ABSTRACT
SamulNori established a genre, samulnori. They did so by creating a set of discrete pieces. These pieces gave the first quartet considerable authority. The pieces were shared among emerging groups, and the pieces remain intact today. From their first performance in February 1978, within a period of 15 months SamulNori premiered three pieces. All three descend from the music of local percussion bands and itinerant troupes. The three represent the band traditions of distinct geographical regions, using rhythmic structures from, respectively, the central Ch'ungch’ŏng and Kyŏnggi provinces in the first, ‘Uttari kut’ (or ‘Uttari nongak’, ‘Uttari p'ungmul’, and other variations on the name), the south-eastern Kyŏngsang provinces in the second, ‘Yŏngnam nongak’, and the south-western Chŏlla provinces in the third, ‘Honam udo nongak’ (udo as in ‘right style’). Taken together, these three comprise an inner canon. Two link, in their inspiration and development, to members of the quartet. The first took itinerant troupe rhythmic structures particularly well known to Kim Yongbae, who had been born in Nonsan near Taejŏn in South Ch'ungch’ŏng province. It revived a title, uttari (‘bridge’ or ‘leg’), designating parts of Ch'ungch’ŏng but also the Kyŏnggi area moving northwards towards Seoul. The second was premiered as two brothers, Ch'oe Chongshik and Ch'oe Chongshil, joined the quartet, and originated in their home region, South Kyŏngsang province, arranging the structures of the Samch’ŏnp'o and Chinju percussion band they had played with as children.
