Pianist Cho Seong-jin teams up with Berlin Philharmonic musicians in Seoul
Pianist Cho Seong-jin performs Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 with violinist Daishin Kashimoto, violist Park Kyung-min and cellist Kian Soltani at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of the Lotte Culture Foundation
Cho launches residency at Lotte Concert Hall with all-Brahms program
The unique appeal of chamber music is something recordings rarely capture in full. It is only in the concert hall that audiences can witness musicians shaping a performance together in real time, relying solely on their shared breath and musical instincts. At the "Seong-Jin Cho Chamber Concert" held Monday at Lotte Concert Hall, that creative process unfolded vividly before the audience.
Marking the 10th anniversary of Lotte Concert Hall, Cho — the venue's artist-in-residence this year — opened the concert alongside an internationally renowned lineup: Daishin Kashimoto, first concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic; principal clarinetist Wenzel Fuchs; principal horn Stefan Dohr; violist Kyungmin Park, the first Korean to earn a tenured position with the orchestra; and Austrian cellist Kian Soltani.
Personally invited by Cho, who curated the program as artist-in-residence, the ensemble devoted the evening entirely to Brahms' chamber works, where communication and balance among performers take precedence over individual virtuosity.
The first half began with Brahms' Clarinet Trio, in which Fuchs and Soltani demonstrated remarkable attentiveness, carefully listening and responding to one another rather than competing for prominence. Soltani, in particular, anchored the ensemble with his warm, resonant tone. In the Horn Trio that followed, Dohr, Kashimoto and Cho produced an unexpectedly rich and expansive sound despite the work's modest instrumentation. On Brahms' demanding score, which leaves little room for error, Fuchs and Dohr highlighted the expressive character of their instruments through tightly woven ensemble playing.
Most striking, however, was Cho's approach. While his characteristically firm touch and meticulous control of tone established the piano as the ensemble's foundation, he never overshadowed his colleagues. Instead, he devoted himself to listening and shaping the group's overall balance.
The concert reached its climax in the second half with Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1, performed by Cho, Kashimoto, Park and Soltani. The work holds special significance for Cho, having earned him the chamber music prize at the 2014 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition. From the opening movement, where the strings immediately echoed the piano's brief motifs, the four performers displayed flawless coordination. The finale, with its sweeping tempo shifts and flexible rubato, was especially electrifying, as the four musicians moved like a single organism to generate overwhelming energy.
Pianist Cho Seong-jin performs Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1 with violinist Daishin Kashimoto, violist Park Kyung-min and cellist Kian Soltani at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, Tuesday. Courtesy of the Lotte Culture Foundation
For the encore, the quartet performed the third movement, Andante cantabile, from Schumann's Piano Quartet. The choice was an inspired piece of programming, linking the evening's Brahms program through Clara Schumann, who premiered Brahms' Piano Quartet No. 1. After the final notes faded, Cho shared warm smiles with his fellow musicians before gently closing the lid of the grand piano and leaving the stage.
Just as Brahms abandoned his retirement plans after being captivated by the artistry of clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld, Cho appears to be discovering new musical inspiration through collaborations with fellow artists — experiences that solo performance alone cannot provide. Following recent duo recitals with violinist Augustin Hadelich, this chamber concert once again demonstrated how Cho's musical world continues to expand through attentive listening and artistic partnership.
Cho will continue his residency at Lotte Concert Hall with a solo recital on Sunday before embarking on a domestic tour throughout July, with performances scheduled in Hwaseong, Bucheon and Pyeongtaek in Gyeonggi Province, Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, Sejong and Busan.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.