"Performing in the historic church where conductor Herbert von Karajan loved to record was a great inspiration to me. I was especially able to immerse myself deeply when playing pieces that offer solace."
The recording location for pianist Sunwoo Yekwon's third album "Liszt" was special. Jesus-Christus-Kirche in Berlin's Dahlem district is renowned as the birthplace of numerous landmark recordings by legendary conductors and the Berlin Philharmonic. It is also known as "Karajan's Church," as Herbert von Karajan frequently recorded there. World-class performers including Gidon Kremer and Anne-Sophie Mutter have also produced albums at the venue, which remains one of the most coveted recording sites in classical music today.
At a recent album launch press conference, Sunwoo said, "Most churches have excessive reverberation that makes recording difficult, but this space preserved both appropriate reverberation and a distinctive sense of acoustic depth." He added, "The moment I played the piano, I felt it would suit this album perfectly."
After becoming the first Korean to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2017, Sunwoo has performed actively on the world stage. Following "Mozart" in 2020 and "Rachmaninoff, Reflection" in 2023, he now presents his third studio album, this time centered on Liszt.
The album features works that capture Liszt's diverse emotional range. "Sunt lacrymae rerum," "Consolation," and "Liebestraum" convey an atmosphere of reminiscence and comfort, while three Schubert songs arranged by Liszt evoke an intimate, whispering sensibility. "Widmung" and "Lieder von Dessauer" express emotions of love and seduction, while the "Rigoletto Paraphrase" and "Mephisto Waltz" capture operatic splendor and diabolical fantasy. "Playing for a recording can actually be harder to focus on than a live performance, but the sense of immersion this church offered was exceptionally powerful," he said. "I drew particular inspiration when playing the quiet pieces that offer solace."
Liszt was a composer Sunwoo loved in his teenage years, but one he did not play for a long time afterward. "I used to think Liszt's works were overly ostentatious and lacked inner depth," he said. "But when I revisited them, I found the lyricism beyond the technique to be profoundly deep. It made me wonder, 'Is this really Liszt?'" He added, "Especially in the songs, I felt a warmth, as if a ray of light were seeping through."
Sunwoo said Liszt's music also suits his own tonal color. "I tend to let the sound float," he explained. "I pursue a sound that is clean and transparent like a soap bubble or a glass bead, yet seems as though it might shatter at the slightest touch. I feel that sensibility matches Liszt's works well."
Alongside the album release, Sunwoo will embark on a nationwide recital tour. Beginning with a performance at Iksan Arts Center on Nov. 15, the tour will pass through Daegu, Seongnam, Changwon, Ulsan, and Yangsan, concluding with a performance at the Seoul Arts Center on Nov. 30, for a total of seven shows.
