Melodies of the Classical Guitar, Unveiling the Baroque

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] "The guitar is a tool for playing music, but to me, it feels like a companion instrument. The only time I was apart from my guitar was during one month of military training camp; it's always been a part of me, like an inseparable piece of myself."

Classical guitarist Park Jongho described his guitar as his 'companion instrument.' His right thumb and left pinky finger are slightly longer, a result of holding the guitar for many years. Influenced by his father, who loved the guitar, Park started playing at the age of five. Now, the guitar seems to have become an indispensable part of his body beyond just a companion.

Known for collaborations with soprano Jo Sumi and violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, he returns to the stage with a solo recital after six years. The theme, Fractus (meaning 'broken state'), may sound somewhat unfamiliar.

He explained, "While searching for a theme for the performance, I happened to see a photo of a parrot shell. I was captivated by the repetitive image, the small shapes growing larger to form another shape. Since music also forms a shape by repeating small notes and rhythms, I incorporated this into the program, focusing so much on it that I even changed the pieces to fit the theme, aiming for both the audience and myself to become elements of a fractal."

How is the fractal structure, which expands and then breaks down through repetition, reflected in the program? Opening the concert with the Sonata L’infid?le by Baroque composer Sylvius Leopold Weiss, he said about the piece, "At the time of composition, it seems to reflect a negative view of the infidel dance, bearing the subtitle 'The Unfaithful Woman.' I chose it as the first piece because it focuses on combining broken parts to create something."

Following the 3/4 time La Folia variations, he presents Bach's Chaconne as the third piece, describing it as "a piece that epitomizes Bach's music, divided into three parts closely related to the perfect number 3, representing the progression from imperfection to perfection." The final piece is the Sonata Enigma, chosen to convey a narrative of breaking down the whole and starting anew.

He uses two guitars for this performance. Holding them up, he said, "One is a Jose Ramirez guitar made in 1978, older than me, and the other is a Manuel Ramirez replica model made by Italian maker Paolo Coriani. I plan to perform with both." He added, "For Baroque pieces, the pure and clean Coriani instrument is ideal, while Ponce and Brouwer's pieces require a guitar with a large volume and diverse tones, making the Ramirez guitar a good match."

Feeling regret that the guitar has been a non-mainstream instrument in the classical music world, he found a solution in arrangements. He said, "The guitar's strength lies in its wide genre and versatility, but its exclusion from classical music is more due to historical circumstances. During the Baroque era, the guitar's origins were central, and Weiss, both a performer and composer, was the most famous musician across Europe, earning more than Bach. As salon music expanded into concert music and volume increased, the guitar was pushed aside. However, efforts led by Segovia to bring classical guitar to major stages have continued, and I believe this can be further expanded through arrangements."

Having started playing guitar at age five and walking the path of a performer for over 30 years, he still finds the guitar new and enjoyable. "Even now, when I practice, I wonder if such sounds really come out. When I find new pieces, I want to study and practice more. The more I play, the more I realize there is no end," he said, revealing his spirit of inquiry as both a performer and researcher.

He shared his thoughts, "I hope that audiences, who experience music within limited time, will freely expand their appreciation and imagination about what the performer is expressing and the story being told."

Park Jongho's guitar recital will be held on May 10 at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, followed by May 15 at Haeundae Cultural Center in Busan.

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