UMS Concert Program, October 6, 1972: The World Of Gilbert And Sullivan -- D'oyly Carte Fame

Concert: First
Complete Series: 3780
Power Center For The Performing Arts Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University Musical Society
of
The University of Michigan
Presents
AH AHK
The Performing Arts of Korea
Sung Kyung Rin, Director Kim Yong, Taegeum
Kim Joong Sub, Taegeum Chun Jae Kook, Piri
Kim Sung Jin, Taegeum Shon Bong Sam, Haegum
Kim Tae Sop, Piri Kim Cheon Heung, Ajaeng
DANCERS
Kim Young Sook, Kwak Sun Hi, Cheun un Hee, Park Young Jin, Kwak Kyung Ran, An Jung Hi, Hong Kyung Ran, Paik Yu Ock
Sunday Afternoon, October 22, 1972, at 2:30 Rackham Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
The next concert in this series is the Chinese Skin Shadow Puppets, Monday, November 6.
First Program Second Annual East Asian Series Complete Programs 3786
PROGRAM
Kwanak, Sujech'on, Wind Ensemble
This is one of the bestknown compositions of the court music repertoire. Kwanak, the wind ensemble, also includes two bowed, stringed instruments, the ajaeng and the haegum, which produce a long and sustained tone. The composition, Sujech'on, a title which means "long life is as everlast?ing as the sky," is characterized by long, slow, and flowing qualities with highly expressive orna?mentation in the flute parts.
Mugo, The Court Drum Dance
This is a Korean court dance in which a group of women dressed in robes of the Yi Dynasty court dance around a large circular drum.
Kwan Hyon Ak, Chong sang ji gok, Chamber Music Ensemble
The chamber music ensemble consists of a combination of wind instruments and bowed and plucked stringed instruments. This is the standard ensemble for the performance of Korean court chamber music. The composition, Chong sang ji gok, is made up of several short pieces and is, in fact, a group of light pieces in rather fast tempo when compared to the usual sedate style of Korean court music.
Kommu, Sword Dance
For this piece the dancers are dressed in costumes which resemble those worn by warriors of the midseventh century. The dance is said to commemorate a young soldier named Kwan Cheang, who died in a battle between the warring kingdoms of Silla and Paekche.
Para and Seungmu, Buddhist Monks' Dance
This dance is presumed to have originated with the introduction of Buddhism into Korea, but the latterday version is not a religious one performed by monks but a folk dance adapted from the original Buddhist ritual dance. The beating of the drum for Seungmu is generally interpreted as "attainment of salvation" (nirvana) in Buddhist philosophy.
T'ae ch'wita, Muryung gok, The Military Band
T'ae ch'wita is royal processional music that was used during the Yi Dynasty to announce the arrival of important people. The musicians were attached to the guard of the city gate and they marched out to accompany highranking nobles into the city. The bright yellow robes are the tra?ditional costume of the royal processional musicians. This same ensemble of horns, drums and gongs is also used in special Buddhist rituals.
Ch'oyongmu, Masked Dance
The five masked dancers wear different colored robes and represent the different points of the compass, a very important aspect of ancient Chinese ritual dancing. The dancer in a blue robe represents the east, the red robe south, the white robe signifies west, the black robe north, and the yellow robe the center.
Royal Ancestor Music, Po T'ae P'yung
In ancient times the spirits of the deceased kings were honored with ritual services at which Chinese ceremonial music was performed. During the Yi Dynasty it was decided that since the kings were really Korean, their spirits would be more pleased to hear Korean court melodies played at their shrines rather than Chinese music. In this way a new form of music for the Royal Ancestors evolved. The ensemble consists of a combination of old Chinese ceremonial instruments and instru?ments used in Korean court music.
INTERMISSION
P'ogurak, Court Ball Game Dance
P'ogurak is another of the court dances which originated in ancient China. In this dance two teams compete in attempting to throw a ball through the hole in a stand that is placed in the center of the stage. As each dancer cither succeeds or fails at getting the ball through the hole she is cither rewarded with a flower or penalized by having a black stripe painted on her cheek.
Kayageum solo, Sanjo
Sanjo is a form of improvisational music from the Chollado region of southwestern Korea. The soloist begins with a long, slow introduction and progresses to increasingly rapid tempos, im?provising complex rhythmic and melodic variations on a basic melodic type.
Kayageum P'yungchang, Sae taryting, Song of the Birds
When the Kayageum accompanies the voice, it is called kayageum p'yungchang. The Song of the Birds is a southern province folk song in the Korean Pansori style in which various bird sounds are imitated. The singers accompany themselves on the changgo, the hourglass drum.
The Nightingale Dance
Considered the epitome of refinement, this is the only surviving solo dance in the court reper?toire. The dancer wears the elaborate costume of a Yi Dynasty courtesan, with long flowing, multi?colored sleeves. The dancer's movements are limited to the small area of a flowerpatterned mat placed in the center of the stage.
Masked Dance, Tal chum
This dance, featuring grotesque masks, was a satire on the aristocracy and the decadent Buddhist monks. An old monk descends from his mountain monastery, sees a young sorceress, is infatuated, and offers his rosary as a gift. She casts it aside, but when he offers her more worldly gifts she allows him to dance with her. His joy is shortlived, however, for a redfaced rake and drunkard drives him off and wins her.
Taegeum solo, Yu ch'o shin
The taegeum, the long transverse flute of the court music ensembles, is one of the most beautiful and expressive of Korean instruments. Flute parts from the ensemble repertoire are often played on it as solo pieces. Yu ch'o sin is an excerpt from a longer composition, Kwanak yong san noe sang.
Farmers' Dance, N'ong ak
The farmers' dance is one of the most primitive and exciting of all Korean dances. On the occasion of the harvest, seed planting, and other festivities, farmers gather in the village square under a flag on which is inscribed the words "Agriculture is the foundation of the universe." Accom?panied by the rousing sounds of various drums and brass instruments, the farmers, clad in brightly striped costumes, whirl about madly, each beating a small drum grasped in his hands.
DESCRIPTION OF INSTRUMENTS
Tanso: A small bamboo flute with five fingerholes, usually used for chamber music.
Tangjok: A small transverse flute usually used to play high flute parts in the wind ensemble, Kwanak.
Taegum: A very large Korean transverse flute used for all types of court music.
Changgo: A doubleheaded, laced hourglass drum used to accompany most types of court music. A small rattan stick is used in the right hand to produce the high accents and the bare left hand pro?duces the deep tones.
P'iri: A small doublereed cylindrical oboelike instrument used in most forms of court music. A shorter and narrower version is used in chamber music.
Haegiim: A small twostringed instrument used for many types of court music. Although it pro?duces a relatively small sound, its tone quality blends in with that of the P'iri.
Ajaeng: A large sevenstring zither played with a bow. The bow itself is not horse hair but a long, rosined willow stick. The seven strings of the instrument each have an individual bridge, and while bowing the player can produce a vibrato by light pressure behind the bridge.
Komungo: The most elegant and respected instrument of the court ensemble, this instrument is a sixstring zither. Three strings have individual bridges, while the three center strings have a number of fixed frets which run under them over most of the length of the instrument. The instrument is plucked with a short stick held in the right hand. The Komungo is an important instrument in the court chamber ensemble, but has also attained popularity as a solo instrument.
Kayageum: A long zithertype instrument with twelve strings stretched over movable bridges. Vibrators, slurs and microtones are produced by downward pressure at the left of the bridge.
INTERNATIONAL PRESENTATIONS -19721973
Guarneri String Quartet........Sunday, October 29
(2:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Batsheva Dance Company from Israel.....Friday, November 3
(8:00, Power Center)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra......Saturday, November 4
(8:30, Hill Auditorium)
Chinese Skin Shadow Puppets.......Monday, November 6
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Yuval Trio from Israel........Wednesday, November 8
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra .... Saturday, November 11
(8:30, Hill Auditorium)
A special Benefit Concert for the Musical Society, with admission prices in?cluding contributions to help insure the longstanding tradition of excellent concerts in Ann Arbor. Tickets now on sale at Burton Tower offices.
Christopher Parkening, Guitarist.....Tuesday, November 14
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Paniagua Quartet.........Saturday, November 18
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
Itzhak Perlman, Violinist........Tuesday, November 21
(8:30, Hill Auditorium)
Handel's Messiah
For over ninety years, the University Choral Union has presented the Messiah in celebration of the Christmas Season. Donald Bryant conducts the chorus, members of the Interlochen Academy Arts Orchestra, and soloists Louise Rus?sell, soprano, Sofia Steffan, contralto, Waldie Anderson, tenor, and Benjamin Matthews, bass, in three performances in Hill Auditorium. Tickets now on sale.
(8:30) Friday, December 1
(8:30) Saturday, December 2
(2:30) Sunday, December 3
Austral String Quartet from Sydney.....Tuesday, December 5
(8:30, Rackham Auditorium)
sold out
UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Gail W. Rector, President William L. Brittain Paul G. Kauper
Harlan Hatcher, VicePresident Allen P. Britton Wilbur K. Pierpont
Erich A. Walter, Secretary Douglas D. Crary Sarah G. Power
E. Thurston Thieme, Treasurer Robben W. Fleming Daniel H. Schurz
Burton Memorial Tower, Ann Arbor, Michigan Phone 6653717