[TRANS] Levay’s letter to Junsu and Junsu’s reply from the official photobook

Dear Jun Soo,

When we met on the opening night of “Mozart!” in Seoul, in Sejong theater end of January of this Year, you said to me that you liked my music, and asked me if I would be willing to write you a Song. I remember telling you immediately “yes”.
Since that day I was frequesntly thinking about that song, because you have made a great impression on me: you are incredibly telented, determined artist, and at the same time a very modest and humble person. Up until now, I haven’t encountered many artists like you.
To write the Song for you, that I promised, I had to wait for the right moment. After the idea for your Concerts in the Olympic hall of Seoul was born, I knew this is the right time! Then I started to think about a concept and the character of the song that I should write for you.
One day in Vienna I was playing on my Grand Piano, and the basic theme was born. But I knew immediately, that I don’t want to just make a song out of this idea, that is not enough, it has to be more than that.

So after working several weeks on this basic version, I decided to musically paint a picture; to compose a story with this song. My imagination was, that there is a narration in the beginning, where I play the piano solo, and then the part of your singing is an emotional story; with a dramatic part which builds up, and then it resolves hope redemption.
Now that, for sure, wasn’t easy. At least I didn’t expect it to be so demanding. I was composing every day, and I also spent many sleepless nights over it. The musical images started to develop, but sometimes in a way that I haven’t experienced very often. One day everything was right, by the next day I had to start all over again. Day after day.
So I ended up with about eight versions of the song. Sometimes it was frustrating, yet I felt that I was moving bit by bit in the right direction. I knew I have to be patient, very patient.
The most important thing was for me, that I would have be able to imagine you singing this song on the stage in your concerts.
This was the most important thing to me, because I was writing this song not only for you, dear jun Soo, but for your faithful audience as well.
I truly hope that you will like the song, because than I am sure that your audience will like it too.
Looking forward to our concerts in Seoul, and to the world premiere of the song I’ve wrote for you.

With my best regards
Sincerely yours
Sylvester Levay
Neuhausen, September 6th 2010

Dear Levay,

We started rehearsal for Mozart! and Elisabeth last week.
And today I received the score for the new song for the first time
After finish rehearsing the new song for the first time
I read the letter that you sent
I am writing this letter to you to show you how deeply thankful I am.
To provide such a grand and beautiful song for a person like me…
For me to be given a chance to sing this song..
It is a great honor.
I was deeply moved, when I heard that you spent day and night working on this song.
It is my turn now to spend day and night practising this song.
When I first heard this song,
I was thinking exactly what you were thinking
I was imagining singing this song with you on stage
The beginning is grand and at the same time, I felt that there was a message in the ending of the music.
The first time we met, the situation I am in now and for the fans that have been waiting so long…
This is a song that can make up for everything, like ran after the drought.
I can’t wait for the day we meet and introduce this song to the fans.
I thank you again.
Now I am off back to practice again!!
I will try my best to not disappoint you.

Jun Soo
2010.09.14

credit+trans by: vik720+miramaru
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