KOREA (NORTH) – Musique de Corée – Folklores et Musiques de l’Univers – BAM LD 5738

KOREA (NORTH)
Musique de Corée – Folklores et Musiques de l’Univers – BAM LD 5738, recorded by the National Radio of Pyongyang in the late 1950s, released in 1970 (LP)

This album is a 1970 reissue of two outstanding 7-inch 33 RPM discs released between 1958 and 1960. The albums, BAM LD 374 and BAM LD 379, were reissued here on Side A and Side B of this LP, respectively.

 

After World War II, North Korea adopted a socialist aesthetic that rejected Aak, ancient court music, as a remnant of feudal elitism. The principles of Juche (self-reliance) were privileged and traditional folk lyrics replaced with revolutionary themes. In the 1960s and 70s, this social development also led to the modernization of traditional instruments. Most notably, the gayageum zither was expanded from 12 to 21 strings. By increasing their range, volume, and capacity for chromatic scales, traditional Korean instruments were successfully integrated into orchestral arrangements alongside Western violins and brass instruments.

 

Recorded by the National Radio of Pyongyang, the abstract and stately tracks on this album with eerie sonorities was performed in the late 1950s by accomplished professional musicians trained at the Pyongyang University of Music and Dance. It includes vocals (A2, A4, A7, B2, B3, B6, B8), a male vocal group (A5), kayagum (or gayageum) 12-string zithers (A1, A2, B1, B9), geomungo (or komungo) six-string zithers (A8, B9), a five-hole danso bamboo flute (A3), a daegeum bamboo flute (B5), taepyeongso (or saenap) double-reed oboes (A6, B4), piri double-reed oboes (B4, B7), hourglass janggu “sand” drum (A3, A8, B4, B9), a jing gong (B4) and a violin (B9).

 

Cette réédition de 1970 reprend deux disques 33 tours 17 cm initialement parus entre 1958 et 1960. Les albums originaux, BAM LD 374 et BAM LD 379, sont respectivement repris sur la face A et la face B de ce disque.

Après la Seconde Guerre mondiale, la Corée du Nord a adopté une esthétique socialiste, rejetant l'Aak, l'ancienne musique de cour, considérée comme un vestige de l'élitisme féodal. Les principes du juche (autosuffisance) ont été privilégiés et les paroles folkloriques traditionnelles ont été remplacées par des thèmes révolutionnaires. Dans les années 1960 et 1970, cette évolution sociale a également mené à la modernisation des instruments traditionnels, notamment la cithare gayageum, qui est passée de 12 à 21 cordes. En augmentant leur tessiture, leur volume et leur capacité à produire des gammes chromatiques, les instruments coréens traditionnels ont été intégrés avec succès dans des arrangements orchestraux aux côtés de violons et de cuivres occidentaux.

 

Enregistrées par la Radio nationale de Pyongyang, ces musiques expressives et abstraites aux sonorités éthérées ont été interprétées à la fin des années 1950 par des musiciens professionnels de renom, formés à l'Université de musique et de danse de Pyongyang. Cet opus comprend des chants (A2, A4, A7, B2, B3, B6, B8), un groupe vocal masculin (A5), des cithares à douze cordes kayagum (ou gayageum) (A1, A2, B1, B9), des cithares à six cordes geomungo (ou komungo) (A8, B9), une flûte en bambou danso à cinq trous (A3), une flûte en bambou daegeum (B5), des hautbois à anche double taepyeongso (ou saenap) (A6, B4), des hautbois à anche double piri (B4, B7), des tambours janggu en forme de sablier  (A3, A8, B4, B9), un gong jing (B4) ainsi qu'un violon (B9).

Side A contains the reissue of the album BAM LD 374 (7-inch 33 RPM)

 

A1 – Kayagum Sandjodjoung E Soeu (Chosen among several melodies)

Kayagum (or gayageum) 12-string zither by Djung Nam-Hi.

 

A2 – Sai Tariong (Song to the bird)

Vocals and kayagum by Youn Yung-Man.

 

A3 – Da Serimkoi Antansandjo

A five-hole danso bamboo flute and hourglass janggu “sand” drum, composed and performed by Tchouei Ok-Sam.

 

A4 – Rionkang Kinari (The Dragon River is long)

Vocals by Kim Kwan-Bo.

 

A5 – Pungou Tarion (Farmers’ spring song)

Unknown male vocal group.

 

A6 – Nongak Karak (Farmers’ song)

Taepyeongso (or saenap) double-reed oboe by Djo Kwang-Hi and janggu drum.

 

A7 – Santchunga (Song to the mountain rivers)

Vocals and kayagum 12-string zither by Tchouei Kwang-Hyung.

 

A8 – Geumungo Sandjo Djoung E Soeu (Chosen among several melodies)

Geomungo six-string zither by An Gui-Ok and janggu drum by Yu Dai-Dok.

 

Side B contains the reissue of the album BAM LD 379 (7-inch 33 RPM). The music here features excerpts from the soundtrack of Jean-Claude Bonnardot's film Moranbong (meaning "Flower Hill"). The film tells the story of a theater that was bombed on this hill located above Pyongyang during the Korean War. The local inhabitants rebuilt it underground in a mere 90 days.

 

B1 – Yang-Nan’s arrival in Pyong-Yang

The Classical National Art Theater Orchestra of Pyongyang, conducted by An Sung-Hyun (1920-2006). The piece was composed by Djung Nam-Hi, who also plays the kayagum (or gayageum).

 

B2 – Farewell Duet by Tchun-Hiang and Mong-Lion

Vocals by Sin Ou-Sun (Tchun-Hiang) and Gong Gui-Nam (Mong-Lion).

 

B3 – The Governor Tries To Seduce Tchun Hiang 

Vocals by Gong Gui-Nam.

 

B4 – Village Music

Unknown ensemble includes taepyeongso (or saenap) and piri double-reed oboes, janggu drum and jing gong.

 

B5 – Farewell Song (Tchun-Hiang Djun)

Unknown daegeum bamboo flute.

 

B6 – Tchun-Hiang’s Song of Despair

Vocals by Sin Ou-Sun.

 

B7 – Nyung-Boul (prayer to the mountain)

Piri double-reed oboe by Han Yung-Gun.

 

B8 – The Return of Mong-Lion

Vocals by by Gong Gui-Nam (Mong-Lion) and Rim So-Hiang (The servant).

 

B9 – Sai Bom (New spring)

Performed by the National String Quintet with An Gui-Ok, Dji Nam-Sou, Djung Nam-Hi, Kim Djin-Nyung, You Tai-Bok. Composed by An Gui-Ok. Geomungo and kayagum zithers, a violin, a janggu drum.

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Vintage North-Korean postcard: Dance at a Wellspring:

A pivotal figure in Korean history, Ch'oe Che-u (1824–1864) founded the

Donghak (Eastern Learning) movement, which marked a profound social and political awakening intended to protect Korean identity during a period of significant internal decay and external pressure.

 

In North Korea, he is not praised as a religious mystic, but as an anti-feudal hero who challenged the class system, as well as an anti-imperialist 

and a precursor of Juche (self-reliance), who sought to counter 

Western influence and defend Korean sovereignty.

(Wikimedia Commons)

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