Christoph Eschenbach’s Passion for Music, LifeBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Celebrated pianist, conductor and above all, musical inspiration, Christoph Eschenbach perhaps lives not only by music but also for it. The 67-year-old German native shared how music forever changed his life with reporters in Seoul, the final destination of his Asia tour with the Orchestre de Paris. Eschenbach first rose to fame as a concert pianist under the wing of the great Herbert von Karajan and George Szell, and visited Korea twice as a pianist in the 1970s and `80s. Orphaned, traumatized and silenced by World War II, Eschenbach learned to speak again through music, growing up in a musical foster family. ``As you know, I had a very difficult childhood. I was searching for a means to express things that were trapped inside of me, and music was the ultimate medium for that. I threw myself into music as a child, and felt happy for the first time in my life,'' he said during a private press meeting in a Seoul hotel, Saturday. ``Music guides humanity toward beauty and peace. It is a universal language for translating the emotions, and tNov 11, 2007
Album ReviewsBritney Spears `Blackout' SonyBMG Forget about her disastrous performance of ``Gimme More'' at the MTV Video Awards. Britney Spears' new album ``Blackout'' may just be her best effort yet. No sugary pop songs here. This album still shows Spears' sexy side with edgy dance tracks such as ``Get Naked (I Got a Plan)'' and ``Hot as Ice.'' Her collaboration with the Neptunes ``Why Should I Be Sad'' is one of the coolest tracks on the album. ``Piece of Me'' is littered with references to Spears' own troubles: ``I'm Miss bad media karma, another day another drama… and you want a piece of me?'' ``Blackout'' certainly ensures people will still want a piece of Spears. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Backstreet Boys `Unbreakable' SonyBMG A new release by Backstreet Boys, one of the few surviving boy bands from its booming era, is a welcome return for many much-awaited fans. Their music is still firmly entrenched in the mainstream pop genre, flexing the boy band's maturity, on this album. This album presents several tracks including their single, ``Inconsolable,'' which is siNov 6, 2007
Orchestre de Paris to Perform in SeoulBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The Orchestre de Paris will perform in Korea for the first time in 23 years under the baton of Christoph Eschenbach. This is a rare opportunity to hear one of the world's most prestigious orchestras perform not just once ― but twice ― as the group will create magic not only in Seoul, Nov. 12, but stage another delightful repertoire the night before in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. Launched in 1967, the Orchestre de Paris continues the tradition of the orchestra of Paris's Concerts du Conservatoire, which dating back to 1828 is one of the world's oldest. Having returned to its long-time residence Salle Pleyer last year, the orchestra performs even more actively. With some 130 members, the group has been praised time after time for its sophisticated performances marked by ornate techniques and graceful resonance. Playing more than 80 times a year all over the world, the group has staged world premieres of pieces by leading modern composers such as Olivier Messiaen and Pierre Boulez. World-renowned musicians have led the group, beginning with France'Nov 6, 2007
World’s Oldest Playable Instrument to Play in SeoulBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter An 800-year-old Chinese string instrument ``Manwuyan'' will make its first, last and only international tour of Seoul, Nov. 11-15, before it is designated as a national treasure next year. Those interested in a novel musical ― and historical ― experience will have a chance to hear the Nanzhao Classical Music Ensemble revive an ancient sound at Coste Hall in Myeong-dong Cathedral's Cultural Center, central Seoul. This is a truly unprecedented occasion, for the relic has rarely traveled within China. When it was unearthed in 1998 in Yinnan Province, the manwuyan was in almost immaculate condition, being immediately playable despite minor damages by rodents. Several string instruments have been excavated so far, but none of them functioned. Verified as originating from the late 12th century, the manwuyan is the world's oldest playable instrument. With 25 strings, stretching 1.7 meters long and elegantly bent at 34 degrees, the manwuyan can deliver a wide range of chords. It is an artifact of an ancient kingdom called Nanzhao Dali, and was creatNov 2, 2007
Album ReviewsKT Tunstall `Drastic Fantastic' EMI After her successful hit singles ― the Grammy-Award nominated ``Black Horse and the Cherry Tree,'' ``Suddenly I See,'' and ``Other Side of the World,'' Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall has released her follow-up album. ``Drastic Fantastic'' showcases the singer's maturity as both a songwriter and singer through catchy tracks such as ``Hold On,'' the rollicking ``Saving My Face,'' the jazz-tinged ``Someday Soon,'' and the pop number, ``I Don't Want You Now.'' Tunstall creates edgy sound, pop, rock and a raw bluesy sound in this album. Particularly, the opener, ``Little Flavours'' is a re-creation work of ``Under the Weather,'' which was listed on her single album. -Chung Ah-young Curtis `50 Cent' Universal Curtis, a hip-hop musician in the mainstream hip-hop scene, has come back with his new release, bringing a new sensation. ``I Get Money'' glides back to the old sounds but sends out a modern message, while ``Straight To The Bank'' gives a heavy bounce mixed with drums, bass and keyboards in harmony. ``Ayo TechnOct 30, 2007
`Completing Beethoven On & OffstageBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Having recently released the country's first recording of Beethoven's complete cello sonatas, cellist Yang Sung-won and pianist Pascal Devoyon will give a rare marathon performance in Seoul, Nov. 4, along with shorter concerts in other cities. Before the two musicians begin their cross-country concert tour, Yang sat down with The Korea Times to discuss music and life, and stepping toward his dreams, in a coffee shop near a Seoul park. Tuesday. Beethoven's cello pieces are the first sonatas in the history of music to treat the cello as an equal partner for the piano. Recording the deaf maestro's complete sonatas is meaningful in that one can ruminate the very essence of his life and works. ``For both Pascal and I, this kind of project (signifies) approaching one or two steps closer to our dreams. (Beethoven's) pieces are like utopia -- you read about it, you study about it, perform it and you understand the piece. You can have your own utopia in your mind,'' said the 40-year-old, with eyes glimmering. ``And when you're performing it, the realityOct 24, 2007
Album ReviewsEric Clapton `Complete Clapton' Universal This landmark compilation on e two discs features Eric Clapton's career from 1966. Clapton, one of the most respected guitarists, presents his double album at a single album price, featuring such classics as ``Layla,'' ``Tears In Heaven,'' ``Wonderful Tonight,'' ``I Shot The Sheriff'', ``Cocaine,'' and ``Change The World.'' The first disc covers hit numbers of the ``(Universal) Polydor Years'' including ``Lay Down Sally'' and ``Bell Bottom Blues'' while the second disc focuses on the numbers from the ``Warner Years'' including ``Layla-unplugged'' and ``She's Waiting.'' -Chung Ah-young Stevie Wonder `Number Ones' Universal This album is the wonderful collection of legendary singer Stevie Wonder. The album includes 20 of his big hits, all of which took top positions on the charts. His number one hits range from Motown, dance, funk, R&B, pop, and adult contemporary, which Wonder's music still captivates. The songs have all been remastered and restored, containing tracks including ``Uptight,'' ``SignOct 23, 2007
Korean Musicians to Grace New York HallsBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra led by maestro Chung Myung-whun will perform in New York in commemoration of United Nations Day, Wednesday. The UN Day Concert will feature Korea's prima donna Shin Young-ok and tenor Yikun Chung. Internationally acclaimed Chung Myung-whun will conduct the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra UN Day concert series, which will begin with a performance on Tuesday evening at New York Presbyterian Church before the big night at UN General Assembly Hall. Opera stars Shin Young-ok, winner of the New York Metropolitan's 1990 National Council Auditions, and Yikun Chung, named by German Opernwelt magazine as ``Young Tenor of the Year'' (2001), are expected to give stellar performances. The program includes not only pieces by Verdi and Brahms but also Korean classics such as ``Baetnorae'' by Jo Du-nam. The concert celebrates the 62nd UN Day, which was inaugurated in 1947 as the anniversary of the implementation of the UN Charter. It is part of UN Week, which runs Oct. 20-26. It also honors the inauguration of UN SecretaOct 21, 2007
R&B Diva Ciara to Perform in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American R&B star Ciara may often be compared with other successful singers like Beyonce and Rihanna, but she wants to be known for her own unique musical style. ``Beyonce, Rihanna and I are all different from each other. I have a lot of respect for what they do. All I know is that I'm me. If you see me, you can see the difference,'' she said, in a press conference at the W Hotel in eastern Seoul, Thursday. Ciara is currently in Seoul to perform in her first concert at the Olympic Fencing Stadium, Olympic Park, Friday evening. The pretty 21-year-old singer described her second album ``Ciara: The Evolution,'' as a personal reflection of the changes in her life. The album has sold over two million copies since it was released last December. ``This album covers my life's changes through the years. I have evolved as an artist and a woman in many ways,'' Ciara said. ``This is definitely different than my old record. I just did what felt good to me. This album is all about having fun. I want people to dance and have a good time wheOct 19, 2007
Album ReviewsJennifer Lopez `Brave' SonyBMG Singer-actress-fashion designer Jennifer Lopez has just released a new album, but the media is going crazy speculating on whether she's pregnant or not. Gossip aside, ``Brave'' represents her return to R&B and hip-hop music. J.Lo described her album as ``feel-good music,'' which is true for catchy dance tracks like ``Stay Together,'' ``I Need Love,'' and ``Do It Well,'' featuring rapper Ludacris. While she does well on upbeat songs, it's not easy to ignore Lopez' thin voice in songs like ``Never Gonna Give Up'' and ``Mile in These Shoes.'' Overall, the album lacks much of Lopez' trademark sizzling Latin-inspired sound. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Mandy Moore `Wild Hope' EMI Actress Mandy Moore is making a comeback as a singer/songwriter with her fifth official album, ``Wild Hope'' four years after ``Coverage'' in 2003. This album shows off her mature musical talent instead of outmaneuvering fellow stars Britney, Jessica, and Christina on the pop charts. Moore exerts her rich, country-rubbed and even Sheryl Crow-reminiscent voOct 16, 2007