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There is a well-known saying in Korea that reads “One sees as much as one knows.” It means that one must know well of something to become familiar with it. It is quite natural that Korean traditional music may sound very strange to you at first. But you will agree that such a feeling of strangeness will gradually go away with a deeper understanding. Here are some tips on how to appreciate Korean traditional music.
- [ Jeon In-pyeong, Professor of Creative Music, College of Korean Music at Chung-ang University ]
- 1. Try to appreciate the beauty of improvised music.
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Western music is played in accordance with musical notes. In contrast, Korean traditional music is characterized by its passing from mind to mind. In pansori, the audience makes interjections such as “eolssigu!”(bravo) or “jota!“(good) to encourage the performer as he or she sings. Then, the performer comes to sing more energetically or adds more melodies extemporaneously. Consequently, Korean traditional music is not standardized, being very flexible to change. A careful watcher will realize that the same piece of music is played differently every time. This understanding of extemporaneousness will help you enjoy Korean traditional music even more.
- 2. Understand sigimsae, a unique aspect of Korean traditional music.
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Harmony is to Western music what monotonous melodies played in various ways are to Korean traditional music. In Korean traditional music, most instruments play the same tune, while some of them, including percussion instruments, play the basic rhythm. Thus, Western music and Korean traditional music can be compared to a three-story house and a one-story house, respectively. However, it is not right to consider the country’s traditional music as simple. For one and the same sound, performers can play various sigimsae, which refers to the changes of vibration from one string or one opening. There are many highly developed sigimsae techniques in Korean traditional music, such as those intended to produce the effect of trickling down, vibrating or dropping in an attempt to express sounds of nature, which draw out the specific sensations unique to traditional Korean music.
- 3. Start listening to well-known pieces first.
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For foreigners listening to Korean traditional music for the first time, it is advisable to start with well-known pieces. It is easier to become familiar to get acquainted to traditional Korean music by listening to CDs of well-known music or musicians before paying visits to performance halls.
One should first start with ‘Samulnori’ and then move on to ‘Pansori’. Samulnori is the most well-known Korean traditional music to foreigners. An average music lover will find its climaxes particularly enjoyable. A foreigner who has become familiar with samulnori and pansori is advised to move on to a piece with more depth, such as Yeongsanhoesang. This piece is played with the geomungo playing a central role. In the past, scholars liked to play it as a way of spending their leisure time or a way of self-cultivation. It stresses self-constraint with its very beautiful and meditative melodies.
