Taepyeongso

The taepyeongso, also taep'yŏngso, also soaenap, hojŏk, hojeok, nallari; is a woodwind instrument with a short double-reed, which is played in the Korean music.

Origin

The widespread throughout Asia type cone oboe belongs to the old, resulting in Persia Instruments group of surnais. Common features are the three -part design and the loud, shrill sound, as well as the taepyeongso limited the use of these oboes played on outdoor music. From the Persian word surnai the name for the Indian oboe derives shehnai. The often with a cylindrical drum played together as zurna oboe came into the military music of the Ottoman Empire, as serune to Malaysia and Sumatra and as suona in the Chinese folk music. The Korean Alternatively soaenap name is derived therefrom. About the China surnai type came during the Goryeo Dynasty in the 10th and 14th centuries to Korea. The surnais differ in the various regions only by details of the shape and adapted to the respective musical culture mood of each other.

Design

The taepyeongso consists of a metal mouthpiece ( Chorong mok ) of copper or brass, in which a short double-reed ( chwigu, Hyo or so) is inserted, and a conical wooden melody pipe ( gwandae ) of three to four centimeters in diameter with seven finger holes on the front and a covered with the left thumb hole at the back. The lower one or two finger holes are often not used. While playing, the lips set on the wide edge ( dong -gu ) to enclose the mouthpiece and the reed. The reed is traditionally made from a reed grass that is dried and ground, but straws are mainly used plastic. The melody pipe can be made ​​of different wood species such as the citrus tree Yuzu ( juja ) of Chinese Jujube ( Daechu ) or the wood of the mulberry tree. Front a wider removable horn ( dongpallang or Nabal T'Ong ) of copper, brass or tin attached. The range is two octaves and is 'to it ''' as specified with. Today's instruments are equipped with 30 to 32 centimeters in length shorter than before.

Play and meaning

Taepyeongso means " great peace pipe " hojeok " woodwind instrument of strangers" ( generally for " the people of Xinjiang " ) and nallari is an onomatopoeic term that is used only in the field of folk music. After the acquired Chinese Classification of eight sounds, it is one of the bamboo instruments, a newer Korean classification from 1983 it pays to the wooden instruments.

The use of taepyeongso is like the majority of Asian Surnais noisy due to its limited high-pitched sound to outdoor use. For chamber music and the interaction with other melody instruments, it is unsuitable.

It played the melody in a marching band at the royal procession Daechwita. The Sino- Korean word chwita is called " blow and beat ", the prefix dae means " big". Thus, the interaction between the instrument and some doubt then barrel drums ( buk ) is meant to be worn on a ribbon in front of the body. These loud group of players went before the king, succeeded him during a formation in which the quieter, made ​​from bamboo double reed instrument was piri melody leader.

The Korean military and procession music called collectively Koch'wi, it was played at ceremonial occasions and during the travel of the ruler at the royal court. Over time, the occupations and their strength changed, the orchestra but always consisted of wind and percussion instruments. This ensemble is mentioned in writing in a document from 238 AD wall paintings in tombs near Pyongyang dated to the 4th century. At the time of the Joseon Dynasty Price songs were escorted to the dynasty founder of a wind - percussion ensemble. According to a Korean, musicological work of 1984, the orchestra consists of several taepyongso, the drums yonggo, snails trumpets, gongs ( ching) and pair pool ( Chabara ). The melodies are played exclusively by the taepyongso, while the trumpets add a sound layer of Borduntönen. Here there is a parallel to the Ottoman military band ( Mehterhane ), as described in the 17th century. After the Korean mythology was overthrown with the destruction of the wind instruments and drums the Palast Orchester also the ruler.

In Buddhist dance rituals that will taepyongso along with a barrel drum, large gong ( jing ), cymbals and sometimes even with a long straight natural trumpet from several sheet metal pipes ( Nabal ) and a screw trumpet ( nagak ) played. It is also used in shamanic ritual music Sinawi.

The main application of the taepyeongso is the secular entertainment music. This includes originating from the peasant tradition folk theater, dances and songs that pungmul, rare Nong -ak are called. They were formerly included only men in the collective work in the fields and village festivals in ritualized form. The central element of music is rhythm, which is produced by drums that hang in front of the body, or carried in the hands tambourines by the dancers themselves. This may come as a melody instrument taepyeongso. The troupe is led by a player with a small flat brass gong ( kkwaenggwari ). In modified form of the traditional rural performances have survived in an urban context today. Whereas in the past spectators and participants indistinguishable, so come on now professionally active, itinerant musicians and dancers who perform acrobatic feats.