Kkwaenggwari

The kkwaenggwari is a small, brass gong that has a diameter of approximately 19 to 22 cm (7½ to 8½ in), and a rim of approximately 3 to 4 cm (1½ in). It is played with a wooden mallet with a bare wooden disc attached at the tip. The length of the mallet may vary, depending on the purpose of the music, but it is thinner than the mallet used for the ching (large gong). The kkwaenggwari is sometimes known as the sogŭm, literally “small metal.” Nowadays, the kkwaenngwari is made of a combination of copper and zinc, its tone much clearer when the percentage of copper is higher (60-70%). Kkwaenggwaris with a larger percentage of zinc produce a lower, darker tone that does not resonate as well.

There are two types of kkwaenggwari that are identified as male and female. The su-kkwaenggwari (male) is a higher pitched instrument, while the am-kkwaenggwari (female) produces a smoother, lower-pitched tone. Because of its sound penetration, the su-kkwaenggwari is usually used as the lead instrument in farmer’s band music. The am-kkwaenggwari is sometimes used by the pusoe, the “2^nd leader,” and complements the sound of the su-kkwaenggwari that is played by the sangsoe. As a pair, the two kkwaenggwari reflect the principle of ŭm-yang (yin-yang) that represents the balance between dark and light.

The origins of the kkwaenggwari are not certain. However, it seems to have been in use by the time of the unified Silla Dynasty of Korea (668-935 A.D.), though some scholars believe it to have emerged during the Koryŏ period (918-1392 A.D.) The kkwaenggwari is used as the lead instrument in shamanistic music, in p’ungmul nori (farmer’s band music), and in the contemporary concert hall adaptation of p’ungmul nori known as samul nori.

Along with the changgo (hourglass drum), ching (large gong), and puk (barrel drum), the kkwaenggwari is one of the four basic instruments in p’ungmul nori and samul nori percussion ensembles.

The kkwaenggwari is held in one hand with varying grips (loose or firm) that allow for a contrast in tone and articulation as it is struck with the mallet. In addition to varying the grip of the kkwaenggwari, the player can also manipulate tone production by damping the gong with the middle, ring, and pinky fingers, which produces different sounds that mark rhythmic cycles and signal changes in rhythm patterns as well as tempi. Unlike the ching (large gong), its rhythmic technique and patterns are complex. The lead kkwaenggwari player, known as the sangsoe, functions as the head of an ensemble (usually a percussion ensemble) and leads the others in the accompanying dance movements as well as the music.

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