#stillHere Online: The Emotions – Work In Progress (on-demand until 1/31/2021)
Free
Sachiyo Takahashi AKA Miya Okamoto, voice, koto, & electronics
gamin, piri (double reed Korean oboe), taepyeonso (double-reed horn), & saenghwang (mouth organ)
The first WIP of The Emotions takes the form of a small concert. Tracing the emotions in Asian music heritage, the program features a traditional Korean tune, traditional Japanese storytelling, and an experimental session inspired by a mysterious Korean legend, The Song of Cheoyong.
Work In Progress lineup:
Piri Solo in Gyemyeon-jo
gamin’s solo improvisation is tuned for a Korean traditional pentatonic mode, gyemyeon-jo (界面調) , which is often used for music from the southwest. It is said to evoke softness and sad feelings and is commonly used to express ‘Han’ (恨), a term to describe an accumulated sadness or bitter resentment or frustration owing to social discrimination and political disenfranchisement. One characteristic of han is that it cannot be released or healed but, at best, becomes a source of inspiration and inner-strength through which to overcome one’s difficulties.
Rancho – Mushizukushi
Rancho is one of the most popular classical pieces from the Shinnai-bushi repertoire, a style of Japanese traditional song-storytelling that traces its origins to the 18th century. It is a story of a love triangle between Rancho, a male entertainer, Konoito, his courtesan lover and Omiya, his wife. In this concert Miya Okamoto (a.k.a. Sachiyo Takahashi) performs a part of this story called Mushizukushi, which depicts a lover’s quarrel. The song features an intricate word play on the name of various “mushi”, or insects, as well as a bitter lament of Konoito, complaining about her lover’s unfaithfulness. In Shinnai-bushi, such a segment of lamentation is called Kudoki, and musically and dramatically expresses the height of the emotions in the story.
Session #1: The Song of Cheoyong
Inspired by a Korean legend The Song of Cheoyong, gamin and Sachiyo Takahashi (a.k.a. Miya Okamoto) in Session #1 bring a musical interpretation of the myth that explores the spectrum and morphology of the deep emotions in the story. Both traditional and contemporary sounds are used in this part composed and part improvised piece, that includes an Electroacoustic soundtrack.
The Song of Cheoyong (“Cheoyongga”) from the Silla Kingdom (57 BC–AD 935) is supposedly sung by Cheoyong (the son of the god of the East Sea), after he discovers Yeoksin (greedy spirit, or the God of Sickness) tried to seduce Cheoyong’s wife. When Cheoyong witnessed his wife and Yeoksin in bed, instead of erupting in anger, he started a mysterious dance, singing an entrancing tune. This made Yeoksin surrender, and, since then, people hang the image of Cheoyong on their gates to send away calamities and to invite good fortune.
Stream for free on Facebook starting December 18! Note that the website and Facebook stream will expire on January 31, 2021.
Watch the broadcast here:
Watch on here.org
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