JOENGAK
Traditional Music Genre
Folk Music
Gayaguem Music &
Its Structure
正樂 (正: right 樂:music= righteous music)
Joengak
Central to court ritual and ceremonial music and aristocratic
music in Joseon Dynasty (1392 ~ 1910)
Self-cultivation
Slow tempo / emotionally restrained
“ Generally speaking, a slow melody is leisurely, like a flock of
clouds floating in the sky.”
Peaceful
Joengak : Sujaechun
Su壽: life jae齊 :same chun天: heaven
Everlasting Life
In Royal Procession Ceremonies and Court Music Performances
Meditation?
Joengak : Sujaechun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MMulcRsTeE
Folk Music : Sanjo
Nongak : traditional farmers' music
Greater Range of Tempo & More Expressive Melodies in Emotions
Intensive vibrato ( Nonghyun ) & sigimsae
Compare to Jeongak
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-OuZS6uBO0
Gayaguem Sanjo performance :
Meaning Scattered Melodies
Various Rhythm Cycle
Folk Music : Pansori
Epic-Length Stories
Musical Drama
Buk :
“Sori” = Song
“Aniri” = Narration
“Ballim” = Mimetic gestures
http://tvpot.daum.net/clip/ClipView.do?clipid=21258103
“Gosu (鼓手) ” = Drummer
“Chuimsae” : ‘eolssu’, ‘eu-iee’, ‘eolssigu’…
Folk Music : Pansori
Freedom to Improvise
Vocalist Governed by a Modal System
Drummer with a Fixed Cyclic Pattern
Sanjo vs. Pansori
Length of Pansori
Gayaguem : Its Origin
Zither from Gaya
“Samguksagi” (Historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, A.D. 1145)
The King Gasil of Gaya Kingdom (A.D. 42 – 532)
Ureuk & The King Jinheung of Silla
Gayaguem : Structure with its Symbolic Value
Twelve strings = Twelve months
Round surface of the front board = Heaven
Flat bottom = Earth
Sun & Moon = Yin & Yang(balance of universal forces)
Jwadan, 喜 = Joy and Happiness / The Sun & The moon
Gayaguem : Structure with its Symbolic Value
Twelve bridges, anjok (안족/雁足/wild geese feet)
Phoenix= good luck :
Gayaguem : Types and Musical Characteristics
Twelve to twenty-five strings Jeongak
Ancient gayageum: Beopgeum (law-zither), Pungnyu (elegance), or Jeongak (right music) Gayageum
Jeongak Gayageum:
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Assoicated with accompaniment for court/chamber music and lyric songs
Wider spacing between strings
Slow music : Yeongsan-hoesang
Music of Jeongak Gayaguem : Yeongsan-hoesang & others
靈山會上佛菩薩 : Buddha’s sermon
Nine Pieces : Slowest in the 1st movement to fastest in the 9th movement
“Sangryungsan”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-OuZS6uBO0
Ensemble accompaniment for lyric song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMLpxirxM8
Music of Sanjo Gayaguem
19th century with the emergence of Sanjo music (fast tempos and improvisational)
Closer string spacing & Shorter length
Traditionally Silk string & Occasionally Synthetic string since the late 20th century
Music for sanjo gayageum: Sanjo
Folk Song : “Arirang”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkM_LXUCMeAc
“Sinawhi” : Ensemble form of Sanjo / Jazz
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsF9y33eZbw
Music of Sanjo Gayaguem : Contemporary Music (Chimhyangmoo)
Composed by Byunggi Hwang
沈 香 a valuable Indian incense 舞 a tree
Spreading through a Tree
Imagination of Western Culture through the Silk Road to Silla
Modified Gayaguem
Silk String vs. Polyester String
Soft & Delicate Tone Color vs. Louder & More Brilliant Sound
Modern music
Various number of strings :
 18 Strings : tuned to a Pentatonic Scale & Made of Polyester Synthetic String
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zhaQTrds7Q
 25 Strings : tuned heptatonically
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhT5vtV1kI4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9MFxxobUcY