Isang Yun: Gagok, version for voice and harp (1985)

  
The Korean gagok, literally ‘song pieces’, is a special genre of the courtly or aristocratic art song. What mattered most to Yun in his composition was the characteristic development of the vocal style. Originally scored for percussion, guitar and voice and composed for Claudia and Siegfried Behrend as well as Siegfried Fink, it is now published as new composition 1985 for the harpist Marion Hofmann. The vocal part remains unchanged in the 7-minute piece. In its colourfulness, Yun illustrates, almost exemplarily, the dialogue of the musical tradition of his home country with aspects of expression of 20th century European music culture. The singer’s vocalise is contrasted with the figures played by the harp which are strongly influenced by the rhythm.