| Pianist Son Yeol-eum plays a Mozart piano sonata during a press conference at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in Seoul, March 14. Yonhap |
Korean pianist Son Yeol-eum said Tuesday that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's classical music has always been at the center of her heart and playing the composer's complete piano sonatas made her feel at home.
Son said she initially floated the idea of recording a couple of Mozart sonatas but decided to play the list of sonatas from beginning till the end. Her new album, "Mozart: Complete Piano Sonatas," is set for release on Friday.
"Mozart's music feels like my mother tongue. It has been always at the center of my fingers and heart, and the kind of music I can very comfortably accept," the 36-year-old said in a press conference held at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in western Seoul.
Son, who served as an art director for Pyeongchang Daegwallyeong Music Festival from 2018 to 2022, said she had studied various repertoires for events and collaborative projects in recent years, but felt truly free when playing Mozart's sonatas.
"I studied several repertoires over the past years and felt like I discovered something new and alive," she said. "When I played Mozart (sonatas), I felt like I was coming back home."
The acclaimed pianist said playing the full list of Mozart sonatas gave her an in-depth insight into the great composer's works.
"I am well aware that Mozart's music covers a wide variety of genres, but I could realize the full extent of his variety while playing his complete sonatas," Son said. "It is like a kaleidoscope."
To recreate the gifted musician's spontaneous creativity, Son said she tried to go with the flow to better express her honest emotions and connect with listeners.
Son plans to play the complete sonatas in the album in two rounds of recital tours between May and June in seven cities, including Seoul, Wonju, Tongyeong, Gwangju, Daegu, Goyang and Gimhae. (Yonhap)