Quentin Kim - Variations on an Ancient Korean Melody

[andhow04]

here's a short and charming variations set. Performed it with this program:

Kim - Variations
Debussy - Masques/D'un cahier d'esquisses/L'isle joyeuse
Franck - Prelude, Chorale and Fugue

I also recorded Quentin's sonata.  here is the link if you like this:
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=35556.0


UPDATE: here is a video of this from a different concert, with different program:

[rachfan]

Hi andhow,

As usual you play to a high standard.  Excellent!  This is the first time I had heard the Kim "Variations".  I enjoyed it a great deal.  The finale running up to the quiet coda is stunning.  Sound like the audience loved it too.

Any chance you could post Debussy's "D'un cahier d'equisses" from that recital?  It's one of my favorite standalone pieces of the composer.

From what I heard, the Belkin TuneTalk/iPod combo is OK, but perhaps not great for an important live performance like this one.  I believe if you could have done an A-B stereo recording with higher quality mics and recorder, you would have captured a sound with better fidelity.  The Belkin also seems to color the music a bit too.  I suppose in a pinch though, it's a viable choice.

Again, I enjoyed hearing you play.  Thanks for posting this.

[furtwaengler]

Andhow, is this Quentin Kim a friend of yours? There is some colorful writing with a few interesting twists in the passage work. It's good listening. There is something unique about all of your playing...something distinct that I cannot put me finger on. It's a roundness that could only be yours, and the sensations I sometimes get remind me in glimpses of sensations I get from listening to certain Jascha Horenstein recordings (like the LSO Brahms 1st Symphony). That may be as strange comment, but it's the only way I can express it at the moment.

And I second Rachfan's Debussy request, but to you Rachfan (I never know when to call you David and when to use your screenname) I must say I have absolutely no problem with the recording the Belkin device produced (I guess that's the Belkin that owns the Atlanta Hawks - A.D.D. moment). Really it's infinitely better then any "equipment" I've ever feebly attempted to record with. I guess this gets back to our relativity conversation. From my position, I can't possibly fault the recording, but then I don't really notice sometimes what is good and what is bad as an audiophile would, and indeed some of what they hold in high esteem as far as actual commercial recordings go I don't even know if I can call music, preferring bad inhouse recording pirates from the 50's. So is it a paradox that what they love can annoy me as much as what I love annoys them?  

[goldentone]

Interesting piece.  It's such a pleasure to listen to you, Andhow.  I agree with Furtwaengler.  There is something special about your playing.  It reaches the crevices in the aesthetic belly.

[andhow04]

Hi andhow,

As usual you play to a high standard.  Excellent!  This is the first time I had heard the Kim "Variations".  I enjoyed it a great deal.  The finale running up to the quiet coda is stunning.  Sound like the audience loved it too.

Any chance you could post Debussy's "D'un cahier d'equisses" from that recital?  It's one of my favorite standalone pieces of the composer.

From what I heard, the Belkin TuneTalk/iPod combo is OK, but perhaps not great for an important live performance like this one.  I believe if you could have done an A-B stereo recording with higher quality mics and recorder, you would have captured a sound with better fidelity.  The Belkin also seems to color the music a bit too.  I suppose in a pinch though, it's a viable choice.

Again, I enjoyed hearing you play.  Thanks for posting this.

thanx for the reply.  Yes the belkin is not to be considered great, but for a cheap investment in a decent recorder i have got my moneys worth.  probably best used for practicing, but i often play concerts where theeres no recording dvice in the hall so i bring it along.

since you've been nice to comment on a lot of my recordings i posted the debussy, but i warn that i am not too pleased with it, aprtly because i learned it very fast last week and haven't totally mastered the subtleties of which there are many as ia m sure you know.

i am glad yo uliked the variations, i am not sure i have to ask the composer but i think i may have just premiered it without knowing it.  haha.. one should always find out first because its good for advertising.

[andhow04]

Andhow, is this Quentin Kim a friend of yours? There is some colorful writing with a few interesting twists in the passage work. It's good listening. There is something unique about all of your playing...something distinct that I cannot put me finger on. It's a roundness that could only be yours, and the sensations I sometimes get remind me in glimpses of sensations I get from listening to certain Jascha Horenstein recordings (like the LSO Brahms 1st Symphony). That may be as strange comment, but it's the only way I can express it at the moment.

And I second Rachfan's Debussy request, but to you Rachfan (I never know when to call you David and when to use your screenname) I must say I have absolutely no problem with the recording the Belkin device produced (I guess that's the Belkin that owns the Atlanta Hawks - A.D.D. moment). Really it's infinitely better then any "equipment" I've ever feebly attempted to record with. I guess this gets back to our relativity conversation. From my position, I can't possibly fault the recording, but then I don't really notice sometimes what is good and what is bad as an audiophile would, and indeed some of what they hold in high esteem as far as actual commercial recordings go I don't even know if I can call music, preferring bad inhouse recording pirates from the 50's. So is it a paradox that what they love can annoy me as much as what I love annoys them?  

yes he is a dear friend and i always tell him to writ emore music.  i am humbled by your nice comments about my playing!

i think belkins product is nice, its not ideal but i can use it in lots of ways.  it was only $70 (of course the ipod is considerably mroe expensive) but at some point i sould probably invest in real sound equipment to take around.  what is popular these days?  i heard that minidiscs were out.

[ramseytheii]

Don't know how I missed this one.  It's a very interesting piece, though it doesn't always feel like one variation comes from another.  Sometimes it does, which makes it more striking when it doesn't.  But I like them individually.

It's very subtle and exquisite piano playing, there is a lot to admire in the details.  In particular your phrasing is excellent.  It feels very personal.

Walter Ramsey

[andhow04]

thanks for the nice words...

if anyone is intersetde this is a tuine called "Doraji" and here is what wikipedia says:
Doraji (Korean: 도라지) is a folk song popular among the ancient Korean and Chinese peoples. The song originated from North Korea. Doraji means a wild flower found in Korea, which is usually called the Chinese bellflower in English.

Arirang and Doraji are the two folk songs that represent North and South Korea.

[andhow04]

updated with a video from a live concert featuring this lovely and charming piece. it represents a simpler style from the composer, in contrast with his sonata which is more complex and "worked=out."

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=36068.msg414279#msg414279