Scan 75
The American history and encyclopedia of music .., 1908
8 lines. Read by computer on 11 September 2026. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1Korean musicians have been heard in the United States. The royal band of twelve musicians was sent to the Columbian Exposition at Chicago in 1893, owing to a misunderstanding in interpreting an invitation from Washington for Korea to take part in a musical congress to be held at that time and place. As it was, the musicians performed in the presence of President Cleveland at the opening of the Exposition and were started back to their homes the next day. Their music was considered very weird and quite beyond the comprehension of those who listened to it.
3The list of Korean musical instruments as given by various foreign writers on the subject may be summed up in the following as comprising the better known pieces: drums, large and small, drum-shaped and hour-glass-shaped; cymbals of several shapes and sizes; gongs; castanets; bugles; trumpets; horns, long and short but not curved; flutes; fifes; long collapsible instruments resembling the trombone; the koto; instruments called guitars, from a fancied resemblance; the mandolin; the zither and violin, of three and five strings. Be it said that the resemblance of these instruments to their western prototypes is not very striking and has reference more to the shape than to the sounds produced.
5Probably the Korean music most agreeable to the western ear, is that produced by the flute, which is not unpleasant, especially when heard at a distance.
7The vocal music of Korea seems to give the natives very great satisfaction since they are pretty sure to break out into song upon all suitable occasions. A Korean walking along a lonely road will be almost sure to beguile the way with song, as he will when sailing along in a boat or even riding horseback. All feasts, however informal, must have a musical accompaniment or be followed by music, if only the singing of the guests. The ever-present wine but adds to this tendency. Coolies unloading vessels keep time to a chant, and workmen tamping a wall or foundation always have a leader and a very enthusiastic chorus. The songs they execute are decidedly melodious and almost always impress the
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