| Aak | |
| Hangul | 아악 |
|---|---|
| Hanja | |
| Revised Romanization | Aak |
| McCune–Reischauer | Aak |
AakKorean pronunciation:[a.ak̚] is agenre ofKorean court music. It is an imported form of the Chinese court musicyayue,[1] and means "elegant music".Aak was performed almost exclusively in state sacrificial rites, and in the present day it is performed in certain Confucian ceremonies.
Aak was brought toKorea in 1116 through a large gift of 428 musical instruments as well as 572 costumes and ritual dance objects fromChina, a gift to EmperorYejong of Goryeo fromEmperor Huizong of Song.[1][2] It remained very popular for a time (there were originally no fewer than 456 different melodies in use) before dying out. It was revived in 1430, based on a reconstruction of oldermelodies, and preserved in "Treatise on Ceremonial Music" (Aak Po), a chapter of theSejong Annals.[3]
Aak is one of three types ofKorean court music; the other two aredangak andhyangak.Aak is similar todangak in that both have Chinese origins. All the instruments used inaak are derived from Chinese originals, and very few of these are used in other kinds of traditional Korean music.[4] Aak was first performed at the Royal Ancestral Shrine in theGoryeo period as ritual music of the court. The definition ofaak later became narrowed to music for Confucian rituals, althoughaak in its broadest sense can still mean any kind of refined or elegant music and therefore can arguably encompassdangak andhyangak.[5]
The music is now performed by members of theKungnip Kugagwŏn National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts in Seoul, Korea.[4]
The music is now highly specialized, and it is played only at certain ceremonies, in particular theSeokjeon Daeje held each spring and autumn at theMunmyo shrine in the ground ofSungkyunkwan University inSeoul to honourConfucius.[6] It may also be performed at special concerts.
There are two instrumental ensembles – a "terrace" ensemble located on the porch of the main shrine, and a "courtyard" ensemble located near the main entrance in front of the main shrine building. The music performances ormunmyo jeryeak may be accompanied by dances calledmunmyo ilmu.[7] There are two forms of dances; one a "civil" dance, the other a "military" dance, performed by 64 dancers in an 8x8 formation.[4][7]
The modern repertoire ofaak consists of just two different surviving melodies. Both the two surviving pieces have 32 notes that last around 4 minutes when performed, and one of the two is performed in a number oftranspositions. The music is played very slowly. Each note is drawn out for around four seconds, with the wind instruments rising in pitch at the end of the note, giving it a distinctive character.[4]
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