The Embassy of Lithuania in Seoul hosted a concert to celebrate the 105th anniversary of the restoration of the State of Lithuania at Myeong-dong cathedral in Seoul on Feb. 20, 2023.
A number of VIPs from the Korean society and the international community, including members of the Seoul Diplomatic Corps., attended to enjoy the concert.
The program, titlede "Resounding Sea of Colours. Debussy and Člurifonts" united two symphonic masterpieces from the early twentieth century adapted for piano four hands.
Debussy and Čiurlionis started composing their majestic marinist opuses in the same year, 1903. Debussy completed Three Symphonic Scetches,,La Mer" in 1905. In the same year, the work was performed in Paris, but without much success - the language of the work was too modern for the listener. To make the work accessible to wider audience, the composer also prepared and published an adaptation of the work for piano four hands in 1905.
Čiurlionis completed his monumental symphonic poem The Sea in 1907, but the work was performed only in 1936, twenty-five years after composer's death. The adaptation of Čiurlionis' The Sea for piano for four hands was prepared by the composer's youngest sister Jadvyga Čiurlionytė around 1925.
The adaptation, which until now remained only in manuscript format, was recently restored and edited for the first public performances.
In 2022 these two monumental seminal early twentieth-century works were performed for the first time in one program, revealing the kinship between the creative aspirations and ideas of two early twentieth century geniuses, as well as highlighting the surrounding cultural context.
The version of Čiurlionis' symphonic poem The Sea for piano for four hands will be performed for the first time in Seoul.
Concert as well includes one masterpiece The Beautiful World in My Life and Soul No. 2 Sori 2014 for piano of South Korean classical composer Chol-Woo David Lee.
Some words about performers: Duo Zubovas - family piano duo of Sonata Zubovienė and Rokas Zubovas are one of the most famous Lithuanian pianists, who made its debut concert in 1997 in Chicago. Rokas Zubovas - a great grandson of the composer Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis.
Zubovienė and Zubovas are the winners of various musical competitions, both of them are alumnis of Lithuanian Academy of Music, later studied in Switzerland and USA. Now Zubovas works as the
professor at Lithuanian Academy of Music, as well organizes master classes. Both performers are known for their dedication to the music of Čiurlionis and recorded piano works of Rokas Zubovas great grandfather. Duo Zubovas performed in USA, Canada, Argentina, Uruguay, almost in all European countries.
Program:
1. Chol-Woo David Lee The Beautiful World in My Life and Soul No. 2 Sorl 2014 for Piano.
2. Claude Debussy (1862-1918), Three Symphonic Sketches The Sea (La Mer).
3. Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875-1911), Symphonic poem The Sea (Jūra). Transcription for piano for four hands.
Performers:
Duo Zubovas: Mrs. Sonata Zubovienė and Mr. Rokas Zubovas (piano).