Jae Hong Park as winner of the Busoni Competition in Bolzano was invited by the Keyboard Trust to play in London as their Career Development Prize offered to the winner.
Jae Hong not only astounded with his monumental performance of the ‘Hammerklavier’ he also seduced and ravished with Schumann’s Arabesque.
In the very interesting talk after the performance he explained that this combination is part of a full length recital which includes Schumann’s Sonata op 11.Recitals he was flying off the next day to give in Zurich,Germany and Italy.
A very big piano with a big pianist in a small hall,but when you are a real artist you listen to yourself and regulate the sound.
As he very spiritedly said the piano is his best friend that he loves more and more and it is in the practice studio that he has such fun experimenting without being judged by an audience.Just him and his best friend the big black box of hammers and strings.
In fact he was advised not to play the Hammerklavier in the Busoni Competition but he just wanted to share it with an audience, politics were of no importance to him.
It was this total dedication to music that won him first prize in Bolzano and was so evident with his performances last night.What better way to finish than with Siloti’s magical Prelude in B minor some say by Bach and so be it ……..sublime it is always !
‘A voyage of discovery ‘……..playing Beethoven’s longest sonata :‘ It is like climbing Everest …….you can never reach the top but the journey is so amazing and Beethoven is the best teacher ever’
The performance to a small but distinguished audience was recorded and together with the very spirited and articulate talk with Elena Vorotko will be streamed at a later date.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 