As a disciple of Kang Tae-hong, Seo Sang-yeol created Gayageum Sanjo of his own style. This study aimed to examine Sanjo of Seo Sang-yeol who was a Gayageum musician from Gyeongbuk Province, investigating the difference from that of Jeonnam. Therefore...
As a disciple of Kang Tae-hong, Seo Sang-yeol created Gayageum Sanjo of his own style. This study aimed to examine Sanjo of Seo Sang-yeol who was a Gayageum musician from Gyeongbuk Province, investigating the difference from that of Jeonnam. Therefore, the study conducted a comparative analysis of Choi Ok-sam and Kim Juk-pa’s Jeonnam-styled Gayageum Sanjo, which have a similar number of Jangdan to Sanjo of Seo Sang-yeol. It also intended to identify the distinctive features of Seo Sang-yeol’s and its differences from or similarities to melodies of Jeonnam-styled Sanjo. In addition, it focused on Jungjungmori, which shows a variety of modes and Jangdan. Research findings are as follows.
Firstly, Jungjungmori of Seo Sang-yeol-styled Gayageum Sanjo shows various kinds of modes including those of Jeonnam-styled Sanjo. It is composed of five modes such as ‘Ujo’, ‘Deolleongje’, ‘Gangsanje(Gyemyeonjo)’, ‘Sinminyo-Byeongchangjo’ and ‘Gyemyeonjo’. Choi Ok-sam’s Gayageum Sanjo consists of a single mode of ‘Pyeongujo’, and that of Kim Juk-pa is composed of ‘Gangsanje’. Therefore, Seo Sang-yeol organized a diverse range of modes including those of the Jeonnam tradition. Choi Ok-sam-styled Jungjungmori consists of ‘Pyeongujo’ only, and that of Kim Juk-pa is also composed of ‘Gangsanje’ only.
Secondly, Seo Sang-yeol-styled Sanjo shows unique melodies by using the modal scales, which cannot be found from those of Choi Ok-sam and Kim Juk-pa. In particular, a variety of modal variations create the unique melodies, except for the Naedeureum. In Deolleongje of Jungjungmori, f# is frequently used and f is raised unlike that of Jeonnam. In Gyemyeonjo, the pitch d is bent, showing the modal characteristics that are not employed in the Jeonnam style. Furthermore, the modal features manifest by using Nonghyeon on d and e in Sinminyo-Byeongchangjo. With the subdivided beats, light and bouncing melodies are prominent by using sixteenth notes and staccatos. Especially, sixteenth notes stand out in Sinminyo-Byeongchangjo with the Sangcheong melodies.
Thirdly, the study identified that there is little similarity between Seo Sang-yeol and Choi Ok-sam and Kim Juk-pa of the Jeonnam styles. The piece of Seo Sang-yeol has 6 similar melodies to that of Choi Ok-sam with a similarity rate of 12.5% and only one to Kim Juk-pa as 2.041%. It shows Sanjo of Seo Sang-yeol has little similarity to both schools. It also reveals Seo Sang-yeol created his own unparalleled melodies rather than being influenced by the Jeonnam-styled Gayageum Sanjo. The characteristics of his Sanjo originate from his emphasis on the musical stories when organizing melodies and his incorporation of musical elements as many as possible. It can be found out from the talk with his best disciple Jeong Su-hye, It allowed him to create a variety of modes and melodies, resulting in a novel structure of modal scales different from that of the Jeonnam tradition.
The study analyzed the melodies of Seo Sang-yeol and compared them with those of Jeonnam-styled Choi Ok-sam and Kim Juk-pa, investigating characteristics of the piece by Seo Sang-yeol and its similarities to the other two styles. As the first analysis on Seo Sang-yeol-styled Sanjo, this study has significance in that it organized the stories of Seo Sang-yeol from the talk with Jeong Su-hye and explored the features of his Sanjo. It is expected for the study to shed light on Sanjo, which has received relatively little attention. In addition, it is hoped that the research will be conducive to today’s Gayageum musicians for their understanding and performance of a wider range of modes.