AFRICAN MUSIC Area of Study 4

Learning Objectives  By the end of the lesson you will be able to:  Understand the structure of the Yiri  Have a broader understanding of the background to the piece  Understand the key words needed for the set works  By the end of the lesson you will be able to:  Understand the structure of the Yiri  Have a broader understanding of the background to the piece  Understand the key words needed for the set works

Starter  What do you think are some of the key features in African Music?  In groups come up with a simple ostinato rhythm  What do you think are some of the key features in African Music?  In groups come up with a simple ostinato rhythm

The History The Culture Communication Accompany singing, dancing and work Emotions Social gatherings Drums have a lot of respect Feelings Passed on through Oral Tradition Music for every occasion

African Music Syncopation Polyrhythms Call and response Improvisation Repetition & use of ostinato Part of everyday life - Traditions & rituals Pentatonic Scales Cross rhythms Influence on modern music

Background to the set work ‘Yiri’  The set work comes from Burkino Faso – situated in West Africa.  Burkino translates as: “Men of Integrity” and Faso means: “Father’s house”  The piece focuses on:  Fight for survival  Looking after the environment  Creation  Community celebrations  Friendships  The set work comes from Burkino Faso – situated in West Africa.  Burkino translates as: “Men of Integrity” and Faso means: “Father’s house”  The piece focuses on:  Fight for survival  Looking after the environment  Creation  Community celebrations  Friendships

Structure of the Yiri There are three clear strands: 1.The Balaphone Ostinati – In combinations, these produce a complex polyphonic texture 2.The Drum Ostinati – They play a relentless one-bar pattern 3.The Vocal Line – This is a simple pentatonic call and response structure There are three clear strands: 1.The Balaphone Ostinati – In combinations, these produce a complex polyphonic texture 2.The Drum Ostinati – They play a relentless one-bar pattern 3.The Vocal Line – This is a simple pentatonic call and response structure

The Yiri is divided into three sections Section 1Section 2Section 3  Free tempo – high balaphone improvise  Monophonic texture  Solo is simple and repetitive  Moderato tempo is established when the Second Balafon joins in – lower than the first one  Heterophonic texture Rhythms mainly semiquavers and quavers with some tied notes  Drums all play the same rhythm – repeated all the way through the piece: OSTINATO  The rhythm changes very slightly at the end  Vocals firstly sing in Unison  Tune is quite repetitive  Later on in piece there is a call and response  The call is longer than the response  Near the end they sing in unison again  x

Constant features that do not change throughout  The tempo is unvaried  The beat is regular and unvarying  The drum ostinato persists throughout the music  The pattern of voices followed by instrumental breaks  The dynamics are largely unvaried  The tempo is unvaried  The beat is regular and unvarying  The drum ostinato persists throughout the music  The pattern of voices followed by instrumental breaks  The dynamics are largely unvaried