Dynamic Korea and Rhythmic Form. Katherine In-Young Lee

thirty-six rhythmic patterns) that was premiered in April 1978, and then repeated on March 1, 1979, and renamed “Kyŏngsang nongak.”

      Chinju Samch’ŏnp’o nongak is one of five regional styles of p’ungmul that have been designated as “Intangible Cultural Heritage” by the South Korean government.¹¹ This style of p’ungmul (also referred to as maegu kut) exhibits the historical residue of the role p’ungmul once held within the Korean military. Martial legacies can be witnessed in the retention of particular flags, a buglelike instrument called the napal, tasseled hats known as sangmo, and rhythmic patterns that were once used to marshal troops into choreographed formations. The rhythmic patterns are thought to be powerful and energetic, with a general tendency to accelerate and crescendo toward the conclusion of a section. Like other versions of p’ungmul, Chinju Samch’ŏnp’o nongak is performed outdoors, by a large number of musicians and dancers. Performances involve the playing of particular rhythmic patterns (karak), which are repeated as cycles for an indefinite number of times. Depending on the event, a performance can last for several hours. Despite this variability in terms of duration, there is a basic organizational structure to Chinju Samch’ŏnp’o nongak that features twelve sections with distinct rhythmic patterns, functions, and choreographies.

      FIGURE 2.1 Map of provinces in South Korea. © Indos82 | Dreamstime.com

      FIGURE 2.2 Minsogakhoe Sinawi program from March 1, 1979. Photograph courtesy of SamulNori Hanullim.

      Section 1: Obangjin

      Section 2: Ŏllimgut nori—tadŭraegi

      Section 3: Pŏkku nori (Samch’ae tŏppaegi)

      Section 4: Kil kunak

      Section 5: Yŏngsan tadŭraegi

      Section 6: Mŏt pŏkku nori

      Section 7: Tŭngmajigut—tadŭraegi

      Section 8: Anjŭn pŏkku nori—tadŭraegi

      Section 9: Hohogut

      Section 10: Kaein yŏngsan kut nori

      Section 11: Pyŏlkut nori

      Section 12: Hŏt’ŭngut (hyech’imgut)

      It is this rhythmic repository that the quartet of musicians drew upon to create the seated arrangement of “Kyŏngsang nongak” in 1978. With the elder brother Cho’e Chŏngsok on the lead kkwaenggwari part, the younger Choi Jong Sil on ching, and Kim Yong-bae on puk and Kim Duk Soo on changgo, the quartet performed the arrangement again at the Space Theater on March 1, 1979 (figure 2.2).

      The reverse side of the program (not pictured) identifies the different sections that appeared as part of the presentation of “Kyŏngsang nongak”:

      Section 1: Ŏllimgut nori

      Section 2: Kil kunak nori

      Section 3: Pan kil kunak nori

      Section 4: Tŏppaegi pŏkku nori

      Section 5: Pan tadŭraegi

      Section 6: Chajin ŏllim pŏkku nori

      Section 7: Yŏngsan tadŭraegi

      [NEW SECTION: PYŎLGŎRI TALGŎRI]

      Section 8: Obangjin nori

      Section 9: Kutkŏri nori

      Section 10: Tŏppaegi nori

      Section 11: Ssangjinp’uri (Hohogut)

      Section 12: Samch’agut nori (Kaein nori)

      Even for those without a working knowledge of Korean or an understanding of Korean rhythm, a cursory glance at table 2.1 reveals some similarities and many differences between the two columns. Taking into account that the sequential order has been reconfigured in column B, one notices that some sections are identical or nearly identical (e.g., yŏngsan tadŭraegi; ŏllimgut nori; kil kunak), whereas other sections bear only a passing resemblance to each other—a mere syllable or word are held in common. One of the most noticeable differences between the two is the inclusion of a new section, called pyŏlgŏri talgŏri, in column B. In the program, pyŏlgŏri talgŏri appears in parentheses, marked as separate from the rest of the sections. Ironically, this new additional element would later become one of the characteristic sections of the “Yŏngnam nongak” piece, in its global iterations.

TABLE 2.1 Comparison of the formal structure of p’ungmul (Chinju Samch’ŏnp’o nongak) and samul nori “Kyŏngsang nongak” versions