Violist Soo-Min Lee will present a recital built around the viola's distinctive warmth and expressive depth, joined by pianist Hyosun Lim. Rather than dazzling virtuosity, the evening focuses on the instrument's intimate, vocal qualities through works by Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda, Philipp Scharwenka, Henri Vieuxtemps and Johannes Brahms.
The recital opens with Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda's Six Nocturnes for Viola and Piano, Op. 186. A Bohemian composer who bridged the Classical and early Romantic eras, Kalliwoda wrote music distinguished by elegant lyricism and refined emotional nuance. Across six miniature nocturnes, the viola unfolds a succession of intimate musical reflections while the piano provides understated harmonic support. The work demands subtle control of color, phrasing and tonal balance rather than overt display.
The first half culminates with Philipp Scharwenka's Viola "Fantasy" Sonata, Op. 106, one of the Romantic repertoire's most substantial works for the instrument. True to its title, the sonata moves freely between contrasting moods and dramatic transformations. Viola and piano engage as equal partners, exchanging and developing musical ideas through expansive melodies, rich harmonic textures and sweeping emotional contrasts. The score reveals the viola's capacity to sustain a large-scale musical narrative as a true solo voice.
Following intermission comes Henri Vieuxtemps' Elegy in F Minor, Op. 30, a work that favors expressive restraint over virtuoso brilliance. Long, singing phrases and carefully shaped emotional tension define the piece as the viola gradually intensifies its mournful voice above the piano's dark, funeral-like harmonies. The performance also offers audiences an opportunity to hear one of the signature works from Lee's debut solo album for Decca, released in 2018, in a live setting.
The recital concludes with Johannes Brahms' Sonata for Viola and Piano in F Minor, Op. 120 No. 1. Originally composed for clarinet and piano before Brahms prepared a viola version himself, the sonata stands among the composer's final chamber music masterpieces. Broad lyrical lines, rich piano writing and the viola's vocal character define the opening movement, while the remaining movements move between quiet lyricism, restrained melancholy and renewed vitality before arriving at a deeply satisfying conclusion.
Lee first gained national recognition after winning the Grand Prize at the Segye Competition and becoming the youngest viola winner of the Dong-A Music Competition. After studying at Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School and Seoul National University, she continued her education at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln as a DAAD scholar under Rainer Moog.
She also became the first Korean violist selected for the International Ensemble Modern Academy (IEMA) and previously served as principal viola of both the Duisburger Philharmoniker and Deutsche Oper am Rhein. Lee currently teaches at Korea National University of Arts and Hanyang University while serving as principal violist of the One Korea Orchestra.
Pianist Hyosun Lim, professor of piano at Kyung Hee University and fifth-prize winner of the 2007 Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition, joins Lee as recital partner.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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