A form or hammered dulcimer, this traditional Korean instrument, with a flat and trapezoidal shape, has seven sets of four metal strings hit by thin bamboo stick. It differs from other similar traditional instruments in not having silk strings. The yanggeum is also called seoyanggeum ("Western stringed instrument") or gura cheolsageum (歐邏鐵絲琴,"European metal stringed instrument"), wih an origin is based on a South Asian instrument called the santoor. It was introduced to Korea in the 18th century from China.
Let’s see it demonstrated by a variety of musicians, first by Gilsu Yun:
Now Hwang Gina:
And a duet:
The instrument features heavily in a variety of traditional and modern crossover genres. Firstly, here’s the Korean progressive rock/gugak fusion band Dongyang Gozupa playing their track Speed of Light:
And here is Cha Yeon Hui with a stirring rendition of the famous traditional piece, Parting Heart (떠나는 마음), beginning slowly, but then showing, with great skill, how the instrument can capture brilliant, faster, percussive melodies.
So then, any further yanggeum examples your own music library? Feel free also to share anything related whether in music or wider culture, such as from film, art, or other contexts, in comments below.
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