Phiri (a Korean flute) is a national musical instrument that the Korean people have widely used from the primitive ages.
Though simple in form, its tone colour is clear.
The relic of phiri made with animal’s bone and unearthed in the cultural layer of the Bronze Age in Sophohang in the city of Rason, recognized as one from 3 000 BC, shows that the Korean nation used wind instruments from the early times.
In the primitive and ancient times, they made phiri with bird’s leg bone and bark of peach tree and in the Middle Ages, with bamboo and reed.
In the period of Koryo (918–1392), phiri was widely disseminated as a famous instrument among people of all walks of life, including peasants, fishermen, cow herds and even scholars.
In the period of feudal Joson dynasty (1392–1910), the folk music became richer in its kinds and forms, but phiri kept its leading position in musical presentation and sustained the lyrical colour not only in instrumental ensemble but also in accompaniment for folk dances including sword dance and mask dance and folk dramas including puppet performance.
Phiri underwent modernization after the liberation of the country on August 15, 1945 thanks to the policy of the Workers’ Party of Korea on developing national musical instruments in keeping with the demands of the modern times.
Thus, phiri with different musical ranges was developed, including as sophiri (small phiri ), taephiri (big phiri ), joumphiri (bass phiri ), etc.
And these instruments became clearer and softer in their sounds, and as they have 12 temperaments, they can play any kind of music.
As an alto and bass instrument, taephiri is used in playing an ensemble, orchestral music and solo. Joumphiri is used as an important bass instrument in playing orchestral music.
Today phiri is widely used in the cultural and emotional life of the Korean people.
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