With the advant of the late nineteenth century, the Choson Dynasty became exposed to waves of rapic changed, both domestic and international. It was during the period of Imperial Korea(1897-1910) that Western military band was established in 1901 by a ...
With the advant of the late nineteenth century, the Choson Dynasty became exposed to waves of rapic changed, both domestic and international. It was during the period of Imperial Korea(1897-1910) that Western military band was established in 1901 by a foreign musician, Franz Eckert (1852-1916), as the band instructor.
According to the literary source, Chungbo munhon pigo 증보문헌비고 (Expanded Edition of the Korean Encyclopedia of Documents and Institutions), the Western military band performed four kinds of music. This paper aims to investigate these four kinds of music performed by the Western military band. This study contains the following sections: 1. Introduction, 2. Establish-ment and Instrumentation of Western Military Band, 3. Investigation of Performance Repertories by the Western Military Band, 4. Conclusion.
In conclusion the author gives the following statement. Among the four kinds of music performed by the Western military band, the first was national anthems of allied countries including Japan, England, America, France, Russia, Belgium, and Italy. Secondly, the Western military band played popular songs, hymns, gospel music, wedding songs, and some opera buffa. Thirdly, they performed music for dancing, such as waltz, polka, bouree, saltarello, galliard, menuett, sarabande, and courante. Lastly, there was some ceremonial music of unknkown character.
The activities of the Western military band in Korea are historically significant for two important reasons. First, the Western military band contributged to the development of Western instrumental music in Korea through its brass band. Second, the band instructor trained military musicians who in turn played an important role in establishing and distributing the new music. In short, the first Western military band in Korea paved the way for the development of modern music in Korea.