Music and Arts Gr 8

Music and Arts Gr 8

By Geffrey Arcega

South Korea lies on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. It is surrounded by Japan on the east, China on the west, and North Korea on its northern border. South Korea is a highly urbanized nation and is considered the fourth largest economy in Asia.

The country follows the constitutional democracy form ​of government. Their high urbanization and their affiliation with the West have brought success to their popular culture, specifically K-pop and K-drama, which have captured the world audience. However, not much is known about Korea's traditional music.

​The Korean Style of Music

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Being a close neighbor of China, the traditional music of Korea is strongly influenced by China and Mongolia. In writings about Chinese history, it is said that in 200 BC, people from China passed down through the Korean peninsula. Also, note that Japan is a close neighbor of Korea. This explains the similarities found in the music of the three East Asian nations.

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For the longest time, Korea has practiced the belief of shamanism, an act of communicating with the spirit world through a medium called the shaman. The shaman can also cure people in need. Shamanism became the way of connecting themselves with nature and​ and creation. Thus, the earliest form of music in Korea are found in a Chinese manuscript of a harvest celebration, which included songs and dances. The tradition of the harvest celebration is practiced up to this day. Shamans make use of different musical instruments during their ceremonies: a small gong with a narrow rim, flutes, reeds (aerophones), fiddles (chordophones), and chango, a membranophone.

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The different Korean musical instruments

It is an hourglass-shaped, two headed drum, struck by a stick on its left head and the hand, or a padded stick on the right side. This instrument is used in much of Korea's traditional music.

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​Changgo

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It is a cylindrical double-reed aerophone that has a saxophone-like sound. This instrument is used for a wide variety of activities, from folk festivals to private gatherings.

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​Piri

This instrument has six finger holes, a membrane covered hole for the metallic sound, and several open holes at the end of the flute. One dominant characteristics of the flute is its length of about 80cm and a big mouthpiece. Just like any other Asian bamboo flute, the taegum gives a serene, ethereal feel to its listeners. This instrument is used as an ensemble or solo instrument in a broad range of genres from court music to shaman and folk music.

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​Taegum

It is a six-stringed zither (chordophone), which has its roots from the Chinese qin. The strings of the instrument are placed over 16 ridges, which serve as frets, to determine their pitch. The instrument is played by plucking the strings with a wooden stick. This instrument is part of many types of court and folk music ensembles.

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​Kumungo

It is a two-stringed chordophone that has a strong resemblance with the Chinese erhu. The end of its neck is bent toward the strings, which is unusual as most stringed instruments have necks going against the strings to ease the pull. The strings are then fastened to the pegs. Haegum is played through bowing, with the bow located between two strings.

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​Haegum

It is a zither with 12 strings and 12 bridges. It has a different warm timbre from its Chinese and Japanese counterparts, which produce bright tones. The kayagum is one of the prominent traditional instrument of Korea and is used in practically any form of ritual, festival, and entertainment.

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​Kayagum

It is the Korean folk genre usually performed by a singer or narrator describing in song the folk tales of Korea, and also the issues in Korean's everyday life. Spoken narrations are interspersed with songs, body movements, and fan gestures.

​2. Pansori

It is a type of traditional vocal music based on the three-line form of classical Korean poetry. This may be sung without accompaniment or with any of the following instruments: drum, double reed, flute, and fiddle. This is also a form of Korean court music.

​1. Sijo

Korean Vocal Music

Multiple Choice

What country is located at the east of South Korea?

• China

• Japan

• North Korea

Multiple Choice

What instrument is this?

• Taegum

• Changgo

• Haegum

• Kayagum

Multiple Choice

What instrument is this

• Changgo

• Piri

• Taegum

• Kumungo

Multiple Choice

What instrument is this?

• Changgo

• Piri

• Taegum

• Haegum

Multiple Choice

This instrument has six-finger holes, a membrane-covered hole for the metallic sound, and several open holes at the end of the flute.

• Taegum

• Haegum

• Changgo

• Kayagum

Multiple Choice

What country borders South Korea in the west?

• China

• Japan

• North Korea

Multiple Choice

It is a type of traditional vocal music based on the three line form of classical Korean poetry.

• Sijo

• Pansori

Multiple Choice

It is a cylindrical double-reed aerophone that has a saxophone like sound.

• Chango

• Piri

• Taegum

• Haegum

Multiple Choice

It is a zither with 12 strings and 12 bridges.

• Kumungo

• Haegum

• Kayagum

• Taegum

Multiple Choice

It is the Korean folk genre usually performed by a singer or narrator describing in song the folk tales of Korea, and also the issues in a Korean's everyday life.

• Sijo

• Pansori