Arirang

ARlRANG

arranged by Shin-Hwa Park

The Korean word “arirang” means literally rolling hills. Korean monophonic arirang songs have been sung for centuries throughout Korea, passed largely from generation to generation through oral tradition. In this arrangement, three well-known arirang melodies are utilized; they are “Jung-Sun Arirang,” “Mil-Yang Arirang,” and “Arirang.” They appear simultaneously on page six. While most songs within this genre are melancholy, others can be joyful. The prevailing character of this arrangement is of the plaintive type. The pentatonic melodic lines have been largely preserved, although western homorhythmic and imitative techniques are used to create a polyphonic texture.

Choral singing is a relatively new phenomenon to many Asian countries. Korean choirs rely heavily on western choral models for guides to vocal production, tone quality, and style. Consequently, it is suggested that rather than trying to create or imitate Korean tone color (of which no universal model exists), better results will be gained by carefully observing the indicated mood/articulation indications that appear throughout the music. To facilitate learning, the text that appears in the music has been written out phonetically; used in conjunction with the pronunciation audio tape, singers should quickly assimilate the sounds of the Korean words.

This arrangement is conducive to subtle movement and/or staging possibilities. It is recommended, however, that such efforts be undertaken with the assistance of a person knowledgeable in the area of Korean dance or theater.

TRANSLATION

(Shin-Hwa Park)

Arirang, Arirang, Arariyo
You, my lover,
are going through the Arirang hills alone.
If you go away without me,
your feet will become so tired and painful
that you will be unable to
walk the distance required.
Ari-Ari, Suri-Suri
If you go away without me
your feet will be painful.
Look at me my love as you look at
the flower in winter time.

Lawrence Kaptein
University of Colorado
Boulder. Colorado

Click here to see a sample.

Click here to listen to a recording (MP3).