Geomungo Sanjo

Technical Information Microphones: Neumann USM69 Microphone Preamplifier: RME Micstasy SM468 1/4’’ Reel Tape Lyrec PTR-1 Reel Recorder Linernotes LEE JAE HA Geomungo(Korean musical instrument with six strings) Sanjo(representative solo instrumental piece of folk music genre) is begun by Baek Nakjun(1876~1930) at Gang-gyeong in Chung-nam province in the late 1800's. Since then the melody of Baek Nak-jun was handed down to Park Seok-gi(1899~1952) and Shin Kwae-dong(1910~1978). Meanwhile, Han Gap-deuk(1919~1987), a disciple of Park Seok-gi, added his own melody to Geomungo-sanjo style of Baek Nak-jun and ended up forming another Geomungo-sanjo school. The Geomungo-sanjo of the two masters, Shin Kwae-dong and Han Gap-deuk, had the high musical maturity and their musical identity was passed down to many disciples. Today, most of Geomungo musicians follow the Sanjo style of 'Shin Kwae-dong school' and 'Han Gap-deuk school' in playing the musical instrument. After entering the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts, Lee Jae-ha begun to play the Geomungo with referring to a Geomungo-sanjo music source of Im Dong-sik(1950?~1980?) received from Yun Seo-kyung(1978~), an Ajaeng(a seven-stringed instrument) player. The music source of Im Dong-sik recorded by a painter Kim Yeong-cheol(1942~) who interacted with masters and great singers of the time, is a long Sanjo of 40 minute playing time and contains only Geomungo sound without Jang-gu(double-headed drum with a narrow waist in the middle) accompaniment. Im Dong-sik is a Geomungo master who passed away in his early 30's and was born between Lim Jun-ok and Sung Ok-ran, two Pansori masters. He was taught melody by Won Gwang-ho and edited his own creative melody acquired by educating himself into the properly arranged melody of Shin Kwae-dong and Han Gap-deuk. Im Dong-sik's Geomungo-sanjo using various tempos such as Jinyang, Jungmori, Eotmori, Jungjungmori and Jajinmori is made up of Han Gap-deuk's melody of roughly 2/3, Shin Kwae-dong's melody of roughly 1/3 and his own melody of approximately 10% on the whole. Even when he plays the melody of Shin Kwae-dong and Han Gap-deuk, not his own inventive melody, flexibility in prelude, Gyemyeonjo sound, different Sigimsae(ornaments) and Buchimsae(freely improvising beats in plays of melody by players) with mainstream are unique attraction of Im Dong-sik's Geomungo Sanjo. ‘Lee Jae-ha’s Geomungo-sanjo' features Im Dong-sik's Geomungo melody and other melodies acquired through his studying and activities. He was encouraged to perform and create his own Sanjo by making use of Geomungo playing technique and Sigimsae, with studying Im Dong-sik's musical sound. While learning the melodies of his master and other masters, he trained himself for many years to arrange free elements neatly in order and absorb many masters' techniques and ended up creating his own style through using unique expression and melody narrative. ‘Lee Jae-ha’s Geomungo-sanjo', a fruit of his long training, is a new discovery of melody acquired through his discovering various folk music melodies and playing them in the stages. "Sanjo should be free within the restriction of many rules and relations. I make persistent effort to improve my insufficient ability and fill the lacks of more qualified musical sound in every note, because I know that a massive effort is needed to reach the stage of perfection. It is as if filling up a transparent glass with water and persistently maintaining it."