On the creation and development of wind instruments in our country

From ancient times our ancestors have made remarkable progress in the field of instrumental music.

In those days our ancestors made and used new kinds of wind instruments, called "Doppy Pipe", made out of the bark of peach trees, along with horns, daggers, pipes made out of avian bones, drums, etc., which had been handed down from the primitive times.

Typical national instruments were newly produced and tens of kinds of musical instruments were widely used in musical activities. During the period, the number of wind instruments, stringed instruments, percussion instruments that were handed down from ancient times added up to more than 40 kinds including newly created national musical instruments: kayagum (a nineteen-stringed Korean harp), komungo (a Korean lute), fife, tungso (a Korean six-haled bamboo flute), janggu (an hourglass drum), etc.

In the field of instrumental music during the period of Koryo, the number of musical instruments increased and diversified further, and in particular, the great progress was made in instrumental performance.

The court music became the main part of the instrumental music during that period, but the instrumental performance of the professional private artistes called "Sandae Musicians" also took an important place.

By the musicians, the "Six Musical Instruments," a folk instrumental ensemble was formed.

In the mid-15th to 19th centuries, more than 60 kinds of instruments were used in musical practice, and the newly created tanso (a Korean short bamboo flute) was widely used, thus occupying an important place in national instrumental music.

In this manner, the development of wind instruments in our country has been created and developed through a long history since the ancient times and has played a great role in inheriting and further developing the time-honored traditions of our nation.