Compositions
Hwang Hu
for string orchestra
Hwang Hu (The Empress), dedicated to R20, is based on the historical event that occurred about 100 years ago in Korea. In the middle of 19th-century, Korea finished its long isolation and started to be exposed and became involved in the global imperialism. With two commerce treaties, Korea opened its door to other countries including Japan. Korea’s queen “Myoung-Sung” devoted herself to this modernization and to keep Korea’s independence among these empires at the same time. While Japan was trying to take over the land, the queen restrained it by persuading Russia, France and Germany to intervene. The prime minister of Japan planed the assassination of Myoung-Sung since she was a critical hindrance in accomplishing their domination over Korea. In 1895, Japanese gangs intruded into the palace and murdered the queen in spite of the resistance of the royal guards.
The work, starting with the coronation of the queen, includes the queen’s elegant and majestic image, the terrible incident, the dismal mood before the happening and the grief upon her demise.
The sound of perfect intervals and pentatonic scales, simple melodic lines in unison, and Asian-like embellishments such as glissando and grace notes, which appear throughout the piece represent the beauty of Korea. Especially, the tune at the beginning part is quoted from a Korean traditional marching music.
Lily Park
for orchestra
Lily Park consists of three movements entitled Wind Bell, Goblin Lights, and Rock of Ages. The three movements are based on my personal impression of the cemetery, Lily Park, where all my grandparents are buried.
The first movement, the shortest in duration, is slow and calm. It is introductory in quality, and expresses the pictorial impression of the cemetery by using various tone colors. This movement utilizes mixed instrumental consorts to project the concept of moderation and serenity. There is a close connection between the first movement and the last movement, as both features a wind-bell sound, a variety of percussion instruments, and slow tempi. The first movement focuses on the external appearance of the cemetery such as the quiet atmosphere, the wind, and the sound of bell ringing. The third movement represents the mental and emotional aspects of grief, memory of the funerals and reminiscent of my grandparents. The second movement is an imaginary night scene. For thousands of years, Korean have believed that goblins roam the tombs at night and are visible as blue and red lights. The movement is fast, busy and somewhat bizarre and whimsical, depicting the motion of the goblin lights. This contrasts with other two movements, thus the overall form becomes an arch shape. In addition, only the second movement is sectionalized by three different musical ideas while the first and the last movements are through composed with a single idea.
I. Wind Bell
The first movement expresses the general images of the cemetery; calm atmosphere, blowing wind, clean air, and a wide green field. The place is so quiet that the only the wind-bell ringing as the wind blows can be heard. In order to depict the wind-bell sound along with other optic and aural images, I create various tone colors by using various instrumental combinations in different transpositions and registrations.
II. Goblin Lights
The second movement consists of five sections based on three different musical ideas. These three ideas first appear independently, in separate sections, then they begin to be superimposed on each other, and finally the three ideas are synthesized.
III. Rock of Ages
The true image of the cemetery is not as pure as its exterior. The mixture of grief, grudge, reminiscence, regret, and ominous mood lies underneath the peaceful appearance of the
cemetery. To express this twisted concept, I employ quarter tones and the interval class 1 (minor second). Although the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic materials are mostly originated from the first movement, the shimmering effects created by the quarter tones and minor seconds make the third movement dark and gloomy.
‘Rock of Ages’ is the hymn that was sung at every funeral of my family member. It symbolizes the irony. The hymn itself is in bright Bb major key without a direct connection to death in the text. However, it always reminds me of the funerals and the irritating feelings related to the deaths of my grandparents. There is a literal quotation of the hymn at the end of the movement. The hymn is obscured however, by a long sustained cluster chord in the lowest register and a series of non-diatonic notes placed in the highest register.
Gong
for string quartet
共(gong) equals “co-“ in English which means with, together, joint, and jointly. The original concept of the piece is based on the dual personality, meaning two completely opposing characteristics are coexisting in an individual. The two characters, A and B, keep appearing alternatively and sometimes one interrupts the other by revealing itself under the existence of the other. This concept is realized musically in the piece through the contrast and collaboration between the Tri-tone and the Perfect 4th, in other words, the dissonance versus consonance. The work is a single movement music consisting of four small sections: introduction of the dissonance, introduction of the consonance, the intervention of two sonorities to each other, and the resolution. The relationship between these two opposite sonorities creates the tension and relaxation throughout the piece. They are first introduced separately, constantly alternated in different instruments, and then gradually interrupting and manipulating each other.
Hyang
for flute, Bb Clarinet, Vibraphone, Harp, Piano
Hyang refers the incense that is particularly used in the house of mourning in Korean culture. When one goes to offer one's condolences to the family in mourning, the first thing you can sense (smell) is the incense, 'hyang'. Personally, this reminisces my grandfather's death when I was young. The sunk atmosphere, gloomy faces, soft whispers, occasional agitations, sobs, angry cries, and a complete silence: these are the images that occupied the six year-old girl's mind who did not understand the meaning and grief of the death at that time.
Focusing on the sound color, the piece expresses the images that I captured from the mourning house through the various timbre created by different gestures with different instruments.
Consequently, three senses are conceptually represented in this music: aural (sound), visual (color), and olfactory (incense).
Gong Mu Do Ha Ga
for soprano, Bb clarinet, cello, marimba, percussion
Gong Mu Do Ha Ga (公無渡河歌) based on the story that has been transmitted for thousands of years in Korea. The story begins with a drunken man walking into the river. His wife tried to stop him but he drowned to death. The boatman who watched this scene told the story to his wife and his wife made a song and sung it plying an instrument called 'Gongfuin'.
My dear, please don't cross the water (公無渡河)
You are crossing the water after all (公竟渡河)
And dying at last! (墮河而死)
What should I do? (當奈公何)