AOS 4: Koko – ‘Yiri’ Sub-Saharan African music From Burkina Faso (Western African musical traditions)
What is Sub-Saharan African music like? Instrumental music Is it different to Western music? What is its importance? Instruments What is Sub-Saharan African music like? Choral Drumming What occasions is it used for? Who participates? What is it combined with?
What is its importance? Communication Social gatherings Feelings Emotions
Who participates? Everybody Unites people Part of everyday life Regardless of ability
What is it combined with? Costumes Movement Body painting Masks What is it combined with? Mime Stories Speech
What occasions is it used for? Harvest Weddings What occasions is it used for? Birthdays Funerals
Do you think it is appreciated in the same way? Do you think music has the same role and importance throughout the world? Do you think it is appreciated in the same way?
Drumming Certain rhythms mean certain things Communication Oral tradition – no traditional notation Varies from region to region Will increase in tension Signal Solo Improvisation Master drummer
Choral Music = link to spirit world Call and response Short, simple melodies Improvisation Harmony varies from region to region Overlapping textures Tone languages – Pitch determines the meaning of words
Instrumental Membranophones Idiophones Aerophones Chordophones Body percussion Vocables Interlocks and overlaps
Common features of Sub-Saharan African music Repetition/Cyclic patterns Improvisation Polyrhythm Call & Response Cyclic structure Intertwining melodies Polyphonic texture Singing in harmony Cross rhythms
Instruments Talking drum/Donno Djembe Dundun Shaker/beaded shekere/cabasa Ocarina Kora Balaphone
Instruments in ‘Yiri’ Vocals Djembe Donno Dundun Maracas/shakers Balaphone Flute Kora Tam-tam (gong)
Questions Which instruments are used in ‘Yiri’? What are the 3 main strands in the piece? How does the piece start? Identify a place where heterophonic texture is used. What is this? What persists throughout the whole piece? Describe the dynamics. Where are triplets used? How would you describe the texture when all the parts are playing/singing? How is variety achieved in this piece? How does the piece end?