Uncovering North Korea's traditional music
- 6 years ago
The talk of the town these days have been reunions for South and North Korean families as well as the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula... but today... we're going to shift our focus a little bit.... and tell you more about the North Korean music.
Here's our Seo Eun-Kyung with more.
Music is a universal language, but most people have never had the chance to appreciate North Korean music.
However,... at a symposium of East Asian music held at the National Gukak Center in Seoul, those taking part had the opportunity to do just that.
In the 1950s, then-North Korean leader Kim Il-sung wanted to boost the country's competitiveness, and music was supposed to play a key role in that aim.
In the 1970s, North Korea used folksongs to shore up national identity through its music, but at the same time, it fused its music with more Western styles using updated traditional Korean instruments.
North Korean folksongs could also be played with an orchestra composed of reformed instruments and western ones.
" Korean instruments can't play all the western music. So KIM Il-sung said they must , and be at least as good as western instruments.
They reformed,improved. Kyeryang is the normal term,,Gayageum has 12 strings but it gets updated to 21 strings. It updated to make it more capable of playing western instruments,,,making traditional instrument capable doing western music and exceed,,,
Alongside with violin, viola and cello, western orchestra section, you get equivalent Korean instruments,,,so you get mixed instruments in the opera orchestras."
The Gayageum and Haegeum are seen by many as South and North Korea's representative stringed instruments.
The Haegeum was also reformed by the North from its original form of two silk strings to four.
Along with exploring North Korean music, the participants also got the chance to experience Korean traditional performances.
It included court music known as Sujecheon , the court dance Gainjeon-mokdan and the storytelling musical known as Pansori .
Among them, Sujecheon is supposed to express one's appreciation and adoration of the beautiful peony flower known as the 'king of flowers'... that symbolizes richness and wealth.
"Here at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, experts and scholars from around the globe share insights on Korean and East Asian music and culture. The intercultural experience runs until tomorrow.
Seo Eun-kyung, Arirang News."
Here's our Seo Eun-Kyung with more.
Music is a universal language, but most people have never had the chance to appreciate North Korean music.
However,... at a symposium of East Asian music held at the National Gukak Center in Seoul, those taking part had the opportunity to do just that.
In the 1950s, then-North Korean leader Kim Il-sung wanted to boost the country's competitiveness, and music was supposed to play a key role in that aim.
In the 1970s, North Korea used folksongs to shore up national identity through its music, but at the same time, it fused its music with more Western styles using updated traditional Korean instruments.
North Korean folksongs could also be played with an orchestra composed of reformed instruments and western ones.
" Korean instruments can't play all the western music. So KIM Il-sung said they must , and be at least as good as western instruments.
They reformed,improved. Kyeryang is the normal term,,Gayageum has 12 strings but it gets updated to 21 strings. It updated to make it more capable of playing western instruments,,,making traditional instrument capable doing western music and exceed,,,
Alongside with violin, viola and cello, western orchestra section, you get equivalent Korean instruments,,,so you get mixed instruments in the opera orchestras."
The Gayageum and Haegeum are seen by many as South and North Korea's representative stringed instruments.
The Haegeum was also reformed by the North from its original form of two silk strings to four.
Along with exploring North Korean music, the participants also got the chance to experience Korean traditional performances.
It included court music known as Sujecheon , the court dance Gainjeon-mokdan and the storytelling musical known as Pansori .
Among them, Sujecheon is supposed to express one's appreciation and adoration of the beautiful peony flower known as the 'king of flowers'... that symbolizes richness and wealth.
"Here at the National Gugak Center in Seoul, experts and scholars from around the globe share insights on Korean and East Asian music and culture. The intercultural experience runs until tomorrow.
Seo Eun-kyung, Arirang News."