YUNCHAN LIM

What can be called a classic in the classical music world? First and foremost, it is a work of perfect proportions and harmonious balance. Bach did even better in his Goldberg Variations. Using mathematical procedures so complex that they would only be reproduced by the dodecaphonists of the Second Viennese School almost two centuries later, Bach strings together a melody and 30 variations, miraculously linking each variation to a precise bar of the melody in question, exploring the tonal circle as well as different song and dance traditions with unparalleled inventiveness and freedom. A great classic also knows how to superimpose different levels of reading, knowing how to be relevant to the neophyte as well as to the most seasoned music lover. One example is the final variation, a terribly complex counterpoint on popular songs in vogue at the time of the composition, as a way of desecrating the insolent genius of the score. Finally, a great classic retains an element of mystery. We never know precisely what facet of this sum of musical history the performer will decide to reveal. So it is all the more intriguing to know how the meteoric Yunchan Lim, who has distinguished himself by the lightning depth of his musical discourse, has approached a work that has attracted him almost magnetically since his victory in the Van Cliburn competition.