When I came across this video of Stephen Hough playing his arrangement of the Korean folk song Arirang as an encore at a concert in Seoul, I knew I had to share it with you. It is beautiful. The audience laughs in surprise and delight when they realize what he is playing.
To call Arirang a Korean folk song is an understatement. It is the Korean folk song, an unofficial national anthem, known by folks of all ages. And yet it is many songs; each generation has its own version, each region has its own verses. But the song remains. And it is not only a national treasure: the song’s importance has been recognized by UNESCO, and it is on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Here is a traditional version.
Here is a modern interpretation, still beautiful, but far from traditional, by popular singer Sohyang. You will see people singing along in the audience.
And K-pop fans would chastise me for not including the BTS cover of the song.
The world is filled with wonderful music!
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Image attribution: Image of globe and eighth note via Wikimedia Commons.
Catapulting into Classical 