Philosophical Approaches to Compositional Technique in Isang Yun\u27s Works for Solo Flute

As modern composers draw on an ever-widening source of inspiration from musical traditions and practices around the world, the music of twentieth-century Korean composers deserves greater recognition and increased performance within Western culture. This is especially true of the works of Korean-German composer Isang Yun (1917-1995), a prolific composer whose output is largely unknown in Korea. This research paper will examines selected works for solo flute by Yun with particular attention to Sori (1988).;Isang Yun studied composition under Tony Aubin (1907-1981) and Pierre Revel (1901-1984) at the Paris Conservatory from 1956-1957. He also studied in West Berlin at the Musikhochschule Berlin (today the Berlin University of Arts) under Boris Blacher (1903-1975), Josef Rufer (1893-1985), and Reinhard Schwarz-Schilling (1904-1985). In 1958, Yun participated in the International Summer Courses of Contemporary Music in Darmstadt, and began his European career with premieres of Music for Seven Instruments (1959) in 1961 and Reak (1966), both of which brought him international recognition.;Yun\u27s works reflect his interest in Eastern philosophy, as studied early in his career and combined with the avant-garde style he developed during his years teaching and studying in Germany. The influences of Taoism, Yin and Yang, Stillness in Motion, and Humanism are prevalent throughout his compositional output. Yun works with these ideas in novel ways and also applies them techniques of other composers, including Haupttontechnik (main tone technique), Hauptklangtechnik (main-sound technique), Tonkomplex (tone complex), Klangfarbenkomposition (sound-color composition), and Umspielung (replay, playing around, or rounding), to create his own unique compositional style. This paper explores in detail his use of these Eastern philosophical concepts as applied to works for solo flute, specifically Sori.