박헌봉은 우리나라 민간음악 수립에 있어서 기틀을 세운 인물로, 민속음악의 발전과 부흥을 위해 다방면적으로 연구하였다. 기존 학계에서는 박헌봉의 생애와 전반적인 업적에 대한 중요성을 강조하지만 보다 구체적인 연구와 검토는 이루어지지 않았다. 본고는 박헌봉의 업적을 1) 국악조직창설 및 관련활동, 2) 국악예술학교 교육 및 산하 기관 창설, 3) 『창악대강』 편찬 등 저술활동, 4) 민요채집 및 무형문화재 조사 연구 등 네 가지 항목으로 분류하여 논의를 전개하였으며, 기존에 발표된 논저와 연구 및 기사를 토대로 보다 명확한 활동 사항을 정리하고 재검토하는데 목적을 두었다. 박헌봉은 1940년대부터 본격적으로 음악활동을 시작하였는데, 그의 활동은 ‘민속악의 발전과 부흥’을 지향하고 있음을 보여준다. 자신의 위치를 활용하여 여러 국악조직을 창설하면서 국악예술학교를 설립하기 위한 자금을 마련하였다. 국악예술학교를 설립한 이후 학교 내에 연구기관을 설립하였는데, 국악연구소에서 개량한 악기를 국악관현악단을 통해 시연하는 자리를 가졌다. 그는 민속음악의 보존을 위해 『창악대강』을 집필함으로써 민속음악의 한 장르로서 판소리와 단가를 창가로 정의하였으며, 이에 대한 음악 이론을 규명하고 정리하는 작업을 가졌다. 또한 전국적으로 다니면서 명창들의 민요를 녹음하고 채보하는 작업을 거쳐서 음반을 보유하고 있었으며 이후 방송국, TV, 국악학교를 통해 재현하는 기반을 마련하였다. 그가 문화재위원으로 활동할 당시에는 문화재 발굴 및 조사사업을 통해 무형문화재를 전국적으로 조사하고 등록하였는데, 그가 무형문화재 보고서를 작성할 때 역사와 형태 및 특징을 상세히 기록하여 민속악의 중요성과 가치를 더욱 부각시켰다고 할 수 있다. 민속음악을 전승하기 위한 박헌봉의 활동양상은 행정적, 교육적, 이론적 차원에서 이루어졌다고 할 수 있다.
A figure who laid the foundation for the establishment of folk music in South Korea, Pak Hŏn-bong (1907-1977) conducted research in various fields on the development and revival of traditional Korean folk music. While existing scholarship has stressed the importance of his life and overall achievements, more concrete research and examination have not been performed. The present study proceeds with discussions by classifying Pak’s accomplishments into four categories: 1) the creation of organizations for traditional Korean music and engagement in related activities; 2) education through the National School of Traditional Arts (present-day National Middle and High Schools of Traditional Arts) and the establishment of subordinate organs; 3) the authorship of works including the compilation of An Outline of Traditional Folk Vocal Music (Ch’ang’ak Taegang); and 4) the collection of traditional Korean folk songs and investigative research on intangible cultural heritage. Based on existing works, research, and articles, it aims at synthesizing and reexamining his activities more accurately. Pak began full-fledged musical activities in the 1940s, and they aimed at the development and revival of traditional Korean folk music. By using his position to create diverse organizations for traditional Korean music, he obtained the funds to establish the National School of Traditional Arts. Following the establishment of the National School of Traditional Arts, Pak founded a research organ called the Traditional Music Research Center within the school and modernized traditional Korean instruments, which he demonstrated with traditional Korean orchestras as well. By authoring An Outline of Traditional Folk Vocal Music for the preservation of traditional Korean folk music, he defined both p’ansori (dramatic musical storytelling) and tanga (short warm-up songs sung before p’ansori performances) as ch’angga (songs), a genre in traditional Korean folk music, and elucidated and synthesized musical theories on them. In addition, Pak possessed albums created by recording and transcribing folk songs performed by master singers throughout the nation and laid the foundation for subsequently recreating or replaying them through broadcasting stations, television, and the National School of Traditional Arts. While serving as a member of the governmental Cultural Properties Committee, he investigated and registered intangible cultural heritage across the country through the excavation and investigation of cultural heritage, and it can be said that he further highlighted the importance and value of traditional Korean folk music by recording in detail the history, forms, and characteristics when composing reports on intangible cultural heritage. Pak endeavored to establish the correct foundation of traditional Korean music by serving as the first principal of the National School of Traditional Arts and educating students. His musical activities focused on consolidating the identity of traditional national culture, and he played a considerable role as a theoretician in preserving and transmitting traditional Korean music as well. Pak’s activities to transmit traditional Korean folk music can be seen as having thus occurred on administrative, educational, and theoretical levels.