On Saturday night, Professor of Violin Kyung Sun Lee and Visiting Professor of Piano Soo Jung Shin played three sonatas for violin and piano by Beethoven. The duo has recently performed the full cycle of Beethoven sonatas together, and they chose three of its ten parts to present an overview of the progression in the work.
Kyung Sun Lee, who graduated from Seoul National University and Peabody Conservatory, has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras including the Jupiter Symphony, Munich Radio Orchestra, Moscow National Orchestra, Belgian National Orchestra and Seoul Philharmonic. Soo Jung Shin’s accomplishments include performances with the London Philharmonic, Berlin Chamber Orchestra and success in numerous competitions. Whether it was because of their similar heritage, their similar resumes or simply because they had studied Beethoven so intensely in to prepare for their performances, their sound, phrasing and interpretations meshed perfectly. While the duo avoided conspicuous, innovative interpretations, they presented a well-prepared and satisfying performance of these sonatas.
Lee and Shin supported each other marvelously, each attending to the slight shortcomings of the other. Where Lee needed a more forgiving, subtle and textured sound, Shin was there to fill the gap, and where Shin couldn’t quite produce a hard-edged sforzando fortissimo, Kyung Sun Lee’s playing made the audience jump.
The duo started with “Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12, No. 1,” the first of three in the opus number. The ensemble was excellent, and Lee’s intonation was flawless. Her tight vibrato and modern, aggressive sound, which could be traced to her time in Dorothy Delay’s studio, was never overbearing and always convincing. Shin’s playing also shined; except for the occasional note that popped out of the texture, she created some very nice shapes. The development of the first movement was well constructed. Every phrase and dynamic had a meaning and a direction, and it was clear that the duo took pains not to overlook a single note. Shin began the second movement taking nice dynamic care of the opening bars. Kyung Sun Lee’s playing on the third and fourth variations was especially impressive. The third movement, in particular, was marked by solid finger work and explosive bursts of energy.
The second piece on the program was Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23.” Often overshadowed by the Op. 24 “Spring” Sonata, originally paired with Op. 23 under one Opus number (23), this work is beautiful and deserves just as much attention. The masculine first and last movements were fittingly aggressive and powerful. Shin’s playing was especially tender in the beginning of the second movement, and remained clear and articulate during the last movement.
After intermission the players rejoined to perform Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata (No. 9 in A major, Op. 47). This virtuosi sonata perhaps should have been called the “Bridgetower” Sonata since the famous French violinist Kreutzer may have never actually played it. George Augustus Polgreen Bridgetower premiered the piece with Beethoven in 1803. Beethoven explained that it was “written in a very concertante style — almost a concerto,” perfect to complement Bridgetower’s virtuosic playing. After an argument with Bridgetower about the piece just before its publication in 1805, Beethoven changed the dedication to Kreutzer. Although the composer liked him when they first met in Vienna, Kreutzer never really appreciated Beethoven’s compositions and declared that the A Major Sonata was “outrageously unintelligible.”
Kreutzer couldn’t have been more wrong — the sonata is both intelligible and beautiful, and frankly, not very complex. The technical brilliance and rousing energy in the first and last movements and the depth of emotion in the second movement make it one of the most beautiful sonatas for violin and piano in the entire repertory.
The adagio introduction to the first movement was subtle and tender. During the presto, Lee’s playing was absolutely fierce. Her tone was huge, her double stops perfect and her high register radiant. Her playing was especially beautiful when she was leading into the second group of themes, both in the exposition and recapitulation.
The second movement sparkled with a kind of energy that gave it a satisfying sense of coherence. Both performers took the opportunity to showcase their musicality during their featured variations. Shin’s playing was stirring during the first variation and Lee’s during the second. They also came together for a superb performance of the third variation.
The last movement was rhythmically well-poised and phrased. Lee’s bow control was masterful and the subitos and dynamics were perfectly coordinated. This performance stood out as the most exciting of the three sonatas because, perhaps, it was the most challenging — musically and technically.
Only after the last bow and their return to the stage for an encore, did Lee explain that her pianist had traveled all the way from Korea for the performance and had injured her leg in the process. Any audience member would have been more than willing to assure Shin that her trip was worth the effort, as she gave an incredibly moving performance.
For an encore, the duo played Elgar’s ”Salut D’Amor,” a delicious little piece that they performed well, carefully avoiding the temptation to smother it in rubatos and cheesy embellishments while staying true to its romantic aesthetic. Kyung Sun Lee’s violin sound was entirely different for this addition, making clear how defined her sound was for the Beethoven sonatas earlier in the concert. Her versatility was astounding.
The encore was dedicated to a friend who recently passed away from cancer and the performance couldn’t have been a more moving memorial, as well as a perfect ending to an exquisite night.