Isang Yun's Duo for Viola and Piano (1976): A Synthesis of Eastern Music Concepts With Western Music Techniques

Abstract

Isang Yun is one of the most significant figures in Korean music of the twentieth century. He moved beyond serialism, founding his musical resources in Korean traditional music as well as in Taoism. Yun created unique sound which has resemblance to Korean traditional music particularly in ornaments through Western instrumentation and musical techniques. Consequently, Yun invented his own main tone technique, and its distinctive Koran sound separated him from other important avant-garde composers of the twentieth century. In this thesis Yun's life is introduced as a strong influence on his compositional styles. Also, his compositional styles are placed within the larger context of twentieth century musical trends, which shows why his works are important in twentieth century music history. Most importantly, it demonstrates that the idiosyncratic style of Isang Yun's Duo for Viola and Piano results from a blending of Eastern and Western musical elements. For this reason, in this document I will analyze and examine the Duo for Viola and Piano, and explain how Yun translated Eastern musical concepts into Western musical techniques.