Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra European Tour Preview: Jung Jaeil's "Inferno" and "Pines of Rome"

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” Jung Jaeil’s “Inferno,” and other major repertoire for its upcoming European tour at Lotte Concert Hall on August 20 and 21.

Starting August 25, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will embark on a European tour across three countries. The orchestra will perform at the Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastián, Spain, on August 25 and 26; the Kurhaus Kurzal Hall in Merano, Italy, on August 28; and the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on August 30 and 31.

In Spain and the Netherlands, where they will perform two concerts each, the orchestra will present two different programs. On one day, they will play John Adams’s “The Wound-Dresser” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral.” On the other day, they will perform Jung Jaeil’s “Inferno,” Mozart’s Symphony No. 40, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, and Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.”

On August 12, ahead of the tour, the orchestra performed a preview concert featuring John Adams’s “The Wound-Dresser” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral.”

At the August 20–21 concerts, the orchestra will preview other major works from the European tour. On both days, the program will open with Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 and conclude with Respighi’s “Pines of Rome.” The middle piece will differ: on August 20, they will play Jung Jaeil’s “Inferno,” while on August 21, they will perform Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.

Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 is one of his three great late symphonies and is one of only two minor-key symphonies he composed. The piece stands out for its tragic tension within the intricate balance typical of classicism.

Jung Jaeil’s “Inferno,” which will be performed on August 20, is an orchestral piece commissioned by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra from Jung Jaeil, the world-renowned composer known for his work on the film “Parasite” and the Netflix series “Squid Game.” The piece had its world premiere last September conducted by Jaap van Zweden. With intense percussion and explosive orchestral sound, it evokes the image of massive flames surging from the gates of hell.

On August 21, violinist Lim Hyun-jae, returning after a four-year hiatus due to a major accident, will perform with the orchestra for the first time. For the European tour, violinist Kim Bomsori will be the featured soloist for Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, but the audience at Lotte Concert Hall will hear it performed by Lim Hyun-jae.

The grand finale for both concerts will be Respighi’s symphonic poem “Pines of Rome.” This work is the second part of Respighi’s so-called “Roman Trilogy”—following “Fountains of Rome” (1916), “Pines of Rome” (1924), and “Roman Festivals” (1928).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.