조선후기 음악비평 연구

Abstract

This study is to examine the aspects of the musical criticism of the late Chosŏn dynasty. The findings of this study can be summed up as follows. The critical activities of the aforesaid period are not as diversified and abundant as those of China in term of their quantity and quality. It is also generally held that the music criticism of the same period is not as systemized as that of China. Yet it does not necessarily mean that music criticism was deficient, nor does it mean that musical performances of the period were scanty. The undiversified aspects of music criticism in the late Chosŏn dynasty are attributed largely to the fact that the major concern of the period was not with exploring fundamental nature of classical music. One of the reasons for such a tendency was that almost all of the men of letters and musicians of the period were heavily influenced by the musical philosophy of Confucius, that is, thought of ‘Yeak’ 禮樂 (rites and music). For the same reason, theories on the performance and reception of music were more advanced than critical studies of fundamental aspects of music. Music criticism in the late Chosŏn dynasty emphasized the significance of purified lyrics, the aesthetic qualities of music, the self-reflection through music, and human agonies created by the disparity between ideals and reality. This study is by no means an in-depth analysis of the musical criticism of the late Chosŏn dynasty. Rather, it is a preliminary effort to lay a foundation for a systematic understanding of musical criticism of the period.