The purpose of this treatise is to examine compositions for Western instruments in which composers of yangak (Western-style music) express Korean identity and to determine how they integrate Korean traditional elements into their music and use them to cultivate their own musical language. Since Western music was introduced to Korea toward the end of the nineteenth century, musical culture in Korea has been described as a conflict between Western music and Korean traditional music. In the 1960s a new generation of kugak composers appeared, and yangak composers were inspired to incorporate elements of Korean traditional music into their compositions.
This treatise investigates the attempts of selected Korean composers to synthesize these two different musical traditions from Western Europe and Korea. Following a review of the history of twentieth-century musical compositions in South Korea is a brief discussion of the elements of Korean traditional music in five categories: rhythm, melody, ornamentation, instruments, and form. In addition, the analysis of three selected works is focused on the musical elements of Korean contemporary music and the ways of combining or recreating Korean traditional elements in music for Western instruments: Piri for Oboe Solo by Yun Isang, Nong fûr Flõte und Klavier by Kang Sukhi, and Piano Sanjo No. 2 by Yoo Byung-Eun.
