There are a couple of surprises in today's Libertango video. While it may not be surprising to find Libertango at a wedding party, it is surprising when the bride also turns out also to be the Libertango pianist. And she is a very good pianist; if she is not a professional musician, she could be. The second surprise arrives when two sohaegeums (sometimes spelled as sohegum) join the pianist. The sohaegeum is an unusual instrument developed in North Korea in the 1960's. The instrument combines the four strings of a violin with the vertical fiddle form of the haegum (the Korean version of the more familiar erdu). The instrument is little known and rarely seen or heard outside of North Korea. There is only a glimpse of the sohaegeum in the Libertango video but after you have enjoyed this unusual rendition of Piazzolla's greatest hit, I encourage you to watch a second video from the same wedding where the bride and the sohaegeumists play Hibari. You will get a better view of the sohaegeum and be sure to watch the action which begins at 3'40" into the video. This was one glorious wedding with wonderful music.
To YongHee and HyangSook, I wish a long and happy marriage. May you enjoy together the music of Astor Piazzolla for many years.
If the video does not appear below, click here.
To learn more about Piazzolla videos, visit the Piazzolla Video site.
You can learn more about the sohaegeum and see a very nice video featuring a sohaegeum duet with piano at this site. In fact, the sohaegeumists may be the same as those at the wedding.
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