violin Concerto, a kaleidoscopic and dazzling work. The live performance offered a dynamic range and broad perspective incomparable to recordings. Bruckner’s Symphony No. 9 started well with the brass power and the string section’s effort. The blending of the brass, including horns, was transparent. Up to the second movement, the performance was passable, but accumulated cracks appeared due to unclear handling of certain parts, and the poor playing of Wagner tubas in the third movement was fatal. Along with this, the buildup of the piece lost momentum.

On the 13th, the Gwangju Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Seok-Won Hong performed Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, which could be considered the best of this year’s symphony festival. The snare drum and timpani rampaged wildly, the trumpet screamed, and the cymbals’ sharp strikes transferred to the strings, delivering a coordinated, cold cynicism. Listening to it made my ears tingle, and I froze in disbelief, wondering if it was a dream. It was surreal to hear the ruthless rush and volume characteristic of live recordings by Mravinsky and the Leningrad Philharmonic, Svetlanov, and the Soviet National Symphony Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center. It was one of the greatest moments in the history of Shostakovich symphony performances. Until a few years ago, the Gwangju Philharmonic often gave disappointing performances, but this time they showed a changed face. The conductor Seok-Won Hong and the orchestra members’ determination was palpable. This is why music cannot be understood without listening. Meanwhile, in the first half, pianist Hyuk Lee’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1 was charming and flowed smoothly. It was truly world-class. He seemed more skillful than at his solo recital, though there were many moments when he was out of sync with the orchestra.

On April 14th, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marco Letonya featured violinist Han Sujin, a YouTube star with countless fans, performing Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 as a soloist. Photo by Seoul Arts Center

On the 14th, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marco Letonja featured YouTube star Su-Jin Han, who has countless fans, performing Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1. Although it was her first collaboration in a while, her condition was poor. She received an IV drip due to a cold and showed fighting spirit on stage. Judging by the performance alone, Han seemed to grasp tightly while Letonja appeared to want to let go. There was an interesting point where the soloist’s emotional approach met the conductor’s contemplative interpretation. The stronger the desire to make up for it, the more one learns that letting go leads to naturalness. Among all the concerto accompaniments throughout the symphony festival, the Seoul Philharmonic’s was the best. In Weber’s Overture to Oberon, former RCO European Chamber Orchestra principal horn Jasper de Waal stepped out and performed a horn solo that seemed to say, “Don’t worry, the horn is solid.” It was a long-awaited clean and vigorous rendition of Weber’s overture. Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet" suite was like watching a play on a splendid and clear stage. The balance, carefully calculated and distributed according to the narrative structure, stood out.

On the 16th, the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Han-Gyeol Yoon performed. Pianist Jae-Hong Park delivered Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 with a heavy physique driving the keys. He reminded one of foreign pianists, especially Russian pianists. As he repeated his keystrokes, the past hours turned into sweat streaming down his face. Listening to composer Oh Jong-Sung’s piece "Mimi," one imagined the style of Benjamin Britten. Conductor and composer Han-Gyeol Yoon was responsible for revisions.

Stravinsky’s "Petrushka" was a remarkable achievement for the young conductor to have conducted from memory without mishap. However, overall, the conductor’s influence was not strongly felt. It was as if he was surfing on the orchestra’s massive inertia. It will be interesting to see whether Han-Gyeol Yoon can develop his own style through repeated performances.

On April 17th, the Wonju City Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jung Ju-young, performed a collaboration with clarinetist Kim Sang-yoon on Copland's Clarinet Concerto. Photo by Seoul Arts Center

On the 17th, the Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Ju-Young Jeong performed. Clarinetist Sang-Yoon Kim’s performance of Copland’s Clarinet Concerto was the highlight of the day’s concert. It is one of the best concerto performances of this year’s symphony festival. Kim’s clarinet drew various straight and curved lines, interpreting this essentially elegant work well. Hearing this piece live for the first time, I preferred it even more than the recordings by Stanley Drucker with Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic. The other pieces fell short of expectations. In Ravel’s "La Valse," which should be provocative and somewhat decadent, confidence was lacking and the performance was disorderly. The "Candide Overture" could have been more exciting and bold. Strauss’s "Der Rosenkavalier" suite was decent for a Korean orchestra but lacked the champagne aroma heard from foreign orchestras. The newly appointed conductor Ju-Young Jeong will need time to find his own color. The small number of players makes it difficult to maintain a consistent tone when the ensemble is expanded, which is also a hindrance.

Turning the halfway point and heading toward the finale, the Spring Symphony Festival seemed like a symbol of the concert market stretching after COVID-19. Many audiences came in groups of three to five to fill the seats at the Seoul Arts Center, and those who did not enter watched the performances on a large screen in front of the concert hall.

Before the performances, there was a pre-talk session where conductors and performers appeared on one side of the stage to explain the day’s concert, adding a comfortable and friendly atmosphere.

One hope for orchestras participating in future symphony festivals is to show the best results in the concertos as well. Many first-half concertos lacked sincerity or were poorly coordinated. I assume this was because they focused their energy on the main repertoire in the second half. The excellent soloists, including competition winners, were underutilized.

From next year, the symphony festival will be held in June. It is expected that more people visiting the Seoul Arts Center on pleasant early summer evenings will participate outdoors and enjoy chatting about music.

Ryu Tae-Hyung, Music Columnist