Lecture 9 - Musics of East Asia and Aesthetics/Embodiment

historical and cultural background

korean culture was developed through an accrual of religions, shamanism to buddhism to confucianism rather than replacement, this was relatively stable until 1910, followed by turbulent modernity

turbulent modernity

occurred due to japanese colonization, national division, war and rapid political change

regionalism

this is central, regional traditions strongly shape musical and ritual practices

shamanism

understood as spirit management, its goal is harmony between humans and gods, living and dead, family and community, harmony is achieved by music, dance and ritual drama, contemporary korean shamanism is predominately practiced by women, spirits include natural forces, ancestors and historical figures

northern shamans

spirit descended, they are called mansin, they become shamans through spirit possession, considered achieved artists, use spirit paintings and multiple costumes, rituals emphasize possession and displays of power

southern shamans

they are hereditary, a family vocation, considered ascribed artists, wear white ritual clothing, perform more formalized, stable ritual structures

geori

this is a ritual structure and the term refers to the sections dedicated to a spirit, includes instrumental music, verbal invocation, dance of spirit descent, entertainment, blessings, advice (often dangerous), sending off chant and dance

northern shaaman music

instrumentation is simple and there is high improvisation, the instruments used include janggu (hourglass drum), jing (gong) and piri/taepyeongso (oboes), emphasis on rhythmic noise and acceleration

southern shaman music

more elaborate and structured, features sinawi ensemble which includes piri daeguem (transverse flute) and ajaeng (bowed zither), example is the jindo ssikkimgut which is a cleansing funeral rite with clearly defined stages

what are the core aesthetic principles of shamanic roots?

transformation, rhythmic framework (jangdan), flexibility, living tones and rough beauty (expressive raspiness valued over smoothness)

transformation

can be from slow to fast, sorrow to joy, illness to health, isolation to collectively

rhythmic framework

cyclical rhythmic patterns structure music and ritual

flexibility

allows improv, enables personal style, responds to social context

living tones

pitch bending and microtonality, timbral and dynamic variation, example is jindo arirang

what is the main argument of the pilzer reading?

he argues that korean music is shaped by tensions of modernity, colonialism, nationalism, globalization and rapid social change, while remaining deeply grounded in shamanism, improvisation and transformation, korean music traditions are not static survivals of the past but actively reworked to address the present, state preservation reduced improv and promoted western style notation and fixed master versions, korean music is best understood as historically layered, improvisatory and transformative, deeply shaped by colonialism and nationalism, constantly negotiating btw ritual use, national display and modern life

how does korean music culture emerge from a paradox? (pilzer reading)

national identity is imagined as ancient and unified, yet it is produced through transnational influences (japan, the west and global media), events like the 2010 world cup show how korean music blends traditional elements, western pop, rock, marching bands and global sports chants, these soundscapes create a dream of national unity that contrasts with social inequality, political division and historical trauma

arirang (pilzer reading)

symbol of korean modernity, its not an ancient folk song but a modern construction rooted in colonial era change, it evolved from flexible regional folk songs into a standardized national symbol, a mass-mediatef popular song, the history of the song shows loss of improv and regional variation, increasing westernization (harmony, fixed tempo and canonized lyrics), despite attempts to traditionalize it, it remains fundamentally modern and nationalized

escatic (spirit descended) shamanism (pilzer reading)

involves possession, improv and ritual transformation

hereditary (priestly) shamanism (pilzer reading)

involves formalized rituals, especially in the south west, shaman music is described as resolutely modern because it directly addresses contemporary crises (economic instability, disasters and political trauma)

sinawi

group improv, later canonized and partially frozen

sanjo

solo instrumental form, increasingly standardized through pedagogy

pansori

epic storytelling, associated with han (deep sorrow)