Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

A Comparative Study of Selected Violin Works of Isang Yun: Gasa für Violine und Klavier (1963) and Sonate für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 (1991)

Lee, Kyung Ha

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Musical Arts, Ohio State University, Music.

Composer Isang Yun (1917-1995) was especially well known for his unique compositional language that integrates the distinctive features of Korean traditional music with the Western compositional tradition. This document will explore this unique style through a comparative analysis of two of his violin works, Gasa für Violine und Klavier (1963) and Sonate für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 (1991). After an introductory chapter 1, chapter 2 presents biographical information on Yun’s life and musical works, which can be divided into four stylistic periods. Yun’s musical and cultural background and significant events from his life will be discussed, as these influences permeate his music. Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive understanding of Yun’s music by giving an overview of his compositional style including his philosophical background and harmonic languages which were derived from both the Western European tradition and Korean traditional music. This chapter will discuss his most significant philosophical ideas—Taoism and “yin and yang” dualism—which became the foundation for his invention of the Hauptton compositional technique. The Hauptton technique, which originates from the Eastern concept of a single tone, is the product of Yun’s successful synthesis of Eastern and Western musical elements. Yun did not just adapt Asian music into the Western style but created his own unique hybrid musical language. In addition, this chapter examines the influences from Korean Traditional Music, in particular, the Nonghyun performance technique. This technique is the representative traditional Korean string technique which appears throughout his works in different types of trills, glissandi, and vibrato. Chapter 4 and 5 consist of a detailed analysis of Gasa and Sonate respectively. Both analyses show how Yun successfully combined Eastern and Western musical concepts within an avant-garde context, narrowing the gap between the Eastern and Western musical traditions. In between these two violin works, his compositional language matured and his musical style became more universally recognized. Yet, he never forgot his native roots, even while living in Europe, and constantly strove to integrate both his cultural identities into his works. Yun’s successful synthesis of his Korean traditional background with a contemporary Western musical style has diversified 20th-century music and caused it to flourish.

Kia-Hui Tan, DMA (Committee Chair)
Robert Gillespie, PhD (Committee Member)
Paul Robinson, DMA (Committee Member)
102 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Lee, K. H. (2009). A Comparative Study of Selected Violin Works of Isang Yun: Gasa für Violine und Klavier (1963) and Sonate für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 (1991) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1243887615

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Lee, Kyung Ha. A Comparative Study of Selected Violin Works of Isang Yun: Gasa für Violine und Klavier (1963) and Sonate für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 (1991). 2009. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1243887615.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Lee, Kyung Ha. "A Comparative Study of Selected Violin Works of Isang Yun: Gasa für Violine und Klavier (1963) and Sonate für Violine und Klavier Nr. 1 (1991)." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1243887615

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)