The Music of Africa. of Indigenous African Music. Geography Musical Style Music in Community Life Instruments Traditional Styles

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Egbert Pierce
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1 1 The Music of Africa 2 Geography Musical Style Music in Community Life Instruments Traditional Styles 3 North Africa North Africa is considered to be the part of Africa which is north of the Sahara. Languages and cultures are closely related to those of the Arab world. 4 South Africa South Africa was heavily colonized by Europeans, particularly the British. Some South African musical styles are indigenous and others are European in nature. 5 Central and West Africa These parts of Africa contain the musical styles which are indigenous to Africa Each culture will generally have its own language and style of music m Map of Ethnic Groups Cultures will often create instruments based on what is available The stretch of coast from Senegal to Nigeria has the most drumming and also has the most forests 6 Rural and Urban Africa There are many large cities which are connected by roads and railroads throughout Africa. The popular music of Africa which is a mix of traditional African n music and western pop music comes from the urban centers The traditional music of Africa is still played primarily in the rural areas Urban and Rural Africa 7 Musical Style of Indigenous African Music Agbekor Identify musical characteristics that you hear 8 Musical Characteristics Rhythmic Focus Polyrhythms Ostinato patterns 1

2 Call and Response Improvisation A vocal song will often be the melody Raspy or rattlely tone qualities are usually preferred over pure tone qualities 9 Other Characteristics Tied to the Music Music and dance often go together The music is highly interactive with the dancing The different sections in the music will often correspond with changes c in the dance step The lead drummer will watch the dancer(s) ) and use their motions to influence how he improvises (The lead drummer is a man in most societies, but women can play other drums and musical instruments depending on the society) 10 Music is not typically seen as a performance, but as a part of the t life of the community which has a specific role Drama, costumes, or ceremonial rituals can be tied to the music (or the music can be tied to these events which are the focus) 11 Music In Community Life Music Music has a social function Types Types of music and songs Settings for performances 12 Music Has a Social Function Quote from Kwabena Nketia: In traditional African societies, music making is generally organized as a social event. Public performances, therefore, take place on social occasions that is, on occasions when member of a group or a community come together for the enjoyment of leisure, for recreational activities, or for the performance of a rite, ceremony, festival, or any kind of collective activity, such as building bridges, clearing paths, going on a search party, or putting out fires activities that, in industrialized societies, might be assigned to specialized agencies. Those who get together in such communal activities generally belong to the same ethnic or linguistic group. The basis of association for music making, however, is usually the community, c those members of the ethnic group who share a common habitat and who live some kind of corporate life based on common institutions, common local traditions, and common beliefs and values. 13 Practical comparisons in the U.S. of music with a social function Happy Birthday for birthdays Bridal Chorus by Wagner (a.k.a. Here Comes the Bride ) ) for weddings Christmas Carols to celebrate Christmas It is possible to perform these songs out of context, but if they y are performed out of context everyone listening knows where they are from 14 Types of Music and Songs Work songs Work Song from University of Ghana Map (try to identify what kind of work is being done) Religious songs: for specific deities or religious occasions 2

3 Sidati Aidara Video Clip tabala ensemble, religious music of the Wolof people of Senegal Aluja - Religious song from the Yoruba people of Benin/Nigeria Map to Shango.. The purpose of performing the song is to call the diety (Shango)) to earth to possess the body of a worshipper 15 Praise songs: for royalty or chiefs Fontomfrom - One privilege of chiefs in the Akan societies of Ghana is to own certain musical ensembles and to have them accompany your appearance during festival processions. Fontomfrom is one such royal ensemble. Songs for events: hunting, war, coming of age Makala From the Forest People (also called Pygmies )) of the Central African Republic Map. Makala is a song from a performance event called Mabo which involves music and dance and is associated with net hunting. 16 Settings for Performances Since performances are part of community life and are done with collective activities, a performance can be held anywhere that an activity is held. Traditional African instruments are all small enough to be transported to different event sites It is unusual to have permanent structures in place for performances. Events are generally held in open-air settings. 17 Other members of the event will generally stand very close to the e musicians A full circle or semi-circle with the musicians on one side and dancing in the middle is common There is generally no clear boundary or space between the musicians and the audience Drumming and Dancing Video Clip Participation is invited and expected of everyone (people are not t seated & quiet) In an informal work song, everyone can participate by adding another rhythm or singing In call and response portions of a song, everyone can sing on the e response In community events participation is invited through dancing and clapping 18 Instruments Idiophones Instruments which are shaken, struck, or scraped Membranophones Instruments with a stretched membrane which is struck (drums) Aerophones Instruments which use air and are blown into Chordophones Instruments with strings which are strummed or plucked 19 Shaken Idiophones 20 Struck Idiophone 21 Tuned Idiophones 22 1 Headed Membranophones 3

4 23 2 Headed Membranophone 24 Aerophones Reed Pipe has 1 or 2 reeds 25 Aerophones 26 Horn sound produced by buzzing lips Aerophones Flute air blown across a wedge into the instrument 27 Chordophones Zither - Horizontal Strings 28 Chordophones Lute strings run parallel to neck 29 Chordophones Harp has a curved neck 30 Chordophones Harp Lute strings raised above neck by a bridge 31 Chordophones Lyre strings run from a yoke to a resonator 32 Case Studies in Traditional African Music 33 Mbira Mbira music of the Shona people Amadinda music from Uganda Gahu music of the Ewe people Djembe music from the Maninka people History of the Instrument From Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) Map Played by the Shona people - a tribe belonging to the Bantu-speaking people who live in central and southern Africa and number about 60 million The mbira is also known as kalimba, sansa,, and thumb piano - Magonde uses an instrument named Njari dza MaNjanja Construction of the Instrument Metal reeds of various lengths produce pitches, arranged in two manuals to accommodate more reeds Mbira Tuning System A wooden box serves as a resonator; although, sometimes a gourd is attached Mbira Sometimes a buzz is added by nailing bottle caps to the resonating ng box or by attaching snail shells Nhemamusasa 34 Performance Practice 4

5 Played using both thumbs as well as the right hand index finger One person provides both the melody and the accompaniment Magonde The World of Music CD2, Track 7 Performed on the Njari dza MaNjanja a type of mbira 35 Amadinda History of the Instrument From Uganda Map - played by the Baganda tribe from the southern part of the country One of the principal musical instruments along with the Akadinda (larger xylophone with 17 or 22 bars) Construction of the Instrument Materials Bars - Lusambya or Mukerembo wood Frame - banana stems and cord (historically a player would carry his bars whenever he went but would cut new banana stems to restring his instrument after each move) Tuning 12 bars, tuned pentatonically The tuning in Africa equally divides the octave more evenly across the 5 notes Performance Practice The Parts The Okunaga player sits with the larger bars on his right. This part consists sts of melodies containing 5 notes, but played in octaves. The Okwawula player sits with the larger bars on his left, across from the Okunaga player. This part also consists of melodies containing 5 notes and played in octaves The Okukonera player sits to the right of the Okwawula player. This part consists of melodies containing 2 notes. The Music Most Amadinda songs consist of cycles of 12, 18, or 24 notes in the Okunaga and Okwawula parts. These parts are played without improvisation The Okunaga part begins the piece. The Okwawula enters next, fitting each of its notes inbetween those of the Okunaga.. The goal is for the Omwawuzi to reorient himself rhythmically so that he is thinking of his part as the beat The last part to be added is the Okukonera.. This is played on the top two notes of the amadinda.. A piece is judged by the quality of the Okukonera part - if the part is rhythmically interesting by itself, the composition ion is felt to be properly composed Ennyana Ekutudde (The calf has broken loose) x x x x Okunaga Okwawula Okukuonera Ekyuma ekya Bora (The swinging machine of Bora) x x x x Okunaga Okwawula Okukuonera Ewe Drumming General Information about the Style From Ghana, West Africa Full Map of Africa West Africa Map Showing People Groups Musical performance in Ewe society is a synthesis of vocal and instrumental i music, dance, costumes, and drama. Ewe people have a large repertory of pieces for religious worship, events e of the life cycles, and festivals. 39 Gahu Translates literally as airplane (ga = iron, hu = vehicle) Occasions for performance include important group meetings, life cycle rituals, festivals, and visits by dignitaries According to Kobla Ladzekpo, Gahu was created by Yoruba speakers of Benin and Nigeria as a form of o satirical commentary on modernization in Africa. Performers poked fun at the pompous manners of Africans who had been to Europe or who turned their back on African tradition tion and affected European ways... Gideon 5

6 Alorwoyie says that the dance was first brought to Ghana in the early 1950 s s by a man from the town of Anlo- Afiadenyigba.. Mr. Alorwoyie stresses that the piece became especially popular among young people p because of the playfully erotic, fun-loving quality of its music and dance and the gorgeous style of its costuming Instruments Drums Lead drum: boba or atsimevu largest drums, played by master drummer, gives calls. calls. He determines the duration and order of the preplanned sections of the dance and since s he must inspire the drummers to create music of great power, it is upon him that the liveliness and beauty of the e dancers movements ultimately depends. Interation between drummers and dancers is vital to spontaneous creativity. The lead drummer watches the dancers and responds musically to their movements, just as they answer kinesthetically to his rhythmic calls. Kaganu smallest drum, played without variation Sogo largest of the accompaniment drums, played with improvisation Kidi mid-sized accompaniment drum, played with improviation Rattle: axatse Bell: gankogui Gahu Ensemble Image Gahu Rhythm Gahu - Full Ensemble Gankogui part (establishes the time cycle) Gankogui part Axatse part Axatse part Sogo part Sogo part Kidi part Kidi part Kaganu part Kaganu part Kinka Section (Sogo and Kidi parts change) Kinka Section 42 Djembe Drumming History of the Instrument The djembe originated with the Maninka people from a region called Mande,, which covers the southeast corner of Mali and the northeast corner of Guinea. Among the Maninka there was a blacksmith caste, known as the numu,, who created the djembe. Since the creation of the djembe,, it has spread to the neighboring countries of Senegal, Ivory coast, c and Burkina Faso to a large degree, and worldwide to a smaller degree. The playing of the djembe is not restricted - it may be played by anyone. A gifted child wanting to learn the djembe will begin an apprenticeship at an early age. If he acquires an acceptable level of technique of the next 8 to 10 years, he will then be taught the lead lines. Some players never reach this level and serve only as accompaniment players. The djembe may be played during celebrations, ritual events, and other social functions. It has little or no use in religious rituals Instruments in the Ensemble Lead djembe - musical director, plays and cues breaks, plays solos which interact with dancers. Accompaniment djembes - typically 3 accompaniment parts which should be played on djembes with 3 different pitches. Doundouns - doundounba, sangban, kenkeni.. Low drums which accompany. Bells - played by the doundoun players with a metal rod or a metal nut Doundounba Video Clip Mendiani Rhythm Young women dance to this rhythm as they return home after a period of initiation. It serves to welcome them into the tribe as adult women. Another author states that the rhythm is played to test the skills of the dancers, who are pre-adolescent girls. The best dancer 6

7 45 46 End is initiated into the secret society of Mendiani.. Both contexts are probably accurate but based on research in different communities. CoucouCoucou Rhythm Often played after a great harvest of either fish or rice. The dance of Coucou is physically demanding so it is also played for children to encourage strength and vitality. Within other groups it may be played for full moon celebrations. Doundoun parts Kenkeni part Sangban part Doundounba part 7

AFRICAN MUSIC AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

AFRICAN MUSIC AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Music is important in the life of African people. In America, we tend to be spectators or listeners. Nearly everyone in Africa sings and plays one or two instruments.