Music Inspired by Korean Poetry: Sijo Poems in Settings from Classical to Hip-Hop

The sijo is a traditional Korean poetic form typically exploring cosmological, metaphysical, or pastoral themes. Though less familiar than its Japanese cousin, the haiku, Korean sijo has a similarly rich heritage. In ancient Korea, sijo were written to be not only read, but sung. Even after the tradition of singing sijo ended and it became a form of poetry, the sijo was the most popular form of lyric poetry in Korea for over 500 years and is now considered a classic example of traditional Korean fine arts. This performance explores music inspired by sijo through jazz piano, piano/violin and cello/flute duos, and a hip-hop performance by Elephant Rebellion.