If you are a fan of historical or costume dramas, Mr. Sunshine will surprise you. It depicts life in Hanseong (now Seoul) in the early 1900s and focuses on activists who fought for the Joseon Kingdom's (Korea's) independence against Japanese occupiers in particular. Mr. Sunshine is an epic series about how these turbulent events affected the people and their culture, language and clothing.
The drama begins in 1871 and mainly takes place between 1894 and 1907, a time when the monarchy began to falter under pressure from numerous Japanese ministers. It is also the time when slavery was abolished. Lee Byung-hun is excellent as Eugene Choi, a slave who flees to America and returns as a captain in the US Marine Corps.
Listen
Ali van Wyk, Vrye Weekblad's new content editor (and an accomplished pianist who began his tertiary studies with a BMus), selects five of his favourite classical recordings.
#1. The Complete Beethoven symphonies
David Zinman with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich
American conductor David Zinman made Beethoven experts sit up with this authentic recording in the late 1990s. He tried to stick to Beethoven's tempo indications, which are usually much faster than the great conductors of the 20th century preferred. It's a lighter, dancing Beethoven, and it's delicious.
#2. Johannes Brahms, Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor
Emil Gilels, with Eugen Jochum and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Amid piano giants like Sviatoslav Richter and Vladimir Horowitz from Russia, the Ukrainian Gilels sometimes takes a back seat. But there is no more monumental recording of this wonderful Brahms work. Especially listen to the powerful first movement, the Maestoso.
#3. JS Bach, Goldberg Variations
Glenn Gould
The eccentric Canadian Bach pianist Glenn Gould recorded the Goldberg Variations twice — in 1955 and 1981. The recordings are remarkably different — 38 minutes for the first, 51 minutes for the second. Nevertheless, both are seen as seminal. I prefer the more spontaneous 1955 version. Gould's many enemies hated his outrageous liberties with tempo choices and phrasing but they had to grit their teeth in recognition that it made sense.
#4. Frédéric Chopin, Études Op. 10 and 24
Maurizio Pollini
Maurizio Pollini, who died last Saturday aged 82, was one of the last great 20th century pianists. When he won the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw at the age of 19, Arthur Rubenstein, himself one of the greatest Chopin interpreters of the century and chairperson of a judging panel that included the French conductor Nadia Boulanger and the Soviet composer Dmitry Kabalevsky, said: “He's already playing better than any of us on the panel."
#5. Maurice Ravel, Piano Concerto in G Major
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, with Ettore Gracis and the Philharmonia Orchestra
A more dreamlike recording of Ravel's light and elegant piano concerto does not exist. The great old 20th century piano master from Italy, Arturo Michelangeli, with the conductor Ettore Gracis, recorded it at Abbey Road Studios in London in 1957 and it remains one of the recordings that set the standard. By the way, Michelangeli was also Pollini's teacher and an enthusiastic pilot and racing driver.
Small little recipe
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