[On Stage] Baroque Violinist Pojeo "Baroque Music Transcends Time... Everyone Can Relate"

Rachel Podger on the 35th Igeon Music Concert Stage
Performing Bach and Contemporary Composers Purcell and Avison

"I believe Baroque music transcends time and resonates with everyone."

Rachel Podger, regarded as the greatest living Baroque violinist, described the charm of Baroque music in this way. She was the first woman to receive the Royal Academy of Music's 'Kohn Foundation Bach Prize' in 2015 and was named Gramophone Artist of the Year in 2018. She is recognized as the top performer in the interpretation of Baroque and Classical music.

"Baroque music has many fascinating aspects. In particular, it has elements that stir people's emotions and move them deeply. Although its structure is very complex, it clearly conveys emotions and has a powerful effect, which I believe is why it resonates across eras."

Baroque violinist Rachel Podger is explaining Baroque music at the press conference for the 35th Igeon Music Concert held on the 24th at the Korea Press Center in Gwanghwamun, Seoul.
[Photo by Igeon]

Baroque music generally refers to Western music from the 17th to 18th centuries. Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel are considered representative composers of the Baroque era. This period was followed by Classical music developed by Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven from the mid-18th century to the early 19th century.

Podger has been performing since the 25th with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra at the 35th Eagon Music Concert. She has completed performances in Incheon, Daegu, Busan, and Gwangju, with concerts remaining on the 1st at Lotte Concert Hall and the 2nd at the Seoul Arts Center. The program includes works by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685?1750), English composers Henry Purcell (1659?1695) and Charles Avison (1709?1770), and Czech composer Anton?n Reichenauer (1694?1730).

Podger introduced the program, saying, "To offer a diverse experience of early music, we selected pieces by Bach as well as contemporaries such as Purcell, Avison, and Reichenauer."

Tafelmusik is a leading period performance ensemble in North America, founded in Toronto in 1979. Since September, Podger has served as the principal guest music director of Tafelmusik, preparing for the Eagon Music Concert stage.

Christina Zacharias, a violinist with Tafelmusik, explained that the ensemble's name means "table music" in English, referring to music performed at banquet tables.

"When we perform, we don’t stay rigid; we move around like at a party, looking at each other and smiling, playing with joy. Without a conductor, each musician listens closely to the others and watches one another, which I believe creates genuine communication among us."

[Photo by Lee Geon]

Podger explained that she constantly researches and authenticates to realize early music. "The playing techniques and even the bows are different from those used today. We study extensively how music was performed during the Baroque period and make great efforts to authenticate it."

Korean oboist Shin Yong-cheon, former principal of the Netherlands National Philharmonic Utrecht, will also perform as a soloist. Shin founded Korea’s first Baroque woodwind ensemble, the Seoul Baroque Ensemble, in 2019. He said, "Although period performance in Korea started later than in Japan, many performers are studying period performance abroad. Since Korean audiences tend to be younger than those overseas, I believe the future of early music is bright."

Eagon, a comprehensive building materials company, has been hosting the free classical music concert series 'Eagon Music Concert' since 1990 to provide residents in culturally underserved areas with opportunities to enjoy high-quality culture and arts. Eagon has subsidiaries including premium building materials Eagon Windows, Eagon Industry, Eagon Energy, Eagon Greentec, and Eagon Energy.