The Life and Music of Isang Yun

Abstract

The Life and Music of Isang Yun Edward Park Isang Yun (1917-1995), born in Duksan in Korea, is considered by many Korean and European musicians to be one of the most important of all twentieth-century composers. He spent much of his adult life outside Korea, precipitated by his abduction in Berlin by secret agents from South Korea. This caused him much pain, both physically and psychically, but also lay the groundwork for his returning to Germany to live and start to build a world-renowned reputation. Yun was an enthusiastic nationalist, and his main concerns in later life were of a humanistic nature - namely, what he could contribute to the world as a whole. His music often contained a political message for the South Korean government, with a strong desire for peace around the world. He also dedicated himself to the cultural and political harmony of both North and South Korea. Indeed, he wanted nothing more than to be the catalyst for the reunification of his broken country. Two piano works by Isang Yun, Fünf Klavierstücke and Interludium A, are analyzed and used to show how he developed the twelve-tone technique inherited from Arnold Schönberg into his own special Haupttontechnik, and how he connected his spiritual philosophies with his music. This dissertation will give many readers around the world a more complete understanding and perception of the man, Isang Yun.