Su Yeon Kim & Jae-Yeon Won Perform Beethoven at the Bergson
They are probably the most difficult pieces one can play on the piano: Ludwig van Beethoven’s nine symphonies, arranged by Franz Liszt. Only a brilliant pianist—one of the greatest virtuosos of all time, like Franz Liszt—could dare to transcribe such grand symphonic works for the piano. For what would otherwise be played by 60 or 70 musicians must here be accomplished by ten fingers. And Liszt, who knew no technical limits, let his creativity run wild. The enormous demands of these arrangements are the main reason why one virtually never gets to experience the entire cycle of all nine symphonies. To mark the 200th anniversary of the composer’s death, the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk is presenting this rarity. It will be performed by the finest young pianists of our time: Steinway Prize winners, most of whom have already performed at the Bergson and are now returning.
When Su Yeon Kim and Jae-Yeon Won last performed here in 2025, they were newlyweds. Now, the two highly acclaimed spouses from South Korea will headline two evenings. Before they perform the Ninth Symphony on two pianos in July, they will share the Sixth and Seventh Symphonies in this concert.
Su Yeon Kim will perform the so-called “Pastoral,” which celebrates nature and, in a sense, translates it into sound. However, not as a musical landscape painting, but rather as an expression of the emotions evoked by experiencing nature. This dreamlike Sixth Symphony, in particular, demands extraordinary sonic imagination from the pianist. On a single instrument, she must evoke birdsong, murmuring streams, thunderstorms, and the expansive soundscapes of an orchestra.
The 7th Symphony, which Jae-Yeon Won will perform, is a celebration of dance. Each movement has its own rhythmic pulse, especially the famous second movement. Thanks to this immense energy, this symphony in particular exerts a tremendous pull on the listener. For the pianist, this demands the utmost precision. The rhythmic tension must never let up, yet at the same time, the many voices must remain clearly distinguishable from one another.
Franz Liszt’s goal was for the audience to forget they were hearing just a piano and instead let the orchestra take shape in their minds. And so, in this cycle, you always have, in a sense, two concerts in one: you hear Beethoven—and at the same time, you experience Liszt as a brilliant translator who transforms a single piano into an imaginary orchestra. It is precisely this that continues to make these works so fascinating to this day.
Additional dates:
July 18, 2027: Su Yeon Kim and Jae-Yeon Won perform Symphony No. 9
Cast
Su Yeon Kim, piano
Jae-Yeon Won, piano
Admission and Tickets
Doors open at 3:30 pm
Start: 4:00 pm
End: 5:15 pm
Fair-Price Ticket: 44€
This price ensures that all participants are paid fairly and can make a living from their work. If you can afford it, we’d be grateful if you’d purchase this ticket.
Social-Price Ticket: 28€
Culture costs money, but it shouldn’t exclude anyone. That’s why this ticket is intended for people with limited financial means—for whatever reason.
Support-Price Ticket: 56€
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Ticket for all five events: 175€