Yekwon Sunwoo's New Album "Liszt": "I Wanted to Sing with the Piano"

Third Decca Album Features Eleven Tracks
"Liszt, a Musician Who Embodies Lyricism Amid Brilliance"

Schubert's (1797–1828) song "The Shepherd on the Rock," completed in the autumn of 1828 as he faced death, is unique in its form. While most songs are typically performed by a vocalist accompanied by piano, this piece adds a clarinet to the mix.

Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo, who recently released the new album "Liszt," explained at a press conference that he is deeply fond of "The Shepherd on the Rock," describing it as a piece that made him realize how music should be listened to and performed.

"When I was in middle school, I could effortlessly play extremely challenging pieces. I would learn and perform works like 'Islamey' or 'Gaspard de la Nuit' within two weeks. I played well, without unnecessary embellishments. But that was all there was to it. I liked music mechanically but was unable to truly feel it in my heart. After studying abroad in the United States, as I performed in various ensembles and encountered a wide range of music, 'The Shepherd on the Rock' suddenly resonated with me."

Yekwon Sunwoo stated that music should not only be heard with the ears, but also understood with the mind and felt with the heart. He said that through "The Shepherd on the Rock," he learned how to experience music emotionally and developed a special love for art songs. He also mentioned that the composer he treasures most is Schubert, known as the "King of Songs." Schubert left behind more than 600 songs during his brief 31-year life.

Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo is explaining about his new album 'List' at a press conference. Universal Music

Yekwon Sunwoo explained that the central theme of his new album, "Liszt," is "song." He stated that the eleven tracks on the album were selected with the concept of "singing with the piano, like an art song." He went on to explain, "The first three tracks have a meditative atmosphere, the next three evoke the feeling of whispering songs, the following two are about seduction and love, the next two present operatic fantasy, and the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 serves as the magnificent finale."

This new album is Sunwoo's third release on the Decca label, following albums featuring Mozart and Rachmaninoff.

He explained that he chose Liszt for this album because of the theme of song and its connection to Schubert. He said, "When I think of song, I am reminded of Schubert, who sang of pure human emotion," adding, "Liszt understood Schubert's lieder more deeply than anyone else and vividly transformed them into piano music."

Although Liszt left major achievements both as a composer and pianist, he is especially renowned as a legendary pianist. Sunwoo commented, "Liszt is regarded as a pianist with a devilish talent, embodying both transcendental technique and brilliance."

Sunwoo was captivated by this brilliance and frequently performed Liszt's works during his middle school years. However, after going abroad and reaching his mid-twenties, he stopped playing Liszt altogether. He revealed, "At the time, I questioned whether the music was simply for display and whether it lacked true emotional depth."

Pianist Yekwon Sunwoo is performing a piece from his new album "Liszt". Universal Music

Sunwoo decided to return to Liszt's music because he felt that now was precisely the right time to perform it. He said, "Performers often believe there is a certain sound that suits particular composers," and added, "I felt that the color and touch of my playing now matched Liszt well, and I heard similar feedback from those around me, which led me to record the album."

As he revisited Liszt, Sunwoo explained that he realized Liszt was "a musician whose music, though brilliant, also contains a human voice and lyricism." He added, "Comparing myself now to when I played frequently as a middle schooler, 20 years have passed, so my interpretation is much more internalized and there are many more things I want to express, which makes a significant difference from the past."

The album was recorded at a church in the Dahlem district of Berlin, Germany. Sunwoo explained that "it is a historic space where Karajan conducted many recording sessions with the Berlin Philharmonic, and the room Karajan used still exists today."

Since May 15, Sunwoo has been on a nationwide tour to celebrate the album's release. He has already performed at the Iksan Arts Center and Daegu Dalseo Art Center, and will continue at Seongnam Atrium (May 20), Changwon Seongsan Art Hall (May 21), Ulsan Jung-gu Arts Center (May 22), and Yangsan Culture & Arts Center (May 24), concluding the tour with a performance at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on May 30. He will be performing works by Schubert and Liszt throughout the tour. In the first half, he will perform Schubert's Piano Sonata No. 20, and in the second half, he will play pieces from his new album, including "Rigoletto Paraphrase," Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, and Mephisto Waltz No. 1.

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