"Woman, Why Are You Weeping? Whom Are You Seeking?" Performance
Composed, Inspired by "Mary at the Tomb of Jesus"
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (Seoul Philharmonic) will dedicate a stage to Park Younghi, a Korean composer based in Germany who turns 80 this year, during its regular concerts on June 19 and 20.
At its regular concerts held at Lotte Concert Hall on June 19 and at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on June 20, the Seoul Philharmonic will open with Park Younghi's "Woman, Why Are You Weeping? Whom Are You Seeking?"
Park Younghi went to study in Germany in 1974 and left a significant mark on contemporary European music. She is the first female professor of composition in the German-speaking world and received the Berlin Art Prize in the music category in 2020. She was the first Asian recipient of the Berlin Art Prize and the first woman to win in the music category. In 2022, she became the first Korean to be appointed an honorary member of the German Music Council. She was also the first woman to receive a commission from the Donaueschingen Festival for contemporary music.
"Woman, Why Are You Weeping? Whom Are You Seeking?" is based on the biblical episode in which Mary Magdalene, grieving at the tomb of Jesus, encounters the resurrected Christ. The piece offers comfort to those crying out in mental anguish and delicately and deeply depicts the transformation from grief to the joy and awe of resurrection.
Music Director Yap Pan Tzveden will conduct this concert.
The second piece, Benjamin Britten's Violin Concerto, will feature violinist Augustin Hadelich, who was named Seoul Philharmonic's Musician of the Year in 2022. The concerto, which premiered during World War II, is characterized by an underlying sense of wartime tension and tragedy, while also showcasing a variety of melodies. The first and third movements are lyrical, while the second movement is passionate and sharp. Based on a passacaglia, the concerto is technically demanding, with numerous variations.
Hadelich, who is from Italy, gained international recognition after winning the Indianapolis Violin Competition in 2006. According to the classical music online magazine Bachtrack, he was ranked the world's busiest violinist for two consecutive years through last year. He is currently the artist-in-residence with the Dresden Philharmonic.
Regarding Britten's concerto, Hadelich said, "I first heard this piece 20 years ago. I was captivated by its intense emotions and gentle lyricism, and intrigued by its enigmatic ending. Britten, in his youthful passion, incorporated every extended violin technique he knew into the piece. Some passages are almost impossible to play."
The second half of the concert will feature Brahms's Symphony No. 4. Brahms was inspired by the ancient Greek tragedies of Sophocles when composing this symphony. The work is filled with negative and intimate emotions such as solitude, sorrow, and tragedy, and it demonstrates Brahms's unique symphonic style, including the use of the passacaglia favored by Bach. The first movement is imbued with grief, the second movement combines darkness and solemnity, the third movement is bright and brilliant, clearly showcasing Brahms's scherzo, and the fourth movement, in passacaglia form, concludes with a powerful coda.
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