Brilliant A
2022
Single-channel video, stereo or multi-channel sound
16 minutes 56 seconds
This work delves into the history of how the pitch “A,” used as the standard for tuning most modern instruments in orchestras and other musical contexts, became fixed at a frequency of 440Hz. It also examines how the pitch has been set continually upwards over time, driven by human auditory preferences for “brighter” sounds. Apparent influences include the competition among instrument makers, who sought to capitalize on the demand for such sounds, as well as the practice of military bands in Europe and the United States, which aimed to send sound over long distances to boost troop morale.
The work further reconstructs the speculative moment when the standard pitch A was introduced to Korea. The delivery process of a piano is recreated based on historical materials from the early 20th century, which document the arrival of the first piano in the city of Daegu, brought by an American missionary.
The introduction of the piano marked a pivotal shift in the theories and aesthetics of sound instilled in Koreans’ aural perceptions at the time, sparking a series of acoustic collisions that arose as the ear for traditional music gave way to the ear attuned to Western sounds. Through this reconstruction, the work explores the symbolic significance of the Western piano that brought the pitch “A” into Korean society.
Winner of the Korean Shorts Award at the 2023 Jecheon International Music & Film Festival
(KR)
2022
Single-channel video, stereo or multi-channel sound
16 minutes 56 seconds
This work delves into the history of how the pitch “A,” used as the standard for tuning most modern instruments in orchestras and other musical contexts, became fixed at a frequency of 440Hz. It also examines how the pitch has been set continually upwards over time, driven by human auditory preferences for “brighter” sounds. Apparent influences include the competition among instrument makers, who sought to capitalize on the demand for such sounds, as well as the practice of military bands in Europe and the United States, which aimed to send sound over long distances to boost troop morale.
The work further reconstructs the speculative moment when the standard pitch A was introduced to Korea. The delivery process of a piano is recreated based on historical materials from the early 20th century, which document the arrival of the first piano in the city of Daegu, brought by an American missionary.
The introduction of the piano marked a pivotal shift in the theories and aesthetics of sound instilled in Koreans’ aural perceptions at the time, sparking a series of acoustic collisions that arose as the ear for traditional music gave way to the ear attuned to Western sounds. Through this reconstruction, the work explores the symbolic significance of the Western piano that brought the pitch “A” into Korean society.
Winner of the Korean Shorts Award at the 2023 Jecheon International Music & Film Festival
(KR)
#1-3 Installation View at SONGEUN, Seoul (Photo by Jihyun Jung)
#4-8 Still cut
1 min Video Excerpt