CHORALE FANTASY NO.1
<COMFORT, COMFORT MY PEOPLE>
for piano(2007/08)
45 Minutes
10 movements
World Premiere in solo piano and chamber version at Kumho Art Hall on 7 Nov. 2008
Program Notes
This work manifests the composer’s will to explore issues of human sin and salvation through music in a profound way. 《Comfort, comfort my people》, consisting of ten movements, deals with biblical messages of Isaiah and Romans, and these are executed by various experimental techniques and styles including a quote of Bach Chorale juxtaposing tonal, modal and atonal transformations of Lee’s own chorale melody(Sinfonia), a total-serial transformation, and poly-chordal and poly-stylistic approaches. Lee quoted a couple of sentences from 《The Screwtape Letters》by C.S. Lewis and used it as subtitles for two movements. Lewis’s sentences provoke more vivid literary imagination on the biblical messages of Sin.
This work was tried in a couple of different editions and genre, with its chamber music version performed at Kumho Art hall in 2008, and the version for solo piano was premiered with light and installation at the MoA of SNU in 2009, and with the American performance tour and New York Carnegie Hall performance accompanied by Pianist Hyojung Huh, the journey of various attempts was completed. This work was published as Piano album with No. 2《The Collar》(2013) and No. 3《Alleluia》(2010/2013) in Studio 2021 edition in 2013 and also in Dux label record.
Composer's Notes
Since I wrote my orchestral piece 'Psalm20'(1994/96, revision 1998), messages in the bible were the most important element and theme in my works. Since then, I wrote many pieces that were inspired by various parts of the bible. These are 'Four biblical scenes'(2004) for clarinet and strings, Violin Fantasy No. 2 'Laudate Dominum'(2006), Windquintet No. 2 'Homage to Thomas'(2007), and till my recent work 'Lament'(2010) for clarinet and string quartet.
However, after my second windquintet, I found it was not so relevant and not enough in length to express such huge biblical messages and inspirations only in a piece or in a short duration, so I determined to write pieces for piano in series. This is also partly because I was considerably influenced by 'Vingt regards sur I'Enfant-Jesus' of Messiaen. The most amazing thing for me in this piece, was how Messiaen effectively connected his theological view with the music, expressing his catholic faith in it.
My Chorale Fantasy 'Comfort, comfort my people' therefore, takes the similar structure as 'Vingt regards sur I'Enfant-Jesus'. A chorale melody in 'Sinfonia' is the theme of the whole piece, and this is transformed in two different modal harmonies later, and it implies Sin. These three chorale melodies are linked to Bach chorale 'Christ lag in Todesbanden' that are used as a symbolic device for Redemption in the whole piece.
The first version for solo piano and ensemble was premiered in 2008 at Kumho Art Hall in Seoul by three pianists and performers, and the complete version for piano was premiered in 2009 at MoA(Museum of Art) of Seoul National University, by the pianist Jong Hwa Park with installation & light by Bae Jung Wan.
빛의 음악 Music in Light
《스크루테이프의 편지 The Screwtape Letters》
작곡가 이신우와 설치미술가 배정완의 공동예술작품인 「스크루테이프의 편지」가 피아니스트 박종화의 연주를 통해 관객을 만난다. 서울대학교 미술관 MoA에서 9월 9일-30일까지 전시, 공연될 「스크루테이프의 편지」는 작곡가와 연주가, 미술가라는 서로 다른 장르의 예술가들이 상호간의 예술적 이해와 협력을 바탕으로 만들어가는 복합적 예술작품이다.
「스크루테이프의 편지」는 영문학자이자 작가일 뿐 아니라 20세기의 탁월한 기독교사상가로서 인간의 본질에 대한 핵심적인 통찰을 보여준 루이스(C. S. Lewis)의 저서로, 이와 같은 제목을 빌어온 이번 공연에서는 인간의 정신과 영혼의 깊숙한 고뇌와 구원, 절망과 생명이라는 주제를 언어가 아닌 음악과 빛과 영상을 통해 섬세하게 접근해가는 시도를 보여준다.
네 차례에 걸친 피아니스트 박종화의 라이브공연과 함께 전시될 배정완의 설치작품은 이 복합 예술 작품의 모태가 된 이신우의 피아노 코랄환타지 「내 백성을 위로하라」-「스크루테이프의 편지」의 콘서트 버전-의 음악적 칼라와 인상 및 문학적 주제를 바탕으로 제작된다.
이미 수년전부터 음악을 통해 신앙과 인간에 대한 성찰에 다가가는 작업에 몰두해온 작곡가 이신우, 그리고 빛과 색채, 소리가 결합된 다원적 작품을 여러 차례 선보인 바 있는 미술가 배정완의 만남은 피아니스트 박종화의 탁월한 연주를 통해 더욱 빛을 발할 것으로 기대된다.
프로그램
#시원한 빛 Cool Light
#그 길고도 어둑한 몽상의 미로 In the long, dim labyrinth of reveries
#“주여 떠나소서 나는 죄인이로소이다” "Go away, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
#갑옷처럼 인간의 온몸을 둘러싼... Building up the finest armour around a man...
#절망과 공포와 당혹감이 넘치는 산 술잔 A brimfull living chalice of despair and horror and astonishment
#“화로다 나여 망하게 되었도다” "Woe to me! I am ruined!"
#순결한 빛 Pure Light
#그리스도의 십자가 The Cross of Christ
#영원한 즐거움 Pleasures for evermore
#오직 생명만 있는 곳, 그리하여 음악 아닌 것은 모두 침묵인 곳 The regions where there is only life and therefore all that is not music is silence
일시: 2009년 9월 9일-30일(전시)
9월 9일 / 16일 / 23일 / 30일(수) 오후 7시 30분(공연)
장소: 서울대학교미술관 MoA