[On Stage] Pianist Choi Heeyeon "Beethoven's Music, The Problem-Solving Process Is More Dramatic Than Any Movie"

Release of Complete Beethoven Piano Sonata Album
A Decade in the Making... Solo Recital at Seoul Arts Center on the 10th

"Beethoven's music always begins with a problem. Especially in the first movement, there is always a problem. The process of resolving that problem is so refreshing that it brings a sense of catharsis. It's more dramatic than any movie. That's why I think Beethoven is a genius."

Choi Heeyeon, a pianist known as a Beethoven specialist and a professor at the Peabody Conservatory in the United States, explained the charm of Beethoven's music in this way. He said, "Beethoven's music has a tremendous fighting spirit and a power that breaks through something." This was at a press conference held on the 3rd at Pungwoldang in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of the complete Beethoven piano sonata album.

The 32 Beethoven piano sonatas were recorded on 9 CDs. The album was released on the 28th of last month under the Decca label of Universal Music. He finished a commemorative solo recital in Daegu on the 2nd, and another solo recital is scheduled for the 10th at the IBK Chamber Hall in the Seoul Arts Center.

Pianist Choi Heeyeon is speaking at a press conference commemorating the release of the complete Beethoven piano sonata album held on the 3rd at Pungwoldang in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Universal Music]

Professor Choi Heeyeon left a strong impression with his complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle performed over four years at Kumho Art Hall in 2002. At that time, all seats were sold out, and he received the 'Artist of the Year Award' selected by the Korea Arts Council. Since then, he has been called a Beethoven specialist.

Professor Choi said that the cycle performance at that time was a stroke of luck.

"The cycle was thanks to the proposal from the Kumho Cultural Foundation. Beethoven's music is really difficult to handle as you wish. So, probably without that proposal, I wouldn't have been able to do the cycle just on my own will."

The cycle performance took four years, and the complete recording took even longer. The first recording of the piano sonatas began in 2015. The last recording was in March 2023, but including post-production, it took a full 10 years to release the album. Professor Choi confessed that it took him 10 years even to decide to start recording in 2015.

"I started recording thinking I had found my voice, but after finishing the first recording, I felt like I still wasn't there yet."

Repeating such hesitation, he finally completed the masterpiece. He said, "There is a saying that composers look at their scores like corpses after finishing their works. Now, I look at the album like a corpse, unable to change anything anymore."

During the long 10-year journey, he separately released two Beethoven piano sonata albums. The first Beethoven sonata album, released in 2019 under the Decca label, included Nos. 18, 26, 27, and 30. The second album in 2021 contained No. 17 'Tempest,' No. 21 'Waldstein,' and No. 23 'Appassionata.' This complete collection includes remastered audio of the pieces from the previous two albums.

The recordings were made at the famous Teldec Studio in Germany, and he played a B?sendorfer piano. Professor Choi said that the B?sendorfer piano, being handmade, varies by individual, but for him, it was fantastic.

"The biggest reason I was captivated was because the cantabile sound was outstanding. The notes sustain for a very long time, and that tone color was most suitable for playing Beethoven's music, Viennese music."

Professor Choi cited Sonata No. 27 as the most challenging piece during the recording process. "It's a short piece, but I struggled a lot with it." On the other hand, he said, "I especially liked the second movement of No. 4, and I expected the recording to be very difficult, but it went better than I thought." For performance, he named No. 29 'Hammerklavier' as the most demanding piece.

Pianist Choi Heeyeon is performing the first movement of Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 21 'Waldstein' at a press conference held on the 3rd at Pungwoldang in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.
Photo by Universal Music

At the solo recital on the 10th, he will perform No. 21 Waldstein and four late sonatas Nos. 30 to 32. Regarding the three late sonatas, he said, "For some reason, these are the pieces I feel closest to recently."

About Waldstein, he said it is not only a favorite piece but also moving because of the story of Beethoven and his patron Count Waldstein. Count Waldstein was an early patron of Beethoven. Beethoven received support from Count Waldstein since his teenage years. Although he was not supported by the count when composing Piano Sonata No. 21, he dedicated the piece to him to express his gratitude.

"You can feel how much care Beethoven put into composing this piece. The gratitude toward an old benefactor was very touching."

Professor Choi said that when playing Waldstein, he recalls many people who helped and supported him.