Week 12 - Africa Birthplace of mankind Separation of North and South due to divide of Sahara Until 100 Sub saharan had no literacy tradition Oral-aural culture Music tied to social context and religious custom

Ancestors Central to mores of Sub-saharan society is belief that moral life of community is watched over by the ancestors. Ancestors communicate through music – in particular drum. Music strengthens moral values that inform community life.

Functions of Music Deters individual or community misfortunes. Intrinsic to age-set ceremonies Important for obtaining happiness Without music to organise community events society is dead.

Aesthetics Africans judge musical performance not so much for entertainment as social relevance. Songs for all activities. How well does the music aid and effect the activity? Music both practical and aesthetic. Praise-singing and aural history is bound up in music.

Regional Difference Big differences between city and rural areas. Cities have evolved hybrid musics based on blend of traditional and western. Traditional areas have retained more of their traditions. Religious divides in most areas. Islam and Christianity vie with traditional gods and spirits.

Islam South of Sahara Both in East and West Africa and especially in desert and coastal areas. Big effect of slavery across Africa – Islamic culture used and accepted slaves long before the Europeans. Mixed cultures that are both Islamic and African are particularly rich culturally – the islamisation was often only a matter of convenience to avoid slavery. Example of Sudan

European Intervention Originally Portuguese, then Dutch, then British,French and Germans in a big carve up in the 19 th century. Colonisation set Africans against africans. European armies included lots of Africans. Example of Boers. Partitioning of Africa by European powers in the 19 th century is still in place dispite independence in post war era.

Vocal Styles in Sub saharan Africa 3,000 different societies and over 1,000 distinct languages. All have considerable variation in style and usage. Also correspondences and similarities. Vocal music is predominant – central to religious practice – song words express belief. Language and music is particularly intimate in Africa. Musical lines follows contour of speech, instrumental melodies act as surrogates for vocal melodies. Antiphonal singing – call and response structure. Reflects social function of music.

Notes Sets Particular societies have note-sets. 5,6 or 7 – diatonic, anhemitonic or equidistant. As with speech shape of melody tends to fall – downdrift. A high tone at the end is lower that tone at beginning. Call and response may be structured by rhythmic cycles. Variation of patterns in words and melodies by professionals is highly prized.

Rhythm Aspects Organising force of all African expressions Derived from Speech and drummers ofteb represent a specific speech-text. Drums speak. Melody of drums is important. This works with layers of drums within ensembles. Interplay of cross-rhythms. Polyrhythmic cycles – or rather polymetric. The ability to hear two metres concurrently and their resultant patterns. Combinations of simple patterns are combined to create complexity. Master drummer can then invent in the context of the ongoing patterns and lead into new ideas.

Musical Instruments Drums – made in many shapes and forms. Some societies however do not use drums but stamping sticks, or body percussion, and foot-stamping. Idiophones ubiquitous – rattles and shakers. Flutes made from natural local materials – cane, grass, gourd, horn, millet. Single and double reed instruments and natural trumpets. Plucked strings – lutes, harps, arched harps and lyres. Bowed lutes in Eastern Africa and spiked fiddles in West Africa

Ensemble Playing Some instruments typically solo – others are ensemble – xylophones and interlocking patterns. Llamellaphone also use interlocking patterns – Ensemble panpipes

New Forms African musicians have been enthusiastic in taking up Western instruments and adapting techniques to them – also amplification. Lots is local forms based on blends – Quali, High-Life, etc. Great Success of World Music as a sector of popular music – has made some African musicians superstars.