Graham Reid | | <1 min read
Byungki Hwang: Hamadan (second movement, for gayageum and janggu, 2000)
At the Auckland Arts Festival AK '07 one of the most fascinating (if least attended) events was an afternoon concert of tea music by a Korean ensemble -- essentially traditional music about the qualities of tea, and performed while tea was being prepared.
While you might have come away thinking it takes a helluva long time to get a cup of tea in Korea, the music was sublime.
This album by Korea's acknowledged master of the gayageum contains a cycle of such tea music pieces (for the stringed instrument, the gayageum, and voice) and a number of other equally enchanting tunes.
These are all contemporary works although obviously refer to a long and estimable tradition, but for even those unfamaliar with Korean music on any level this music -- especially the instrumental tracks which form the bulk of the 22 tracks -- is quite transporting.
Meditative or joyous ballads (which can sound like avant-garde, acoustic indie-pop) abound.
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