A Study of Dong-Jin Park’s Pansori Danga “Gwangdaega”: Focusing on Musical Characteristics

“Gwangdaega,” a Pansori danga (短歌), is a short song written by Jae-Hyo Shin during the late Joseon Dynasty. It is the only lyric that suggests an aesthetic theory about Gwangdaega Pansori. Danga acts as a short prelude that helps the singer relieve his throat and warm up his voice before singing Pansori with a long narrative structure. “Gwangdaega,” a short song translated as “The Song of Clowns,” was handed down only as an editorial; however, Pansori singers began to compose and sing it. The source on which master singer Dong-Jin Park relied when singing “Gwangdaega” in the early 1990s is extant. Dong-Jin Park’s danga “Gwangdaega” presents the four virtues of a clown, the law of the clown’s voice, and a comparison of the eight master singers with writers of the Tang and Song Dynasties of China. The major musical characteristic of “Gwangdaega” is that it utilizes Ujo, Pyeongjo, and Gyemeonjo. The lower vocal range is expanded to a wide range of two octaves and a temporary transposition and modulation four notes higher are also used. In addition, there are cases where the do sound is shed without breaking it and the re sound is floated. An analysis of the cadences employed reveals that the ascending and homophonic cadences are more frequently used than the descending cadence. In all the cadences, mainly do and sol are used as ending sounds, and in the ascending cadence, sounds from re to mi are used. For the Buchimsae, Daemadi-Daejangdan and various Buchimsae were used. Dong-Jin Park’s danga “Gwangdaega” has a musical composition where various tones, melodies, rhythms, and Jagndan Buchimsae are used depending on the content of the editorial. This musical change shows a melodic progression with repetitions of tension and relaxation. Most of the original danga sori consists of Pyeongjo or Ujo; therefore, it is a melody resembling those that is sung with a sunny or calm feeling or a strong and energetic musical motif. Dong-Jin Park later performed “Gwangdaega” with various melodies and Buchimsae. He expresses his artistry through various techniques of Pansori music.