[From Ryu Taehyung's Seat] Awakening Beethoven, the Magician of Details

Yap Pan Tsubeden Conducts
KBS Symphony Orchestra 'Sound Becomes Light'

Repetition After Repetition, Rigorous Rehearsals
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 'Fate'
String Section's Precise and Meticulous Performance
Depicting Beethoven's Ordeal Like a Detailed Painting
Masterpiece Revived at Tsubeden's Fingertips

Since COVID-19, Domestic Orchestras
Lost Exchange with Foreign Conductors and Soloists
Concerns Over Falling into Mannerism
Impactful Performance with Maestro Tsubeden
Awakening Moment for KBS and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Ryu Taehyung Music Columnist

People riding a roller coaster can somewhat anticipate what will happen shortly. The actual sensation, however, is far more thrilling and heart-stopping, leaving an unforgettable memory. The conducting of Jaap van Zweden was just like that.

When news broke that the Dutch conductor Zweden, currently music director of the New York Philharmonic and Hong Kong Philharmonic, would conduct the KBS Symphony Orchestra, the first thought was, "The members are going to have a tough time." It reminded me of when Zweden conducted the Gyeonggi Philharmonic three years ago, performing Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5. By focusing on details and 'training' the members, he delivered a three-dimensional, vivid, and well-balanced performance.

Before this concert, stories of Zweden's rigorous rehearsals were heard again. The rumor was that he repeated passages over and over to bring out details and create subtle differences, "squeezing like dried squid." On the other hand, his dedication to an orchestra he guest conducts only occasionally revealed the true silhouette of a conductor.

Yap Pan Tsubeden conducting the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

The D-day was October 29. At the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center, the KBS Symphony Orchestra's 771st regular concert was held, conducted by Zweden. The program featured Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 "Fate" and Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 in the first and second halves, respectively. The performance was vividly remembered, just like the title "Sound, Becoming Light."

As the members took their seats, Zweden greeted the audience and turned his back to them, and the motif of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 "Fate" flashed and shone. The string section of the KBS Symphony Orchestra was more precise and meticulous than ever. Like a detailed drawing made with a pen that does not smudge, it vividly depicted Beethoven's trials. The audience seemed to focus their gaze and ears not on emotionally immersing themselves in this well-known piece that even children would recognize, but on the mechanism of how the performance was created. What was clear was that the conductor's intentions expressed through his fingertips connected throughout the orchestra, controlling the massive body.

Sound sometimes became a beam of light and sometimes a building-like space. As sounds wove together like warp and weft, a space was constructed. The points where woodwinds and strings met pierced through two dimensions to create a three-dimensional structure. When his student Schindler asked about the meaning of the first four notes, Zweden replied, "Fate knocks like this," an old story that brought color to his face. The precise yet rhythmic, artistic finishing combining straight and curved lines breathed color and life into Beethoven's very famous masterpiece.

Ironically, the audience, including the author, had no time to breathe. Zweden employed a clever strategy to keep phrasing continuous and unbroken, making it impossible to lose attention and focus for even a moment. The precise and agile playing of the strings?violins, cellos?reminded one of the synchronized choreography of an idol group, while the woodwinds?flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons?chirped above. The small fugue in the third movement, passing through double bass, cello, viola, and violin, was as clear as seeing colors through a prism. The leap in the fourth movement, rising from darkness to light, was dazzling. The meticulousness in subdividing the rhythm to add elasticity reflected confidence gained from thorough study of Beethoven.

Conductor Yap Van Zweden (center) and the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

The tense atmosphere of the strings continued in the second half with Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. Bold percussion hits punctuated the piece at just the right moments, and exquisite, trick-like transitions brought out the composer's characteristic sharpness. The brass's roar expanded the canvas of the piece, fully conveying its essence.

That night, unable to contain excitement, I returned home and listened to a recording (Decca Gold) of Zweden conducting Beethoven's Symphonies No. 5 and 7 with the New York Philharmonic. However, the tension experienced live in the concert hall was nowhere to be found. On that day, the KBS Symphony Orchestra left a mark with a performance even clearer than the New York Philharmonic on the recording. The technical skills of the KBS Symphony Orchestra members are among the best in the country. When meeting the right conductor, there are days when they deliver 'performances of a lifetime' surpassing American and European orchestras. The times when Russian conductor Alexander Lazarev conducted Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 and this day with Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 are examples.

Born in Amsterdam in 1960 as the son of a pianist, Zweden began playing violin at age five. He studied under Dorothy DeLay, Sarah Chang's teacher, at the Juilliard School. At 19, he joined the Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra as the youngest concertmaster in its history and served until 1995.

Zweden began conducting in Berlin at Leonard Bernstein's invitation but stated that even before that, he learned various conducting styles by observing many great conductors leading the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Starting as principal conductor of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague in 2000, he became principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic in 2005, music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2008, and in the same year, music director of the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. In 2012, he was appointed music director of the Hong Kong Philharmonic, and in 2018, music director of the New York Philharmonic, where he currently serves. He succeeded Alan Gilbert in an orchestra with a tradition conducted by Gustav Mahler, Arturo Toscanini, Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, and Lorin Maazel.

Yap Pan Tsubeden and the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

The global COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected Zweden's conducting activities. Last year, his visits to Korea with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and guest conducting the KBS Symphony Orchestra were canceled, and in November, he himself tested positive for COVID-19. With overseas activities blocked and staying in the Netherlands, he witnessed about 40% of music industry personnel being laid off, feeling helplessness and disillusionment. One day, looking in the mirror and dissatisfied with his appearance, he started exercising. As a result, he lost 30 kilograms over six months. He still trains in boxing. The jabs and hooks reminiscent of Georg Solti on the podium were not accidental.

The New York Times published an article stating that Zweden will not renew his contract with the New York Philharmonic after the 2023-2024 season. His contract with the Hong Kong Philharmonic is extended until then.

The meeting between Zweden and the KBS Symphony Orchestra that day was sufficiently meaningful. The shock, like a flowing current, served as a catalyst for awakening our orchestras, including the KBS Symphony Orchestra and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since early 2020, when COVID-19 spread, Korean orchestras have barely exchanged with foreign conductors and soloists for over a year. Performances were often canceled. Conductors and soloists changed, and programs with large ensembles or vocalists were reduced to smaller ensembles or replaced with works without vocal parts. As overseas exchanges dwindled, concertgoers showed concern that Korean orchestras might fall into stagnation.

Zweden's conducting that day was watched with interest not only by Kim Deok-jae, the new president of the KBS Symphony Orchestra, but also by other orchestra executives such as Son Eun-kyung, president of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and Kang Kyu-hyung, chairman. Osmo V?nsk?'s term as music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra began in January 2020 for three years and ends in January 2023. What will happen with V?nsk?'s contract? Extension or successor selection? Could the 'Wandering Dutchman' become the Hiddink of Korean orchestras? As 2022 approaches, various possibilities will attract attention.

Ryu Tae-hyung, music columnist

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