Lucas Garden

The Piano Concerto in A minor , composed by Robert Schumann  (1810-1856), is one of the most favorite classical music I love. When listening to this concerto, I used to imagine walking around a beautiful garden full of smiling flowers along with a lovely friend. Especially my favorite part is the beginning of the second movement " Andantino and Rondo ", suggestive of childlike joy. I personally like Martha Argerich 's performance taped for Canadian television in 1977. Have you ever dreamed of romantic love? In my twenties, I carried the torch for a girl student. I wrote numerous letters, and bound them into a book. I lost the handmade book, but it is a sentimental memory of my secret love. When we love someone, we experience mysterious joy, enthusiasm, passion, and devotion not for myself but for the other. That is why love is beautiful. The concerto lets us recall our forgotten memories of romantic love. My love for Jesus is romantic as well. He is not just my Lo...

Even though I have never been to Russia, since my youth age, I have been a little familiar with Russian values, culture, and music. There were several opportunities to learn more about Russia. My friend's cousin studying Russian literature looked very intelligent. In his studying room, there were lots of classic books on Russian literature, philosophy and history which marked a new era in the world. Especially I was utterly obsessed with Leo Tolstoy . His novels were not only sort of romantic or historic fictions but also a monumental philosophy that let me think of the true meaning of human lives in the rapidly changing world. I could realize later, through his literary works, how he had fiercely struggled to find out the true Christian faith. I also loved the novel " Doctor Zhivago " by Boris Pasternak . I was fascinated with the poignant romance between Yuri and Lara in the age of Russian revolution and World War. I dreamed to be a simple poet who fell in love ...

One of my favorite music is Symphony No. 5 Movement 4: Adagietto by Gustav Mahler . It is really romantic appealing to feminine sensitivity as known to be composed for his ardent love toward his wife, as he wrote a love poem for her. How much I love you, you my sun, I cannot tell you that with words. I can only lament to you my longing and my love, my bliss! I always feel reading a God's love letter for me whenever listening to this movement. It is also reminiscent of my dreamlike memory of walking alone along the lakeside of Bodensee surrounded by a placid lake, peaceful but giant Alpine mountains, and old houses of medieval style. This music lets me imagine strolling down such a beautiful lakeside path with my bridegroom who I madly love. He is my bliss!

Sarah Chang with National Philharmonic It was the great Sunday for me to enjoy the violin performance of Sarah Chang . She played Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op, 26 , composed by Max Bruch , with the National Philharmonic (conducted by Piotr Gajewski ) at the Music Center at Strathmore at October 15, 2017. I like Bruch probably because I have a strong inclination toward romanticism. The concerto let me experience ecstatic state by the high tone of a violin produced by the vibration of the strings. The second movement Adagio is exceptionally the most beautiful compared to other movements. I felt an irresistible impulse to gambol happily in the field of a Swiss village, looking out over the tranquil waters of the lake. During solo piece, she seemed to play cadenza, but it's actually no cadenza according to score. I wanted to have seen her inspired performance more, but had to leave the concert hall.

We sometimes feel isolated and ignored by others regarding either achievements or personality. I also had such an experience that my works had been put aside and not recognized, which led me to depression as Sergei Rachmoaninoff had suffered from serious depression as well after his first Symphony was unsuccessfully premiered and discouraged by severe criticisms. With the help of psychotherapy treatments by Dr. Dahl, he successfully escaped from depression and became confident for his capability as a composer. He started to compose the  Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18 , and it was successfully premiered and greatly praised by the audiences. Needless to say, he won reputation as a composer around the world. It might be because of such a background in his life that the Piano concerto has been always beneficial for me to heal my depression and reduce stress from criticisms.  The second movement of the Piano Concerto No. 2 is the most beautiful and rom...

"Michael Hoppe" is a famous composer around the world. I had not heard of him until I met his friend at Mill Valley in San Francisco at January, 2009. With his friend's introduction to him, I could contact to him and became his friend. He stayed at South Korea for several years, and Korean people have been enthusiastic with his songs. Currently, his songs are very popular among Korean people. Also, he became interested in Dokdo problem, one of the hot issues between Korean and Japan. Two countries have maintained the sovereign authority for the small island Dokdo. However, it is apparant that historical facts prove Dokdo belongs to Korean territory. Moreover, Dokdo became a symbol which represents Korean people's spirit and loyalty to their nation. The artist "Michael Hoppe" expressed such a Korean spirit very well in his song "Prayer for Dokdo". Silent, but sorrow... I could feel something spiritual from his songs. In fact, most of his music produ...