[KS] Re: Korean National Anthem

[Keith Howard]

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In response to Horace Underwood:

So far as I am aware, the Aegukka (National Anthem) first, but briefly, set
Korean words to the music of the British anthem (this is not that
surprising, given that the whole notion of an anthem ties in with
international exposure). This was first used, according to Korean
musicologists, on 9 May 1896. Auld Lang Syne was adopted when the
foundation stone was laid for Tongnip mun, the Independence Gate (was this
in November 1896?). Franz Eckert was indeed commissioned to write a melody,
and he did so. It was published in 1902 with a frontespiece reading:
'Kaiserlich Koreanische Nationalhymne', and on the inside cover there are
texts in both Korean and German:

Sangdaen=FBn uri hwangder=FBl... [Gott besch=FCtze unsern Kaiser...]

Note that Eckert was in Japan before Korea, and there he composed a
Japanese 'national hymn', 'Kimikayo'.

The anthem used in South Korea today, Tonghae mulga, was composed in Europe
in 1936 by Eaktay Ahn and popularized as the finale to his 1938 work,
Symphonic Fantasia, Korea. Ahn studied with both Dohnanyi and Richard
Strauss. In Ahn's biographies, where the Hungarian Dohnanyi influence is
played down we may assume this is a reflection of Dohnanyi's Nazi
sympathies.

The current North Korean anthem dates from 1947 and was written by Kim
W=F4n'gyun (b.1917). Kim, who claims that in the 1940s he was a farmer with
no musical training, was sent to Moscow to study under Khatchaturian just
before the outbreak of the Korean war.

Keith Howard

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>Charles Armstrong wrote:
>>"An Ikt'ae, composer of the Korean National Anthem (previously sung to
>>the tune of "Auld Lang Syne," as we all know), for example, studied under
>>Richard Strauss in Austria in the 1930s."
>
>In the book, "The Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery at Yanghwajin: An Informal
>History," Ambassador Karl Leuteritz is quoted from an address to the RAS in
>1979 as saying of Franz Eckert (who is buried at Yanghwajin):  "In 1902 he
>was commissioned to compose a new national anthem, and for his successful
>efforts he was awarded the 'Taiguk Order, 3rd class' in 1903."
>
>Anyway, Seoul Union Church not long ago put up a marker commemorating the
>achievement of Franz Eckert.  It would have been nice to have gotten it
>right.  Who composed what?
>
>Horace H. Underwood

Dr Keith Howard
Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies and Music
SOAS,Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square,
London WC1H 0XG, UK
Tel: 020 7898 4687;  Fax: 020 7898 4699; EMail: kh at soas.ac.uk
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In response to Horace Underwood:


So far as I am aware, the <italic>Aegukka</italic> (National Anthem)
first, but briefly, set Korean words to the music of the British anthem
(this is not that surprising, given that the whole notion of an anthem
ties in with international exposure). This was first used, according to
Korean musicologists, on 9 May 1896.<italic> Auld Lang Syne</italic>
was adopted when the foundation stone was laid for <italic>Tongnip
mun</italic>, the Independence Gate (was this in November 1896?). Franz
Eckert was indeed commissioned to write a melody, and he did so. It was
published in 1902 with a frontespiece reading: 'Kaiserlich Koreanische
Nationalhymne', and on the inside cover there are texts in both Korean
and German:


Sangdaen=FBn uri hwangder=FBl... [Gott besch=FCtze unsern Kaiser...]


Note that Eckert was in Japan before Korea, and there he composed a
Japanese 'national hymn', 'Kimikayo'.

=20

The anthem used in South Korea today, <italic>Tonghae mulga</italic>,
was composed in Europe in 1936 by Eaktay Ahn and popularized as the
finale to his 1938 work, <italic>Symphonic Fantasia, Korea</italic>.
Ahn studied with both Dohnanyi and Richard Strauss. In Ahn's
biographies, where the Hungarian Dohnanyi influence is played down we
may assume this is a reflection of Dohnanyi's Nazi sympathies.=20


The current North Korean anthem dates from 1947 and was written by Kim
W=F4n'gyun (b.1917). Kim, who claims that in the 1940s he was a farmer
with no musical training, was sent to Moscow to study under
Khatchaturian just before the outbreak of the Korean war.


Keith Howard


---


>Charles Armstrong wrote:

>>"An Ikt'ae, composer of the Korean National Anthem (previously sung
to

>>the tune of "Auld Lang Syne," as we all know), for example, studied
under

>>Richard Strauss in Austria in the 1930s."

>

>In the book, "The Seoul Foreigners' Cemetery at Yanghwajin: An
Informal

>History," Ambassador Karl Leuteritz is quoted from an address to the
RAS in

>1979 as saying of Franz Eckert (who is buried at Yanghwajin):  "In
1902 he

>was commissioned to compose a new national anthem, and for his
successful

>efforts he was awarded the 'Taiguk Order, 3rd class' in 1903."

>

>Anyway, Seoul Union Church not long ago put up a marker commemorating
the

>achievement of Franz Eckert.  It would have been nice to have gotten
it

>right.  Who composed what?

>

>Horace H. Underwood=20



Dr Keith Howard

Senior Lecturer in Korean Studies and Music

SOAS,Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square,=20

London WC1H 0XG, UK

Tel: 020 7898 4687;  Fax: 020 7898 4699; EMail: kh at soas.ac.uk

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