Скачать или смотреть Kuk-jin Kim - Ballade for Piano No. 2, op. 64 performed by Hwan Hee Kim

Kuk-jin Kim composed a total of six ballades for the piano, five of which have been officially published in 1996. Within this significant body of work, Ballade No. 2 stands out as a monumental achievement in both technical complexity and emotional depth. While all his ballades are known for their demanding nature and expansive durations, this particular work represents the pinnacle of the composer’s exploration into virtuosity.

The composer described this work as a thematic exploration of Korean folk music. It utilises the traditional Gutgeori rhythm to evoke the "joys and sorrows of peasants", weaving a narrative that is both deeply personal and culturally resonant. Unlike most of his other ballades that lean towards the Impressionistic ambiguity of composers like Debussy or Ravel, Ballade No. 2 maintains a clearer sense of tonality. This clarity allows for a more direct and dramatic expression, often drawing comparisons to the powerful, late Romantic style of Slavic masters such as Sergei Rachmaninoff.

The piece is characterised by its immense energy and dramatic passages. The listener can feel a relentless rhythmic drive that culminates in a spectacular Presto section. In this final part, Kuk-jin Kim employs the Danmori rhythm, a fast and driving Korean traditional beat. The composer specifically intended for this concluding segment to serve as a definitive test of the performer’s technical prowess and stamina.

Ballade No. 2 remains the only work in the series where the composer explicitly stated his intent to experiment with extreme technical difficulties for the pianist. The result is a composition that requires not only great physical skill but also a profound understanding of the rhythmic nuances found in Korean traditional music.