Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra to live stream Beethoven's Symphony No. 9

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) Courtesy of SPO

By Park Ji-won

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) will perform Beethoven's “Choral” Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 at the Lotte Concert Hall to mark the 250th anniversary of the composer's birth, Sunday. The concert will be live streamed.

The 65-minute performance subtitled “2020 Beethoven Ode to Joy,” arranged by Jaakko Kuusisto, composer, conductor, and violinist, will be presented with a variety of artists ― conductor Markus Stenz, bass Park Jong-min, mezzo-soprano Lee A-kyeong, soprano Park Hye-sang, tenor Mario Bahg and the National Chorus of Korea ― and will viewable on SPO's YouTube channel, NaverTV, and Seoul City's YouTube channel for free from 5 p.m.

The symphony was performed by about 200 musicians last year. But as the number of COVID-19 infections is spiking, the arranger reduced the number of performers and made it into a chamber piece. This year, 64 musicians, including a conductor, four soloists and a 24-member choir will present the work. More brass instruments were added compared to the original arrangements.

“Beethoven's Ode to Joy was composed in 1824, 12 years after Beethoven had overcome a long artistic slump. The fourth movement portrays the joy of people overcoming their fate with the harmony of human voices and orchestral instruments and today, it resonates in concert halls around the world at the end of every year,” the Seoul City government posted on Facebook.

“Many artists have lost chances to perform and audiences cannot visit concert halls amid the pandemic. The SPO tried its best to find a way to perform the piece for the public and hopes the message of hope from Beethoven, who overcame a hopeless situation, would resonate without boundaries with all people,” the SPO wrote in a press release.