Gougalon by Unsuk Chin - Composer notes

"Goufalon does not refer directly to the dilettante and shabby music of that street theatre (see Boosey and Hawkes Gougalon edition). It would also be an error to believe that this piece is ‘about’ Korea or ‘about’ a certain era - I doubt that music is able express anything other than itself. The memories described above merely provide a framework, just as the movement headings are not intended to be illustrative. Gougalon is an ‘imaginary folk music’ that is stylised, broken within itself, and only apparently primitive.”