Ahn Eak-tai

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Ahn Eak-tai

Korean name
Hangul:	안익태
Hanja:	安益泰
Revised Romanization:	An Ik-tae
McCune-Reischauer:	An Ikt'ae

Ahn Eak-tai (1906-1965) was a Korean classical composer and conductor. He conducted numerous major orchestras across Europe, including the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra^[1]. Ahn composed the Aegukga, now the national anthem of South Korea, Korean Dance^[2], Nongae^[2], and the Symphonic Fantasy Korea. His unpublished works, some of which having been discovered recently, include Poema Synfonic ‘Mallorca, Lo Pi Formentor, and The Death of Emperor Gojong^[2].

1 Early life and education
2 Study in Japan
3 In the United States
4 Europe
5 Return to Korea
6 See also
7 External links
8 References
9 Notes

[edit] Early life and education

Ahn was born in Pyongyang, Korea, on December 5, 1906, as the third son of Ahn Dukhoon (안덕훈). Ahn's family was a branch of the extended family of Ahn Soon-hoong (안순흥), renowned for having produced patriots such as An Chang-ho (안창호) and An Jung-geun (안중근)^[3]. Ahn's father was determined to put his sons under western education, and sent his eldest son Ahn Iksam to attend Japanese schools in Tokyo. Knowing that Ahn was interested in music, his elder brother gave the eight year old a Suzuki violin when he came for a visit during break^[4]. Ahn Iksam later awarded his brother's fervor in his study with music records and a phonograph^[5].

In 1914, at the age of ten, Ahn was admitted to the Pyeongyang Jongro Botong School^[6]. Around the same time, Ahn took interest and excelled in playing the trumpet^[7]. In 1918, Ahn was admitted to the Pyeongyang Soongsil Middle School^[4]. Here he became a member of the orchestra, and Ahn's brother Iksam gave him cello as a reward^[8]. Dr. Mauri, the principal of the school, helped Ahn receive private tutoring for cello during summer under Mr. Greg, a Canadian missionary^[7]^[4].

In 1919, Dr. Mauri led the school orchestra into participating in the nationwide March 1st Movement, which was a Korean effort to protest peacefully against Japanese rule over the Korean peninsula^[9]. From this experience, Ahn gained much interest in patriotism, and began a student-held movement to protest against teachers at the school who taught from the Japanese point of view. However, Dr. Mauri thought this as inappropriate, and punished Ahn for his deeds. Sometime in September, Ahn became involved in an effort to raid a jail in order to rescue the March 1st Movement activists who were caught by the Japanese police. But on one of the meetings, the police came to arrest the participants. Luckily, Ahn escaped without much injury and immediately fled to Dr. Mauri's house. He was treated at Dr. Mauri's hospital for over a week, and Dr. Mauri refused to submit to the requests of the police. Dr. Mauri later visited the police station, and discussed about Ahn's matters with the department head. Impressed by Dr. Mauri's character, the department head agreed to let Ahn bypass imprisonment by forging papers permitting Ahn to study music in Tokyo^[10].

[edit] Study in Japan

On October 6, 1919, Ahn took a train to the port of Pusan and boarded a ship toward Shimonoseki. Living with his brother Iksam, Ahn tried his best to be accepted to a middle school. After many failed attempts, Ahn succeeded in being accepted to Tokyo Seisoku Middle School^[1] when the school principal noted Ahn's extraordinary musical talents^[11].

In 1926, Ahn was accepted to the Kunitachi Music School^[4]. On summer of that year, Ahn returned to Korea as a part of music performance trip to gather funds for the reconstruction of a burned down church. He played his cello in various concerts, including one at Soongsil Middle School. He met various important Koreans, such as Yi Sangjae, the founder of the Dokrip Newspaper and leader of the independence movement activists^[12]. Jo Mansik was another independence movement leader who advocated the use of Korean-made products so that Korea would be able to repay all of its debts. He asked Ahn to lead a demonstration promoting the use of Korean commodities by playing his cello in an automobile; Ahn accepted.

In 1928, Ahn's father died, and his mother was having financial difficulty in providing her five sons education. Therefore, Ahn sought for a job, and was hired in a luxurious restaurant to play his cello^[10]. Even this was not enough to pay for the school tuition, Ahn would not graduate. As Ahn suffered from financial hardship, his friends offered help. His cello-playing friends offered their instruments for Ahn to borrow when he broke his. Ahn was bought a new dress suit by a Korean friend as he could not afford it. A Japanese person who had great respect for Ahn's talents and ambition gave him a new Suzuki violin. And, most of all, Ahn was able to graduate because his teacher Hansford paid for all of Ahn's due school tution fees^[13]. Ahn had a late graduation, and, although it was for one person, it proceeded as if it were for many. When he received his diploma under the eyes of his teachers, Ahn broke into tears. After his graduation, Ahn gave a cello concert, as proposed by his teachers. At this performance, the Japanese newspapers appraised Ahn as "the genius with bright future"^[14].

In May 1930, Ahn returned to Korea after 11 years away from home. He visited Dr. Mauri at his old school, who suggested that Ahn go to the United States to study music, and, after being prohibited by the Japanese police from holding a concert, Ahn decided that he needed to leave Korea to pursuit his goals freely^[15].

[edit] In the United States

Upon arriving in San Francisco, Ahn was checked for his possessions for financial and medical reasons. The officials wanted to sterilize his cello, but Ahn refused to hand it over, and was imprisoned. Ahn asked a prison guard to allow him to have his confiscated cello, and the prison guard complied. Ahn then practiced with his cello, and the prison guard, having decided that such a person did not deserve to be jailed, arranged for Ahn's release the next day^[16].

Back on the streets of San Francisco, Ahn sought for a Korean church introduced by Dr. Mauri. Here Ahn was welcomed by Pastor Hwang and attended a service, in which he heard the first Korean national anthem. It was based on a Scottish song, "Auld Lang Syne"^[17], and Ahn thought it unfit for a national anthem; he was determined to compose a new national anthem for Korea^[18]. As Ahn waited in the train station to head toward Cincinnati, Pastor Hwang gave him a black suitcase, and a fountain pen to write the national anthem^[19].

Pastor Hwang had already contacted Ahn's senior Park Wonjung, now a student in the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. They had both attended Soongsil Middle School and the Kunitachi Music School. Park met Ahn at the train station. Ahn was accepted to the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music^[20]^[4]. To make his living, Ahn played in a restaurant, and, although the pay was only 3 dollars, it was acceptable considering that the United States was recovering from the Great Depression^[21]. In 1930, Ahn became a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra^[4] as the first cellist^[6], and, during the spring break of his second year, Ahn toured around the United States to perform in large cities. One of his concerts was held in Carnegie Hall, and the New York newspapers described his performance with great approbation^[22].

After his successful tour, Ahn decided conductor for his career, and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania^[20]^[4]. A year later, in 1935, Ahn was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music^[4]. Around this time, Ahn was assigned as a conductor of the church choir in Camden Church, and his skill and the success of this church choir became widely known. Ahn's talents reached even Leopold Stokowski's ears, and, after observing one of the choir's performances, the worldly renowned conductor invited Ahn to the Philadelphia Orchestra^[23]. As he studied under Stokowski, he began and finished his work, Symphonic Fantasy Korea. Unfortunately, as his time was consumed into composing music, he was unable to earn money and pay for his rent; he was forced to move out with his belongings. When Mary, a neighboring girl who used to visit Ahn to listen to his cello, learned of this, her father, Mr. Peables, invited him to his house^[24]. Also the Peables gratuitously offered to pay for his rent.

Symphonic Fantasy Korea was accepted to a competition in Carnegie Hall, and Ahn was given the chance to conduct the New York Philharmonic for the work's premiere. However, the general attitude of the orchestra members was full of disrespect for an Asian conductor, and the performance was chaotic. Greatly angered, Ahn threw down his baton. The audience followed with shouts requesting another fresh performance. But Ahn refused, expressing his disappointment at the orchestra^[25]. Upon his return to the Peables family, Mary's father praised Ahn of his actions and apologized on behalf of the Americans. And he also offered to send Ahn to Europe to study and pay for all of tuition fees.

[edit] Europe

On April 8, 1936, Ahn left New York City, and, upon landing on Europe, headed to Berlin. Here he completed the Aegukga and sent it to a Korean Independence Movement organization, the Korean People Meeting, in San Francisco. He also made final touches to the Symphonic Fantasy Korea^[26]. Ahn moved to Vienna in Austria^[6] to study under Bernhard Paumgartner, a famous composer and Beethoven interpreter. In 1937, Ahn went to Hungary to study under Professor Kodai, and applied his teachings specific to Asian music to composing the Symphonic Fantasy Korea^[27]^[4].

In 1937, Ahn was invited to Dublin, Ireland, to perform Symphonic Fantasy Korea. It easily won the Irish audience, as Ireland had been under the British rule as Korea was under the Japanese occupation^[27]. He then went back to Vienna and met with the famous composer Richard Strauss to discuss about Symphonic Fantasy Korea. At the same time, Ahn was attending the University of Budapest with scholarship from the Hungarian government^[28], and, in 1939, Ahn graduated from university. Complimenting on Ahn's talent, Mr. Strauss gave Ahn to conduct a concert in Budapest in place of him^[6]. Unfortunately, Ahn had spent countless hours in preparing for the concert that he collapsed on the last song. Even at this the Hungarian newspapers praised Ahn for his efforts^[29]. At Strauss's recommendation, Rome Philharmonic Orchestra gladly accepted Ahn as its conductor; many other orchestras across Europe followed, and Ahn travelled all over Europe to perform.

In December 1940, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the world's greatest orchestra at the time, invited Ahn^[30]. The German newspapers filled its articles about Ahn with generous praises. He continued to conduct many famous orchestras in Europe; the Japanese government was concerned as his performances included Symphonic Fantasy Korea, ending part of which contained the Aegukga. Once, Ahn was expelled from Italy because he conducted the Rome Philharmonic Orchestra in Symphonic Fantasy Korea^[31]. Then Ahn was invited by the Orchestre de Paris in 1943. But he was forced to leave in 1944, when Paris was liberated from the German forces. He was invited by the Spanish ambassador to conduct for the Orquestra Simfonica de Barcelona^[32].

In a social gathering, Ahn was introduced to Miss Lolita, who had become a fervent fan of Ahn when she had seen a film on one of Ahn's performances^[33]. Miss Lolita began a discussion about the Japanese Occupation of Korea, and Ahn felt very close to her because she understood the situations about his motherland. They promised to meet again. During his stay in Spain, the World War II was over with allied victory, and Korea gained its independence. And on July 5th, 1946, Miss Lolita and Ahn were married^[34]. The two arrived at the island of Majorca^[4], where Ahn founded the The Palma de Mallorca Symphony Orchestra^[35]^[1]. In the same year, he sought to work in the United States, but his past association with Strauss, who was known to be a Nazi party supporter, obstructed his goal for two years; eventually, he was admitted to the Philadelphia Orchestra^[4].

[edit] Return to Korea

On August 15, 1948, Ahn's Aegukga was sung in the ceremony commemorating the establishment of the Korean government. After the Korean War, President Syngman Rhee invited Ahn as a guest to be part of his 80th birthday celebration^[4], and, on February 19, 1955, Ahn returned to his motherland after 25 years away from home^[36]. The military band sang the Aegukga upon Ahn's arrival. Soon after, Ahn was awarded the Cultural Medal of Merit.

Later Ahn was invited by the Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku, and Ahn arrived at Haneda Airport in January 1960^[37]. On the night of February 4, Ahn conducted a concert at the Yaon Hibiya Auditorium. After his success in Tokyo, Ahn flew to Osaka where he held another concert^[38]. Koreans living in Osaka had been divided politically between the North and South; therefore, after the concert, Ahn urged the Korean audience for unity and cooperation^[39]. Later in 1964, Ahn was invited by the NHK broadcast station to conduct a concert during the 1964 Summer Olympics^[40].

After a successful concert in Spain, Ahn organized three successive international music festivals in Seoul^[41], but could not continue the event because it disrupted Ahn's efforts for Korea's new national orchestra^[4], Seoul Philharmonic^[42]. Back on Majorca, Ahn was stricken by a sudden illness and died on September 16, 1965^[43]. On July 8, 1977, Ahn's ashes were transferred from Majorca to the Korean National Cemetery^[1].