social aa Folk ML ISIC.
recorded by John Levy
Lyrichord LLST 7211
LYRICHORD DISCS INC., 141 Perry Street, New York 14, N. Y.
koREan
SO
KOREAN SOCIAL AND FOLK MUSIC
RECORDINGS, NOTES AND PHOTOGRAPHS
By John Levy ®
Korean writers describe all that is not Court Music as folk-music
(minyo), but this, at least in translation, is not quite satisfactory, be-
cause it includes the three varieties of Lyric Song (Korean Court
Music, Lyrichord...LL 7206), which are highly urbane, and the in-
strumental sanjo, all of which I therefore dub Social Music. Even the
regional chapka (miscellaneous songs) and folk-songs proper, some
indeed being derived from occupational songs, have none of the art-
less quality which the early 20th century collectors so relished, per-
haps as a reaction against refined music and also because the recogni-
tion that in Europe there was a popular tradition of authentic music
introduced a breath of fresh air into the hothouse classical tradition.
aL and fOLK MUSIC
In the countryside, these Korean folk-songs do in fact have the desired
ruggedness —I have heard it — but when performed as in this album
by well-trained musicians of the entertainer (kisaeng) class, it is wholly
absent. And this is not a modern development at all. For the sake of
simplicity, however, I shall retain the use of the term folk-song to
describe all these, Minstrelsy (P’ansori)and the ancient Farmer’s Music
(nong-ak), an example of which I shall give in another album.
A word about the kisaeng. They are akin to the Japanese Geisha
generally associated by the ignorant with prostitution. At the bottom
of the scale, this may be true. But some kisaeng are said to have come
from noble familég,and all over the East, there exists a class of culti-
vated courtesans who have in many cases, as in Korea, carried on a
highly developed tradition of music and poetry and whose purpose
it is to give refined pleasure. All the musicians, male and female, who
perform the music contained on this record, are of this entertainer
class, the men being the husbands and the sons of kisaeng; and all
are highly esteemed.
koREANn
Oclal and folk MUSIC
*
LYRICHORD
S
LLST 7211
recorded by John Levy
Recordings, notes and photographs by John Levy
(Recordings made in Seoul, S. Korea in 1964)
INTRODUCTION TO SIDE I.
The Korean Sanjo (lit., free form), an instrumental improvisation,
has a framework of three basic rhythms, to which others may be
added. Sanjo used to be played only on the kayagum (or kayakko),
a long-zither with twelve strings; and then, about fifty years ago,
the komungo (or hyongum) sanjo was introduced by a famous
player. More recently, players of other instruments have found
in this form a perfect vehicle for displaying their musicianship.
The komungo, another long-zither, has six strings of twisted
silk, the second, third and fourth being stretched over sixteen fixed
frets, the other strings having each a single, movable bridge. The
first string (E ) serves as a drone, the melody is played on the
second (whose second fret is tuned to B” ), the third (whose 6th
fret is also tuned to B_ ), while the fourth (B® ), and sixth (B? at
the lower octave) are struck successively to end the music. This
unusual way of tuning the instrument is probably due to the fact
that the left-hand ring and middle fingers are kept pressed to the
second and third strings all the time, so that these are never played
open. Only thé forefinger and the thumb move freely. The effect
of vibrato and slur is produced by a lateral push of the string to
raise the pitch, unlike the downward push used by kayagum players.
A short stick held in the right hand is used to pluck the strings. Both
these instruments — purely Korean, so it is claimed—have a long his-
tory, dating back at least to around the beginning of the 7th century.
A complete sanjo on either of these instruments would have filled
one side of the record, and therefore, with reluctance, since the player
is aremarkable musician, I give here only part of the first movement
of a komungo sanjo (in a future album, I hope it will be possible to
give the piece in toto), and one complete and much shorter sanjo
played on the ajaeng (lit., scratch zither). This is a bowed long-zither,
introduced from China into Korea during the Koryo Dynasty (918-
1392): it is said to have a Mongolian origin. The ajaeng has seven
twisted silk strings, tuned to A’ Be be ROAD BR. ascending.
The bow is a plain stick of Forsythia wood, about three feet in length,
rubbed with resin.
Every sanjo is accompanied by a large hour-glass drum, the chang-
go, with a history as old as that of the two long-zithers. The left-hand
skin is struck with the palm of the hand, the right with a stick towards
the periphery. As he plays the drummer utters words to encourage and
applaud the soloist: they are part and parcel of any performance and
are quite audible here.
And in order to display another drumming technique, and another
rhythm, part of the first movement of a hojok sanjo is included. Hojok
(lit., barbarian pipe) and nallari (an onomatopoeic word) are the com-
mon names of this conical oboe, properly called taep’yongso. Similar
to the Chinese sona, it is also derived from the Persian surna and was
introduced from China into Korea in the 15th century for use in mili-
tary and other kinds of outdoor music.1
Finally, there is included a famous piece, a song accompanied by a
komungo and a changgo, a soldiers’ complaint.
1 See Korean Buddhist Music, Vogue LVLX-253, Paris.
Band I. KOMUNGO SANJO. 1st movement. (Part)
Played by Sin Kwaedong, changgo accompaniment by Han Ilsup.
This first movement is, as usual, in Chinyangjo (24/4), lasting
c.6'36", though it is not possible to give it all here. The other move-
ments correspond to those played in the Ajaeng Sanjo, Band 2 of
this side.
According to the player, the piece begins in Ujo (U-mode): this lasts
for 1'50”, when there is a bridge section lasting 9”, and then the mode
changes to Kyemyonjo, in which it remains for the rest of the excerpt.
In the course of the whole improvisation, which takes nearly 22 min-
utes, there are a few more of these alternations of mode, though Kyem-
yon predominates. I understand that the modes used in sanjo differ
in various ways from those similarly named in Court Music (see my
album on Korean Court Music, Lyrichord LL7206) and in view of
fact that the musicians consulted in Korea were not always in agree-
ment as to whether such and such a passage was in this or that mode,
my vagueness in this matter will be excused!
Mr. Sin Kwaedong is one of the finest Komungo players.
Band 2. AJAENG SANJO, played by Han Ilsup, changgo accompani-
ment by Sin Kwaedong.
This sanjo has the same four movements as the komungo sanjo,
namely, Chinyangjo, Chungmori (12/4, beginning approximately at
2'44"), Chungjungmori (12/8, beginning at c.5'10"), and Chajinmori
(6/8, beginning at’c.6'24” — it is difficult to give precise timings since
the changes from one rhythm to another are in the form of bridge sec-
tions).
The improvisation begins in Kyemyonjo, changing to Ujo at 21”,
which lasts for c.1'2”: it then returns to Kyemyon which continues
until the end.
Band 3. HOJOK SANJO (Part of 1st Movement), played by Han
Ilsup, changgo accompaniment by Sin Kwaedong.
This sanjo is in Kyemyonjo throughout and has only two move-
ments, in Salp’uri and Chajinmori. The drummer strikes the right-
hand skin with the stick at the center and not, as elsewhere, on the
periphery.
Band 4. SAE T’ARYONG, the Bird Song, song with accompaniment
(pyongch’ang), sung by Sin Kwaedong, who also plays the komungo,
changgo accompaniment by Han Ilsup.
This is a soldiers’ complaint, from the Chokpyok-ka (song of the
Battle of Ch’ih-pi (Kor. pron. Chokpyok). The battle of Ch’ih-pi is
an incident in the Chinese novel “Annals of the Three Kingdoms”
(San-kuo-chi), which has been the subject of repeated songs and stories
in Korea, where the original Chinese novel remains a favourite. The
historical events underlying the story took place in A.D. 208. These
notes and the following translation were kindly made by Father
Richard Rutt, now Anglican Bishop of Taejon, S. Korea.
THE BIRD SONG
The mountains are rugged and the trees are thick. When the snow
is piled in ten thousand ravines and the wind blows upon a thousand
peaks, when the parrots and the mandarin ducks are not to be seen
and there are no fruits on the trees, why are the birds yet calling? The
warriors who died in the battle before the Red Cliff (Ch’ih-pi) have
turned into ghost birds and now are calling, blaming the Prime Min-
ister Ts’ao. On every branch and every twig they mourn the souls
of the fallen soldiers for whom there has been no chance in many years
to return to their homesteads and their families. The sadly hooting
cuckoo mourns the failure of the rations and the plundering of the
land. “Sot’aeng, sot’aeng”, the famine-bird cries: “A million soldiers
in their pride, and how were they defeated here today?” “Pik-pik-chuk,
pik-pik-chuk” the pitchuk-bird is the self-styled hero with no place to
rest, for all his clever ruses he fell into the enemy’s trap. The oriole
cries: “Sururuk”, the oriole cries: “Sururuk”, hates the plain and goes
deep into the hills. “Kiakkaok”, caws the crow: “Pity, pity. The gen-
erals and the soldiers all will starve in the cold.” “The suk-kuk-bird
calls: “Suk-kuk”. The weapons are good. Chiango Liao took up a bow,
but there were no arrows. Weep not, they are on their way.” “Suru-
ruruk”, the ruddy kingfisher, hovering high in the heavens calls:
“Shall I stop the South East Wind? The windshield has fluttered off
its grille, but I’ll help you, grenadier, so don’t despair.”* “Nogojiri,
nogojiri’, the lark: “Hwang Kai in his cowardice has put on again
the red robe he had discarded. When the laughter was finished the
terrified generals and soldiers saw the ambush and fled in disorder.”
Fluttering hither, fluttering thither, all the time talking, the chattering
wagtail is the general of the defeated grenadiers of the Ch’ih-pi battle.
He has laid aside his golden armour, struck by arrows, pierced by
spears, exhausted by cold and hunger, his spear broken, his arrows
snapped, his warhelm buckled and slid over one eye, and now he goes
crying for his home and hearth.
*Don’t despair” —the kingfisher is still addressing the grenadier who
needs a windshield to ignite his fire-missile.
INTRODUCTION TO SIDE 2.
Two kinds of song are given on this side of the record, P’ansori,
which means Minstrels’ Song, and Minyo, Folk-song. Each province
has its own distinct minyo. P’ansori is said to have evolved from Sha-
man rites (I propose in another album to give examples of present-
day Shaman rites and of more minyo from other districts) but later
developed into the art of story-telling, sometime in the middle of the
Yi Dynasty (1392-1910); towards the end of this period, it was turned
into musical drama (chang-kuk-jo) on the model of modern Chinese
opera. Fortunately, a few traditional kisaeng have retained the older
form, with a single drum accompanying a single singer, and so it is
given here. From a repertory of twelve stories the number was reduced
to six during the nineteenth century and finally reduced to the five
stories at present to be heard. A performance of p/ansori is normally
preceded by a short piece (tanga) but space does not allow the inclu-
sion of an example here.
Coming now to minyo, rather than give a medley of several different
provinces, I thought it better to give a few representative songs from
two single areas. Korean folk-songs are divided into two categories,
according to whether the singer is seated (chwajang) or standing
(ipchang), in which case the accompanying changgo is carried by the
singer over the shoulder. All the songs recorded here were done in the
seated position, but this may have been a matter of convenience, since
what was originally a village to village affair with wandering singers
(though in fact the p’ansori singers always stand, holding a fan in
their right hand), has now become domesticated and refined.
Especially characteristic of the Sodo Minyo (North-Western) are
the regional variations of Nanbong-ka which means “‘a dissolute man”,
and it seems that all these songs express the anguish of a woman whose
lover is unfaithful. Characteristic of the Kyonggi Minyo (Central)
are the variations of Arirang songs. Arirang is a refrain of the ‘falala’
type and countless theories have been advanced to explain their origin.
One prevalent theory is that it has something to do with the forced
labour that took a husband away from his wife (in order to repair
royal palaces — one theory takes this back to the building of the Great
Wall of China!), others suggest that it was the lament of a woman
abandoned by her lover, another that it was the name of a popular
Princess of ancient time, and others that it became an expression of the
misery caused by the Japanese occupation in the early years of this
century, with words suitably altered. In every case, whichever the
province, since originally these songs used to be sung by wandering
musicians where the words were often spontaneously made up, a re-
frain in which all could join in was a necessity, and this remains.
Apart from these two special classes of song, there are songs of
Shamanist and Buddhist origin, some that are occupational, and in
the case of Kyonggi Minyo, songs that have their origin in classical
forms.
BAND 1. P’ANSORI, CH’UN-HYANG-KA, Song of Spring Fragrance,
sung by Mme. Pak Chowol, puk (barrel-drum) accompaniment by
Han Ilsup.
In the town of Namwon, a young student, Li Mongnyong, whose
father was the local magistrate, fell in love with a beautiful girl called
Ch’unhyang. Her mother Wolmae, a retired kisaeng, was determined
that her daughter should not exercise this sometimes shaming profes-
sion; and as naturally the boy’s family would not hear of his marry-
ing into such a milieu, the two were married secretly. The boy then
went to Seoul to complete his studies, not returning for years until
he had passed his State examinations. He then returned to Namwon
as a secret Government Inspector and called at Wolmae’s house dis-
guised as a beggar. In this short excerpt, the mother is lamenting her
own and her daughter’s lot (because of the long absence of Li Mong-
nyong) when the “beggar” knocks at the door and after a time is recog-
nized. Some Koreans see in this story a protest against the evils of
feudalism and social injustice.
Mme. Pak Chowol, in spite of her advancing years and husky voice,
is nevertheless considered to be one of the most gifted of p’ansori
singers, with great dramatic powers. The accompanying puk is a large
barrel-drum struck with the hand on the left side and with a stick on
the right.
BAND 2.SODO MINYO, NORTH WESTERN FOLK-SONG, a group
of four typical songs, sung by Mme. Li Chungyol, changgo accom-
paniment by Li Changbae.
The characteristic of Sodo Minyo is sadness. This is expressed by
the constant tremolo in the singing. ,
a. KINARI, sung by women while gathering sea-shells, is in a free
tempo and unaccompanied. The words are:
“Catch shell-fish to make a relish
And hold the parting one to dip him in my affection”.
b. CHAJINARI, a farmer’s song, sung, when working in the fields,
known also as Kamnaegi (ploughing song).
It is in three stanzas, in the form of a love-song, where the girl, anxi-
ously awaiting her absent lover, says: ‘Why don’t you stay sleeping
in the fields, instead of bothering to come?” The absent boy is made
to reply “I came to your house and found all the doors closed. If you
are going to sleep a ‘butterfly-nap’ (like a baby lying on its back with
its arms stretched out), why ask me to come?” Upon which the girl
expresses her distress, saying, “Even the wind cheats me—this and
other sounds made me think he had come.” This song also has no fixed
rhythm.
c. SUSIM-KA, Song of Heartbreaking Sorrow, also in a free
rhythm. The author is said to have been Puyong, a famous kisaeng
of the 17th century, and it is a lament of the transience of human life.
“Let’s be merry while we are young,
Let’s be merry as much as we like,
When we become old and the hair turns grey,
We shall enjoy our lives no more.”
d. CHAJIN NANBONGG-KA, Song of a Dissolute Man, in which
Mme, Kim Oksim joins in the refrain. The rhythm is kutkori chang-
dan (12/8). :
BAND 3. KYONGGI MINYO, CENTRAL PROVINCE FOLK-SONG,
a group of four typical songs, sung by Mme. Kim Oksim, tanso (small
notched flute) and changgo accompaniment by Li Changpae and
Mme. Li Chungyol.
The characteristic of Kyonggi Minyo is its lightness, though no
Korean folk-song is ever without an underlying sadness.
a. NORAE KARAK “Jade Green Stream, you should not boast,”
one of several songs in the classical style, borrowing their words from
sijo (lyric poetry, see my album on Korean Court Music), whose metri-
cal pattern is 5-8-8-5-8. These songs started life as parts of a Shaman
ritual, but gradually became changed either into drinking songs or
else ordinary folksongs. This one is presumably a drinking song.
The author of this song, Hwang Chini, a kisaeng, lived in the 16th
century and is famous still for her charming poems. “This one has a
story attached. There was in Kaesong a man called Pyokkyesu who
boasted that he was not susceptible to female charms. Chini punned
upon his name so that it should mean Jade Green Stream. She then
waylaid him as he rode across Manwoltae (lit., a site kept for viewing
the moon) on his donkey and sang:
“Jade green stream, you should not boast
of running quickly through the blue hills;
Once you come to the sea
turning around is very hard.
The bright moon (the kisaeng’s pen-name) shines on these bare hills.
Why not stay and rest awhile?”
(There are two more stanzas)
“Some say he tumbled from his donkey. All say that he took a cup of
wine with the lady’. (Quoted from Father Richard Rutt’s “An Intro-
duction to the Sijo”, Vol. XXXLV of the Transactions of the Korean
Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society).
b. ARIRANG, in the rhythm Semach’i Changdan (3/4).
A lady musicologist from a well-known North American University
who heard this tune thought it too good to be true and that it showed,
because of the 3/4 rhythm, the influence of Western missionaries. In
case any other learned musicologists have the same idea, let me tell
them at once they are wrong. This rhythm is very prevalent in Korean
folk-song and I have several other examples from a remote province
where no missionary has ever put his nose.
“He is leaving me, he is going.
Before he has gone ten li, his feet will be sore.
Arirang, arirang, arirang, going over the hill.
Many the stars in the blue sky above,
Oh, many the cares that burden my heart.
Arirang, etc.
Let’s go, let’s go, let’s get on the way.
The sun is sinking on Paektusan’s brow.
Arirang...... etc.”
(Paektusan is the White-headed Mountain of North Korea,
sacred as the birthplace of the nation).
c. IBYOLKA, Farewell Song, accompanied only by a tanso, in a
free rhythm.
‘Peony Peak may crumble, the Taedong River run dry,
But the love that is between us shall never fade away.
Push out the boat, push out the boat!
Over the myriad emerald waves, push out the boat!
Now we must part, now we must part;
I and my beloved, now we must part!
d. CHONGSON ARIRANG. Chongson is a town in the mountains
of Kangwon Province.
1. In Kangwon Province, in the Diamond Mountains’ twelve thousand
peaks, where the eight reed huts and nine hermitages are, behind the
Hall of the Law in the Temple of the Elm-tree Mountain, they meet
at the shrine of the Seven Stars (of the Great Bear) and beg for sons
and daughters not provided for in their horoscopes. Remark the de-
votion of one who prayed for a hundred days, and despise not the
lonely one among the visitors from afar.
Arirang, arirang, arario; arirang, take me over the hill.
2. Up the steep rocky slopes of T’aesan, forcing a path through the
thistles that are enmeshed in the creeping vines, turning back through
the valleys where the streamlets meander, not more than a thousand
li I struggled, out of breath and panting, to seek you; but even if I
saw you I’d turn my eyes as though I saw you not, and pass by with-
out stopping to speak.
Arirang, etc.
3. Naively longing to see my beloved, and not daring to forget him,
at least I'll see him if I sleep and dream; but the moon shines bright
and the lamp burns dim, and sleep is hard to come by. I face the lamp
alone, I toss and turn and cannot sleep, try as I will, sleep will not
come. How can I still this seething heart?
Arirang, etc.
KOREAN RHYTHMS (changdaneg, lit., long-short
: played by stick in right hand J Pe iy aa
played by palm of left hand
heard in this album
Biel
>a —
Chinyangjo
Be prerd WD drreM TA dries Pd draidd U.P |
The accents fall on every 5th and 6th beat and the heavy accent on
the 17th.
Chungmori
prdtat rede dee |
The heavy accent falls on the 9th beat.
Changjungmori
#¢ Red icce zl
The heavy accent falls on the 9th beat.
Chajinmori
or
ap ee |
Some musicians consider this rhythm to be in 6/8 others in 4/4. Both
versions are given.
‘Salp’uri
tf PWM Me ded |
Kutkuri (Kut refers to Shaman ritual).
Bp op 6 oes |
Se-mach’i
i JaeP ale ee ay
b
In all the above changdang, certain variations are permitted.
These were written out for me by Mr. Alan Heyman and Mr. Li Pyong-
won.
The translations of Kyonggi Minyo were done by Father Richard Rutt.
For the translations of Sodo Minyo, I have relied on the Glossary of
Korean Music, where I was certain that they applied to the particular
song given. I have continually consulted this admirable work, written
by Mr. Chang Sahun, edited by Dr. Li Haegu, and produced by the
Radio Management Bureau and the Ministry for State Council Ad-
ministration, for the use of the staff of the various Radio Stations.
In many cases, I have quoted from it verbatim. I have also frequently
consulted “Korean Classical Music Instruments”, published by the
Korea Information Service, Inc., written by Dr. Li Haegu, Professor
at the College of Music, Seoul National University.
I should also like to acknowledge the help I received from Mr. Alan
Heyman, without whom these recordings could not have been made.
Dr. W. E. Skillend, of the London University and Mr. Li Hyunbok
have greatly helped me in the transliteration of Korean words, and
in other ways.
: KOREAN SOCIAL AND
FOLK MUSIC
recorded by John Levy
Three Instrumental Improvisations
exceptional LP records for the discerning listener
LL 7211 A SIDE 1
1. Komungo (Zither) Sanje
2. Ajaeng (Bowed Zither) Sanjo
3. Hojok (Oboe) Sanje
4. The Bird Song (Komungo
accompaniment)
& 7
ety »
© Deny et] ol be
"mance, broadcasting 0% oon
KOREAN SOCIAL AND
FOLK MUSIC
recorded by John Levy
exceptional LP records for the discerning listener
LL 72118 AY) 4
1. Minstrel’s Song, P’ansori
2. Four North-Western Province Folk Songs
3. Four Central Province Folk Songs
\ Fa
ty, »
Pery of
"mance, broadcasting 08 si
0 件のコメント:
コメントを投稿