THE MUSICAL STYLE AND COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUE OF YOUNG-JO LEE, AS REFLECTED IN HIS VIOLIN COMPOSITIONS “HONZA NORI” FOR SOLO VIOLIN AND “DOORI NORI” FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to create a performance guide for Young-Jo Lee's violin works, Honza Nori for solo violin and Doori Nori for violin and piano, and to introduce his work to a wider audience. This study contains a biography of the composer and a compositional analysis that shows how Lee includes the concepts and techniques of Korean traditional music in his violin pieces. In this analysis, I will identify the composer's characteristic style, inspired by Korean compositional techniques, traditional Korean instruments and their characteristics. Additionally, the incorporation of Asian philosophy, and Taoism in particular, into Lee's music will be examined and cited throughout, demonstrating how Lee employs these ideas to create compositional techniques that differ from other twentieth century Asian composers. Lee is one of the most significant Korean composers living today and is known for combining Eastern and Western musical styles. He utilizes the core of Korean traditional music and performance practice and applies this to his compositions in a distinctive style that amalgamates both Western and Eastern (particularly Korean) musical traditions. Lee creates a balance between his native heritage and his knowledge of Western traditions, and he extracts his distinctive compositional ideas from various genres of Korean music, such as court royal music, traditional folk music, harvest music, Pansori, Samul nori, and Korean zither music. Lee is also interested in Western compositional techniques such as twelve-tone technique and chromaticism, which he combines with his knowledge of Korean traditional music and its techniques to create various works in a unique and distinctive fashion.