[On Stage] "It was good to focus and practice during self-quarantine"

Baek Geon-woo's Nationwide Tour of Schumann Concerts Starting from the 9th... Performing 'Abegg Variations' and 'Phantom Variations'

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] "If I have to do self-quarantine again, I can do it again."

This is a joke befitting the nickname "Ascetic on the Keyboard." Pianist Baek Geon-woo is called an ascetic because he intensely explores the inner world of a composer. Of course, he waves off the nickname, saying that all performers are like that.

The two-week self-quarantine to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) might have been a good time for Baek Geon-woo to focus more on music by being cut off from the outside world.

Baek Geon-woo returned to Korea on the 20th of last month. It was for the nationwide tour concert "Baek Geon-woo and Schumann," held at Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, Seoul, on the 9th. The concert series will continue 11 times until the 15th of next month. An online press conference was held on the 6th ahead of the concert.

Regarding self-quarantine, Baek Geon-woo said, "Although it was not free, on the other hand, it was good." "I was able to concentrate and practice quietly for two weeks, and that was good. I did self-quarantine at a pension in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, and the scenery in Yangpyeong was beautiful. I thought it was happiness to practice freely in nature."

Baek Geon-woo focused intensively on Schumann last year. In May, he recorded an album at the Tongyeong International Music Hall in Gyeongnam. The album was released last month by the world-renowned record label Deutsche Grammophon (DG).

Baek Geon-woo [Photo by Vincero]

Baek Geon-woo described Schumann's piano pieces as "an absolute repertoire for pianists," explaining, "Schumann is the composer who expressed the piano most beautifully, and the period in which he was active was the era when the piano produced the most beautiful sound." He also revealed that through this album recording, he somewhat overcame his discomfort with Schumann.

Schumann loved Clara, the daughter of his teacher Friedrich Wieck. Clara was nine years younger than Schumann. Wieck opposed the love between his daughter and Schumann. Schumann suffered extreme pain because of this.

"When I was young, I played many of Schumann's pieces, but at some point, I felt uncomfortable. I didn't know why. While preparing this album, I realized that Schumann's world was indeed complicated. Now, I think I somewhat understand what kind of life Schumann lived and what his feelings were. Schumann attempted suicide and packed his own things to enter a psychiatric hospital. It was to avoid being a threat to his beloved wife Clara and their children, but when I was young, it was actually hard to understand."

At the concert, Baek Geon-woo will perform Schumann's "Abegg Variations," "Arabesque," "Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood)," and "Ghost Variations." The "Abegg Variations" is Schumann's Opus No. 1, and the "Ghost Variations" is Schumann's last work composed in 1854.

"I focused on the early and final years. Schumann maintained a childlike purity until his death while simultaneously expressing the bitterness of life. I wanted to portray that duality."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.