Comparative Analysis of Musical Characteristics of Gyeongje Beompae "Bokcheongge" by Branch

Abstract

Baggatchaebi-sori and anchaebi-sori in beompae (Buddhist chant) have been considered as having extremely different musical characteristics. However, as a result of taking a look at the hotsori Bokcheongge as the baggatchaebi-sori and the getakseong Bokcheongge as the anchaebi-sori , substantially similar musical characteristics have been discovered. In addition, the distinguishable musical characteristics have been found out in them. Based on the analysis results, the commonality and distinction can be summarized as follows. In the hotsori Bokcheongge and the getakseong Bokcheongge, common characteristics are observed in the musical elements including tempo and meter, text setting, range, musical structure, kkeukneun-mok (decorative sound) between re'-do', yoseong (vibrating sound), the use of ‘main melody types' (Type A~C), cadence, and tori (melodic mode reflecting the locality). There is somewhat difference in the way of utilizing 'main melody types', but it can be said that it is common that both utilize the ‘main melody types’. Meanwhile, the distinguishable musical characteristics of the hotsori Bokcheongge and getakseong Bokcheongge is that the scale of the hotsori is composed of mi, sol, la, do', re', mi', fa' and sol' while that of the getakseong does not include fa'. This phenomenon is caused by partial transposition that occurred due to the expansion of the vocal range. Since the decorative sound (kkeukneun-mok) between re'-do' becomes sol'-fa' when it is changed to a perfect 4th above, fa' appears as a constituent sound in the hotsori Bokcheongge. On the other hand, in the getakseong Bokcheongge, the vocal range is expanded, but it does not lead to transposition and thus fa' does not appear. The text setting in several ways of making lyrics is the same in both, but two verses of the getakseong are characterized by syllabic setting (one note per syllable). In addition, the jachulineun-sori (singing technique with gradually lowering the melody) is used in hotsori while it is omitted in the getakseong .