The ''ajaeng'' is a

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

string instrument String instruments, stringed instruments, or chordophones are musical instruments that produce sound from vibrating strings when a performer plays or sounds the strings in some manner. Musicians play some string instruments by plucking the ...

. It is a wide

zither Zithers (; , from the Greek word ''cithara'') are a class of stringed instruments. Historically, the name has been applied to any instrument of the psaltery family, or to an instrument consisting of many strings stretched across a thin, flat bo ...

with strings of twisted

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

. It is played with a slender stick of

forsythia ''Forsythia'' , is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family Oleaceae. There are about 11 species, mostly native to eastern Asia, but one native to southeastern Europe. ''Forsythia'' – also one of the plant's common names – is ...

wood that is drawn across the strings in the manner of a bow. The ''ajaeng'' mainly plays the bass part in ensemble music. And the ''ajaeng'' is divided into two types. The ''ajaeng'' used in court music is called ''

jeongak ''Jeongak'' (literally "proper music") is that category of Korean music which is considered classical, as distinct from ''minsogak'' which is folk music. The category has traditionally been associated with the upper classes. The best known pieces ...

ajaeng'', and the ''ajaeng'' used in folk music is called '' sanjo ajaeng''. The original version of the instrument, and that used in court music (called the ''

ajaeng''), has seven strings; while the ''ajaeng'' used for '' sanjo'' and ''

sinawi ''Sinawi'', sometimes spelled ''shinawi'', is a traditional Korean music. It is performed improvisationally by a musical ensemble, and traditionally accompanies the rites of Korean shamanism. The style first emerged in the Chungcheong and Jeol ...

'' (called the ''sanjo ajaeng'') has eight. Some instruments have as many as nine to twelve strings. The ''ajaeng'' is generally played while seated on the floor. It has a tone similar to that of a

cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...

, but raspier. Some contemporary players prefer to use an actual

horsehair Horsehair is the long hair growing on the manes and tails of horses. It is used for various purposes, including upholstery, brushes, the bows of musical instruments, a hard-wearing fabric called haircloth, and for horsehair plaster, a wallc ...

bow rather than a stick, believing the sound to be smoother. The instrument is used in court, aristocratic, and folk music, as well as in

contemporary classical music Contemporary classical music is classical music composed close to the present day. At the beginning of the 21st century, it commonly referred to the post-1945 modern forms of post-tonal music after the death of Anton Webern, and included seria ...

and film scores. The traditional ''ajaeng'' is divided into a daeajaeng( ko:대아쟁,

hanja Hanja (Hangul: ; Hanja: , ), alternatively known as Hancha, are Chinese characters () used in the writing of Korean. Hanja was used as early as the Gojoseon period, the first ever Korean kingdom. (, ) refers to Sino-Korean vocabulary, wh ...

: 大牙箏) for jeongak( ko:정악,

: 正樂) and a soajaeng for folk music (hanja: 小牙箏, or sanjo ajaeng, hanja: 散調牙箏). Since the second half of the 20th century, various improved ajaengs have been made and used to play various ranges.

History

The ''ajaeng'', having its origins in

Ancient China The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapte ...

, was derived from the Chinese ''yazheng'' introduced to Korea during the

Goryeo Dynasty Goryeo (; ) was a Korean kingdom founded in 918, during a time of national division called the Later Three Kingdoms period, that unified and ruled the Korean Peninsula until 1392. Goryeo achieved what has been called a "true national unificati ...

. In 1430, 'Uiryesangjeongso', the organization for the arrangement of court music and ceremonies arranged the institution of the Goryeo Dynasty and included Ajaeng to the instrument of

Dangak ''Dangak'' (syllables: ''dang-ak'') is a genre of traditional Korean court music. The name means "Tang music", and the style was first adapted from Tang Dynasty Chinese music during the Unified Silla period in the late first millennium. It was ...

. On the 'Five manners' in the annals of King Sejong, it describes the appearance of "Ajaeng". The line was seven, and the left was broken, with catters placed on it. According to ''

Akhak gwebeom The ''Akhak gwebeom'' (Hangul: 악학궤범, Hanja: 樂學軌範; literally "Musical Canon") is a nine-volume treatise on music, written in Korea in the 15th century, in the Joseon Dynasty. It is written by hand in hanja, and depicts, in line dra ...

'', it was used only for

before that time, but at the time of King Seongjong, it was also used for

Hyangak ''Hyangak'', literally "indigenous/native music, folks music" is a traditional form of Korean court music with origins in the Three Kingdoms of Korea, Three Kingdoms period (57 BC – 668 AD). It is often accompanied by traditional folk dances o ...

How to play

Instead of putting the ajaeng on the player's lap, like a gayageum or a harpoon, the instrument is put on a pedestal called a "Chosang" and the head is hung at an angle, and the player sits right with the bent tail on the floor. The bark of the forsythia tree is peeled, and the surface is smoothed to make a ridge. Ribbon is used to paint the rosin because it reinforces the rubbing sound of string and string. Though the sound is rough because it makes a sound by rubbing a thick line with a forsythia tree instead of a horsehair, it is also a feature of Ajaeng. Nowadays, however, Sanjo Ajaeng is using a horsehooking band. Sometimes, ajaeng can plucked like gayageum.

References

External links

2007 With Angel... 10월 4일 목요일 저녁 7시30분 국립국악원 우면당아쟁의 홈페이지에 오신것을 환영합니다.

Video

Tenderness - Seola, KIM with Ajaeng Chamber POEMWinter Ocean(겨울바다) by Seola KimNabilela(나빌레라) by Ajaeng chamber "Poem" - Seola KimTwilight(2013) by Seola Kim
{{Authority control Bowed instruments Zithers Korean musical instruments

History

How to play

See also

References

External links

Video