Love is sublimated into music.

Music and Paiknam

Paiknam Kim Lyun-joon is a vocalist who held a baritone recital for the first time in Korea..
When he was eight years old, he showed a distinguished character in the church choir, and he had already song Schubert's "Der Lindenbaum" and surprised missionaries by playing "humoresque" on the violin. He went to Yeonhee College to become a musician, and was taught by a teacher Hyun Jae-myung. As a result, he became the first baritone soloist in Korea at Chang Gok Cheon Hall, Seoul and dreamed of studying abroad to become a singer.
He chose the path of being a musician was derived from his love for his country. He wrote in his autobiography, "I have been thinking about the destiny of my country, nation, and humanity throughout my lifetime.
That was the reason why I wanted to be a baritone singer. I was going to be like Chapliapin of Soviet Union to make known that Koreans are alive and prosperous in the world." However, facing the reality of the country, which had been taken over by Japan, he decided to give up his career as a musician and dedicated himself to education that he considered urgent for his country. Thus, he gave up the career as a musician and strived only to educational work.
However, just like his confession in his autobiography, "When the educational business come to a certain extent, musical inspiration will rise like a fountain," the musical passion that has been hidden from him since the foundation of Hanyang University began to erupt through composition. Thus, in September 1971, <Kim Lyun-joon's 100 Songs> was published, and on October 28 of the following year, the 1st Composition Presentation was held at Seoul Citizen's Hall. It had been 35 years since the first solo concert of 'Kim Lyun-joon Baritone' held in Korea. Since then, Paiknam who met a beautiful melody that rises like the voice of God had become enthusiastic enough to publish the songbook every year. In addition, since his first 'Kim Lyun-joon's composition presentation' in 1979 in Japan, his music had spread all over the world. In 1979, 'A night of Korean musics- Kim Lyun-joon's songs' was held in 7 cities including Cologne, Dusseldorf, and Tubingen in West Germany. The German press praised Paiknam as "Schubert Kim", and the director of the Heinz Becker Institute of Music at Bochum University described Paiknam's songs as "a piece of music that was abstemious tone, commonly called romantic. The combination of the R. Citroen style of vertical melodrama and the simple style of expression in the Lydert era were melded together and showed diagonal styles in this work."
As a result, Paiknam was awarded the Grand Prize in composition for the world musicians in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of University of Tubingen.
The University of Tubingen's 'Prize for Artists' was awarded by pianist Sviatoslav Teofilovich Richter, violinist Henryk Szeryng and vocalist Hermann Prey, and Paiknam was the first winner as a composer.
April 3, 1981 marked a new era in Paiknam's music life.
His music was finally played in New York's Carnegie Hall. About the concert at Carnegie Hall, Richard Torigi of the Julliard music academy said, "As the concert continued, I was captivated by the warmth and lonely feelings through the songs. The songs reminded me of songs of the Italian composer Tosti, and some other songs I also had strong Russian styles too. Dr. Kim's music was high in dimension and easy to sing for vocalists. "
Paiknam said of his music, "If it does not come from your heart, no matter how hard you try, it is useless. Composition is not something that can be forced.
"It is obvious that we cannot abandon the belief that there is God. If a beautiful melody comes out, it is a revelation of God", and said that the source of his music is God. Such musical philosophy of him produced many gospel musics. Due to this religious belief, it was possible that Paiknam, who was in the most difficult times, composed the most beautiful national song, "I will live in the green hill". In 1973, Paiknam was involved in the so-called 'Yoon Pil-yong Incident' and was imprisoned. Later on, Paiknam was acquitted for this political incident, but because of the case, <Daehan Daily News>, which was founded by Paiknam, was abolished, and he withdrew from the chairman of Hanyang University. Although imprisoned innocent people may have had an unfair and disagreeable mind, Paiknam comforted his heart and eventually created an immortal masterpiece of "I will live in the green hill".
Like Paiknam said, "Music has an important function in teaching human beings what beauty is. If this nation and people are beautiful by singing beautiful human beings, and beautiful life, this world will be able to be a beautiful harmonious world. " His passion for music is basically the practice of love. The practice of love for the nation and mankind had formed his musical world.