The National Gugak Center Court Music Orchestra has revived the elegant melodies of two lost royal court music pieces, “Chihwapyung” and “Chwiponghyang,” with the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). These musical compositions, which were originally created by King Sejong in the 15th century, had only been preserved in written form within the “Annals of King Sejong” following the disruption of their oral transmission.
As the director’s baton commanded a precise rhythm, the ensemble of 17 musicians skilfully blended their sounds: the player struck the janggu drum to set the beat, as the resounding, shaking melodies of the ajaeng string instrument took flight. This performance featured a rich tapestry of rhythms and decorative sounds from instruments like the geomungo zither and the piri flute, offering a long-lost auditory experience of the royal court.
This remarkable concert was the fruit of nearly a year’s collaboration between the National Gugak Center, the AI music company Creative Minds, and the Art & Technology department of Sogang University. Creative Minds developed an evolutionary algorithm to reconstruct the harmonious melodies of “Chihwapyung” and “Chwiponghyang,” using the existing geomungo scores of “Bongraeui’s” dance music “Yeominrak,” which has been passed down since the 16th century, as a foundation for analysis. Sogang University then applied deep learning technology to train the AI with historical musical scores, enabling the completion of melodies for instruments such as the piri and geomungo.
Traditional efforts to restore ancient music were often criticized for subjectivity due to lack of concrete performance details in historical scores, such as tempo and pitch standards. However, the AI approach promises objective reconstruction. The work that would take humans months, AI accomplished in a day, displaying the transformation of sound pitches with remarkable efficiency.
The two AI technologies produced distinct music versions, with the deep learning restorations generally requiring less correction by performers due to higher fidelity, a result of its closer adherence to the traditional Korean musical scale. The geomungo performer, Goboseok, noted that while the evolutionary algorithm versions had some quirks in pitch, enhancing them with traditional ornamentation techniques improved their overall performance.
As the AI restoration technology showcases its potential, professors like Jung Da-saem from Sogang University envision a new wave of compositions that extend the legacy of Korean traditional music. Youngseop Sim, a Korean music composer, predicts that such mathematical expression of music will contribute to the diversification of Gugak, Korea’s traditional music genre.
Important questions and their answers:
1. What are the historical and cultural significances of the musical pieces “Chihwapyung” and “Chwiponghyang”?
These pieces are significant as they are from the 15th century and were created by King Sejong, a key historical figure in Korea recognized for promoting cultural, scientific, and technological advancements. Preserved in written form only, their revival brings back a piece of Korean cultural heritage.
2. How does AI contribute to the restoration of ancient music?
AI uses algorithms and deep learning to analyze existing musical scores and reproduce the lost melodies. This technology can detect patterns, reconstruct pitches, and rhythms that may have been played centuries ago, effectively filling in missing information not provided in historical documentation.
3. What are the contemporary implications of using AI in music restoration and composition?
Restoring music with AI could open avenues for uncovering lost heritage arts and influencing new compositions. It encourages the preservation of history through technology and offers a modern method to experience ancient cultural expressions.
Key challenges or controversies:
There may be questions about authenticity and cultural integrity when using AI to recreate historical music. AI restorations are based on algorithms interpreting incomplete information, which might not fully capture the nuances of historically informed performance practices.
Advantages and Disadvantages:
Advantages:
– Efficiency: AI can process and analyze data faster than human researchers, making the restoration process quicker.
– Objectivity: AI can help minimize subjective interpretations of ancient scores, offering a more standardized rendition based on the data provided.
– Preservation and Discovery: It can unlock access to parts of musical heritage that would otherwise remain silent, inspiring new compositions and cultural appreciation.
Disadvantages:
– Cultural Sensitivity: There might be elements of music that are deeply cultural and contextual which AI may not capture.
– Over-reliance on Technology: Human expertise and interpretation play a significant role in the performance of historical music; an over-reliance on AI might undermine this aspect.
Related links:
Here are relevant links to explore:
– The National Gugak Center: The premier institution for the preservation and promotion of gugak, Korean traditional music.
– Sogang University: One of the leading research and liberal arts universities in South Korea, involved in the AI technology application for the project.
The source of the article is from the blog jomfruland.net