Soprano Han Kyung-sung and pianist Hartmut Höll have released an album titled “Moonlight Songs” and are currently on a recital tour until the 22nd. The album features German lieder and Korean songs such as “Bandal” and “Autumn Night.” The duo encouraged audiences to appreciate the songs with a relaxed mindset.
Hartmut Höll is a renowned pianist who has worked with legendary musicians like baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and soprano Renée Fleming. About 20 years ago, he met Korean soprano Han Kyung-sung in Germany, and they began their journey as teacher and student. Now, they perform worldwide as musical partners.
The duo released their album “DER MOND: LIEDER” on Warner Music Korea and are currently engaging with Korean audiences through a commemorative recital tour, which concludes on the 22nd at the IBK Chamber Hall at the Seoul Arts Center.
In a recent meeting on the 21st at Poongwoldang in Gangnam, Seoul, Han Kyung-sung expressed her happiness about the music journey, sharing that the album preparation started two years ago and was recorded last year. The album includes 20 songs, featuring works by composers like Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Schubert, and Fauré, all themed around the “moon.” It also includes well-known Korean songs “Bandal” and “Autumn Night,” which were arranged by composer-pianist Daniel Puehrer. Höll highlighted the album’s uniqueness by focusing on a specific theme, unlike many albums featuring songs like “Winterreise.”
The “moon” theme was chosen to showcase the diversity of German lieder, capturing various interpretations such as love, longing, mystery, tranquility, and ominousness.
The album also holds personal significance for Han Kyung-sung, as it was inspired during her husband’s illness. She shared her desire to create an album about the moon once her husband regained his health, which he did, allowing him to participate as a producer for this project.
Han Kyung-sung’s husband recommended Höll for the pianist role on this album. Han described Höll as a mentor who taught her to infuse vitality between musical notes, symbolizing the light filtering through beautiful trees. Höll noted that they are now fellow artists, and helping young musicians is always rewarding for him.
Despite the perception that classical music and songs can be difficult and unfamiliar, Han Kyung-sung emphasized that the themes encompass everyone’s life stories, encouraging people to feel the music to understand its sentiments. Höll described songs as “chamber music with vocals and piano accompaniment,” stating that even if the audience does not understand the lyrics, the emotions conveyed by the singer can still be communicated. He further explained that vocal accompaniment might appear simpler than orchestral performance, but it is far from straightforward.