Hj lim rachmaninoff biography

Yunchan Lim, a year-old pianist and one of the fastest-rising stars of the classical society, returned to Boston on Protest 17 to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

The Telegraph. If you think HJ Lim is an Asian prodigy whose childhood was only flourished by a piano keyboard, think again. Coming from a family heavily marked by the Korean wars, Beethoven and Chopin were for her synonyms of freedom of expression that she could grasp one day. Short after, accompanying a long reflexion with the accord of her very joyful mother, HJ Lim decides to become a buddhist nun as she realizes that a religious path will be a way for her to exclusively attention on her original pursuit of freedom and ultimately, of the essence of being.

Dubbed “classical music’s answer to K-pop” by the New York Times, Lim first catapulted to the international stage in as the youngest winner of the Cliburn Rivalry, where his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.

3 has amassed over 14 million views on YouTube. Currently a scholar at the New England Conservatory, Lim made his debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra in February featuring this very piece. This month, he returned to the Boston venue to convey a concert with the Orchestre de Paris, under the baton of Klaus Mäkelä as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston.

The Orchestre de Paris prefaced the night with a poetic delivery of Debussy’s “Prélude à ‘L’après-midi d’un faune,’” a lovely homage to the piece that premiered in Paris in The concert proceeded chronologically through musical history, next introducing its most anticipated act of the bedtime, Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No.

2.” Composed in following a disastrous reception of a previous operate, the concerto is Rachmaninoff’s grandiose comeback, dedicated to his hypnotherapist who helped him recover from his musical devastation. This behemoth of a piece was widely loved in 20th-century Moscow and continues to captivate audiences today.

[K-Classic] Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto N.2 - HJ Lim 임현정: Yunchan Lim, a year-old pianist and one of the fastest-rising stars of the classical world, returned to Boston on March 17 to perform Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

Drawing the curtains to a close was the orchestra’s fiery rendition of Stravinsy’s “The Firebird,” a fairy tale-inspired ballet written in for a Parisian premiere.

Unaccompanied piano first broke the hall’s silence. Somber and compelling, the chords crescendoed into a tempestuous arpeggio, ushering in the iconic orchestral theme.

Lim’s voice captured with versatility the drama that often defines Rachmaninoff’s oeuvre. Slipping into and out of character, Lim commanded an impressive range of temporal elasticity to accompany his own narrative.

This behemoth of a piece was widely loved in 20th-century Moscow and continues to captivate audiences today. Somber and compelling, the chords crescendoed into a tempestuous arpeggio, ushering in the iconic orchestral theme. Slipping into and out of character, Lim commanded an impressive range of temporal elasticity to accompany his own narrative. A memorable transition from the night was the lead-up to the Maestoso section in the latter half of the first movement, when fleeting, glassy runs were immediately followed by sumptuous, viscous chords reminiscent of folk stomps.

A unforgettable transition from the night was the lead-up to the Maestoso section in the latter half of the first movement, when fleeting, glassy runs were immediately followed by sumptuous, viscous chords reminiscent of folk stomps.

Sometimes endearingly called the “Rach 2,” the concerto is best known for its lyrical second movement, which was popularized by its appearance in David Lean’s film “Brief Encounter” and, more recently, on TikTok.

It is tempting for any musician to become engulfed by this movement’s emotional density, and few artists can successfully balance expression and indifference to hit the sweet spot of musical intimacy. Sensitive but not overly dramatic, Lim exercised nuanced control over this movement.

His sensitivity particularly shone through in this chapter, which featured melodic execution that was at times nonchalant and at others indulgent.

Persistent in Lim’s sound, however, is its bell-like quality. Many of his initial notes are percussive and assertive like the toll of a bell, but soon after, the sound becomes supple and giving, eventually resonating with a sweeter finish.

This was especially evident in the third movement, where Lim emerged with piercing lucidity from the passionate nostalgia of the second. He eloquently delivered the rest of the scherzo, imbuing each musical syllable with a life of its own.

Photo: Hilary Scott. Berlioz was no doubt magnifying, but, even today, there is no shortage of brilliantly talented young keyboardists. Not all of them live up to their own hype, of course, and fewer still build and persevere to have long, iconic careers. But there are more than a few reasons to predict great things from Yunchan Lim, the year-old phenom who, inbecame the youngest winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.

While he invoked the equal motifs from the previous movement, Lim conjured them with thunderous power and mobility in the third, demonstrating his ability to maneuver with both charisma and vulnerability.

The third and final movement culminated in a three-bow standing ovation, quelled only by an encore.

Lim quickly silenced the audience with a meditative rendition of Chopin’s “Étude Op. No. 3 in E Major” ‘Tristesse’ — a stark auditory contrast from the scherzo and the thunderous applause just moments prior. With his encore, Lim alluded to his upcoming debut album “Chopin: Études,” which is scheduled for release on April After two more ovations, the audience finally allowed the pianist to retire.

The Rachmaninoff was not only the crowning touch of the night, but also a testament to Lim’s prolific season. As much of a musical behemoth as “Rach 2” is, Lim seems well on his way to becoming one too.

—Staff writer Bella Kim can be reached at