Search - Kim So-Hee :: P'ansori: Korea's Epic Vocal Art & Instrumental Music

Simply brilliant

jamie anderson | 02/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Depite the fact I'm a Korean Music neophyte I can tell you the music on this CD is thrilling and supremely sophisticated. The singing of the p'ansori extracts, (p'ansori being a form of opera) is quite sophisticated in expression and vocal technique. If you are familiar with the vocal techniques of Monteverdi's music you have a general idea of the direction of some of the ornamentation of p'ansori except that in p'ansori the ornamentation is more the substance rather than the spice. The singer on these 2 pieces, KIM, SO-HEE, is a virtuoso and was awarded the title by her government "intangible national treasure". The instrumental pieces - the musicians were a permanent part of the ensemble with which she toured and virtuosos on their respective instruments - also give masterful performances on this album. Their instruments are the haegeum, (a-silk-stringed fiddle), the p'iri, (double reeded with slender bamboo tube with 8 holes), kayageum, (similar to Japanese Koto but with special techniques for various effects), kuhmoongo,(also zither-like and producing deeper bass tones than the kayageum), changgo and pook,(2 types of drum).It was recorded in 1972 during a U.S. tour and the sound quality of the CD I bought is good."