'Kammersaenger' Kwangchul Youn Presents a Recital of German and Korean Art Songs

Kwangchul Youn's Solo Recital
'Dichterlied' at Seoul Arts Center on August 17

World-renowned bass Kwangchul Youn will hold a solo recital titled 'Dichterlied' at 5:00 p.m. on August 17 at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center.

'Dichterlied' means 'Song of the Poet' in German. It is a word that encapsulates the essence of the German Lied, which transforms poetry into song.

Kwangchul Youn is regarded as a master of traditional German Lied. In 2018, he was awarded the title of 'Kammersaenger' (Court Singer), the highest honor for vocalists in German-speaking countries. In 1996, while performing at the Berlin State Opera, he made his debut at the Bayreuth Festival, Germany's premier classical music festival, on the recommendation of Daniel Barenboim, and went on to perform there for nearly 20 years. He has appeared on stage more than 150 times in major works by Wagner, establishing himself as a world-renowned Wagnerian singer. He continues to perform at leading opera houses in Vienna, Milan, New York, London, Paris, Madrid, and other major cities around the world.

This recital will feature songs by Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Strauss, Kim Dongjin, and Kim Sungtae. In particular, it will be a meaningful occasion where the words of two poets, Goethe and Park Mokwol, representing Germany and Korea respectively, resonate through music-showcased by Schubert and Wolf's settings of Goethe's poetry, and Kim Sungtae's song based on Park Mokwol's poetry.

The performance will begin with Schubert's 'Ganymed,' 'Secret,' and 'Son of the Muses,' leading into Brahms's late masterpiece 'Four Serious Songs,' which invites deep contemplation. Next, Kim Dongjin's signature pieces 'Azaleas' and 'Daffodils' will convey the unique sentiment of Korean art songs. In the latter half, Wolf's three 'Harpist's Songs' based on poems from Goethe's 'Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship,' and Strauss's 'Night,' 'Night Walk,' and 'Release' will follow. The recital will conclude with Kim Sungtae's 'Song of April' and 'Song of Parting,' both set to poems by Park Mokwol.