The Music of "africa"
Africa is obviously a HUGE and diverse continent. I believe that it is silly to generalise about it's vast array of musical traditions. Unfortunately, in IGCSE, we are asked to do just that. Treat Africa as if it were a country...
In this section we will study GENERIC features of music within the African continent NOT including NORTH AFRICA which has been dominated by Arab and Islamic cultures and has to be considered separately...
In this section we will study GENERIC features of music within the African continent NOT including NORTH AFRICA which has been dominated by Arab and Islamic cultures and has to be considered separately...
SOME INSTRUMENTS OF SUB-SAharan africa
KORA:
A kora is a harp built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. The skin is supported by two handles that run under it, and it supports a notched double free-standing bride. It doesn't fit into any one category of musical instruments, but rather several, and must be classified as a "double-bridge-harp-lute." The strings run in two divided ranks, making it a double harp.
Kora players have traditionally come from griot families (also from the Mandinka nationalities) who are traditional historians, genealogists and storytellers who pass their skills on to their descendants. The instrument is played in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia. A traditional kora player is called a Jali, similar to a 'bard' or oral historian.
A kora is a harp built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator with a long hardwood neck. The skin is supported by two handles that run under it, and it supports a notched double free-standing bride. It doesn't fit into any one category of musical instruments, but rather several, and must be classified as a "double-bridge-harp-lute." The strings run in two divided ranks, making it a double harp.
Kora players have traditionally come from griot families (also from the Mandinka nationalities) who are traditional historians, genealogists and storytellers who pass their skills on to their descendants. The instrument is played in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia. A traditional kora player is called a Jali, similar to a 'bard' or oral historian.
AFRICAN XYLOPHONE:
The term marimba is also applied to various traditional folk instruments such as the West Africa balafon. Early forms were constructed of bars atop a gourd. The wood is first roasted around a fire before shaping the key to achieve the desired tone. The resonator is tuned to the key through careful choice of size of resonator, adjustment of the diameter of the mouth of the resonator using wasp wax and adjustment of the height of the key above the resonator. A skilled maker can produce startling amplification. The mallets used to play dibinda and mbilahave heads made from natural rubber taken from a wild creeping plant. "Interlocking" or alternating rhythm features in Eastern African xylophone music such as that of the Makondedimbila, the Yao mangolongondo or the Shirima mangwilo in which the opachera, the initial caller, is responded to by another player, the wakulela. This usually doubles an already rapid rhythmic pulse that may also co-exist with a counter-rhythm.
The term marimba is also applied to various traditional folk instruments such as the West Africa balafon. Early forms were constructed of bars atop a gourd. The wood is first roasted around a fire before shaping the key to achieve the desired tone. The resonator is tuned to the key through careful choice of size of resonator, adjustment of the diameter of the mouth of the resonator using wasp wax and adjustment of the height of the key above the resonator. A skilled maker can produce startling amplification. The mallets used to play dibinda and mbilahave heads made from natural rubber taken from a wild creeping plant. "Interlocking" or alternating rhythm features in Eastern African xylophone music such as that of the Makondedimbila, the Yao mangolongondo or the Shirima mangwilo in which the opachera, the initial caller, is responded to by another player, the wakulela. This usually doubles an already rapid rhythmic pulse that may also co-exist with a counter-rhythm.
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MBIRA:
In African music, the mbira (also known as likembe, mbila, thumb piano, mbira huru, mbira, kalimba just to name a few) is a wooden board with attached staggered metal keys. It is often fitted into a resonator. In Eastern and Southern Africa, there are many kinds of mbira, usually accompanied by the hosho. Among the Shona people there are three that are very popular (see Shona music). The mbira is usually classified as part of the lamellaphone family. It is also part of the idiophones family of musical instruments.
In African music, the mbira (also known as likembe, mbila, thumb piano, mbira huru, mbira, kalimba just to name a few) is a wooden board with attached staggered metal keys. It is often fitted into a resonator. In Eastern and Southern Africa, there are many kinds of mbira, usually accompanied by the hosho. Among the Shona people there are three that are very popular (see Shona music). The mbira is usually classified as part of the lamellaphone family. It is also part of the idiophones family of musical instruments.
MUSIC OF THE ARAB AND ISLAMic world
Watch this BBC documentary for some background information on Arab and Islamic culture and history
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A fantastic resource for those who want to know more about Arab Classical Music: http://www.maqamworld.com/
SOME INSTRUMENTS OF the ARAB WORLD
THE OUD:
The oud is pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in Persian,Arabic,Hebrew/Jewish, Greek, Turkish, Byzantine, Armenian, North African (Chaabi, Classical, and Andalusian), Somali and Middle Eastern music. Construction of the oud is similar to that of the lute.[2] The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths. The oud is readily distinguished by its lack of frets and smaller neck. It is considered an ancestor of the guitar.[3]
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oud
The oud is pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in Persian,Arabic,Hebrew/Jewish, Greek, Turkish, Byzantine, Armenian, North African (Chaabi, Classical, and Andalusian), Somali and Middle Eastern music. Construction of the oud is similar to that of the lute.[2] The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths. The oud is readily distinguished by its lack of frets and smaller neck. It is considered an ancestor of the guitar.[3]
SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oud
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THE REBAB:
The rebab is a type of a bowed string instrument so named no later than the 8th century and spread via Islamic trading routes over much of North Africa, the Middle East, parts of Europe, and the Far East.[2] The bowed variety often has a spike at the bottom to rest on the ground, and is thus called a spike fiddle in certain areas, but plucked versions like the kabuli rebab (sometimes referred to as the robab or rubab) also exist.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebab
The rebab is a type of a bowed string instrument so named no later than the 8th century and spread via Islamic trading routes over much of North Africa, the Middle East, parts of Europe, and the Far East.[2] The bowed variety often has a spike at the bottom to rest on the ground, and is thus called a spike fiddle in certain areas, but plucked versions like the kabuli rebab (sometimes referred to as the robab or rubab) also exist.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebab
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THE QANUN:
The qanun is a string instrument played in much of the Middle East, Central Asia, and southeastern Europe. The name derives from the Arabic word kānun, which means "rule, norm, principle" itself from ancient Greek 'κανών' rule. It's traditional music is based on maqamat. It is a type of large zither with a narrow trapezoidal soundboard. Nylon or PVC strings are stretched over a single bridge poised on fish-skins on one end, attached to tuning pegs at the other end.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanun_(instrument)
The qanun is a string instrument played in much of the Middle East, Central Asia, and southeastern Europe. The name derives from the Arabic word kānun, which means "rule, norm, principle" itself from ancient Greek 'κανών' rule. It's traditional music is based on maqamat. It is a type of large zither with a narrow trapezoidal soundboard. Nylon or PVC strings are stretched over a single bridge poised on fish-skins on one end, attached to tuning pegs at the other end.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qanun_(instrument)
THE NAY
The nay(sometimes spelt (ney), is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. The nay has been played continuously for 4,500–5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ney
The nay(sometimes spelt (ney), is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Middle Eastern music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. The nay has been played continuously for 4,500–5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments still in use.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ney
ARAB PERCUSSION
In IGCSE music you don"t need to know the specific names of the Arab percussion instruments BUT you do need to know about Iqa'at (the arab rhythm cycles) and the important cyclical role of the percussion section in the classical Arab orchestra
Here is a fantastic performance demonstrating the Darbuka, Daf (large frame drum), Riqq '(similar to a tambourine) , Sagat (finger cymbals ) and more...
In IGCSE music you don"t need to know the specific names of the Arab percussion instruments BUT you do need to know about Iqa'at (the arab rhythm cycles) and the important cyclical role of the percussion section in the classical Arab orchestra
Here is a fantastic performance demonstrating the Darbuka, Daf (large frame drum), Riqq '(similar to a tambourine) , Sagat (finger cymbals ) and more...
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