Diversity of Expression:
General Factors Impacting Music: Reflects cultural, social, and historical influences.
Languages: Over 800 languages spoken across 54 countries, showcasing rich cultural variety.
Religious Influences: Includes Muslim, Christian, and traditional belief systems.
Recent History: Countries gained independence from colonial powers in the 1950s, marking a renaissance in cultural expression.
Key Questions to Consider:
What is the role of a musician in society?
How does music convey history?
The distinction between traditional and popular music.
Medieval Globalization: Influences from various regions including Sudanic Africa, Muslim North Africa, Arab traders, and Europeans contributed to Mande music’s evolution.
Political Structure: Centralized and hierarchical.
Geographic Spread: Found throughout West Africa from Senegal to Burkina Faso.
Languages Spoken: Maninka, Mandinka, Bamana, French.
Definition: Hereditary musicians and historians serving the Mande people.
Roles and Status:
Served as craft specialists (nyamalo) to wealthy patrons.
Functioned both as entertainers and advisors.
Extolled history through praise songs and lineage stories.
Hereditary Profession: Knowledge passed through apprenticeship; notable families include Kouyate, Diabate, Suso, Jabarteh.
The Balafon:
A xylophone with 18-21 keys and gourd resonators.
Dates back to at least the 1300s as a court instrument.
The Kora:
A harp-lute with 21-25 strings, played in a diatonic scale with right/left alternation.
Popularized in the 19th-20th century.
Other Instruments:
Ngoni: A spiked lute, related to the American banjo.
Djembe: A goblet-shaped drum, widely popular in West Africa.
Kumbengo: Instrumental ostinato.
Birimintingo: Virtuosic instrumental solo.
Donkilo: Song with several phrases of text.
Sataro: Extemporaneous spoken or chanted text, example shown in “Sinyaro”, a 19th-century praise song.
Decline of Traditional Roles: Loss of patronage leads to changes in jali roles.
Influences Post-WWII: Increased popularity of guitar and Cuban music.
Post-Independence: Nationalist sentiments following independence in Mali (1950) and Guinea (1958).
Government Support: Mali's President Modibo Keita funded national orchestras in the 1960s.
Modern Griots: Example includes Bassekou Koutaye, who protests fundamentalist takeovers in North Mali.
Significance: Most crucial song within the Jali repertoire, detailing the rise of Sunjata Keita, the founder of the Mande Empire.
Features: Incorporates call and response structure, showcasing traditional storytelling practices.
Historical Depth: Officially founded in 980 B.C., it is one of the oldest societies in Africa.
Diversity: 77 distinct ethnic groups, with Amhara, Oromo, and Tigray being the most populous.
Religious Demographics: 62.6 million Christians, primarily Orthodox.
Cultural Importance of Coffee: First discovered in Ethiopia.
Amhara: Semitic group, 27% population, historically the ruling group.
Tigray: 6% of the population, known for overthrowing a Marxist junta.
Oromo: The largest group at 33.5%, historically marginalized.
Scramble for Africa: Ethiopia’s unique status as a country that successfully resisted formal colonization.
Italian Conflict: Successfully defended against Italy in the 1895 battle.
Indigenous Traditions: Diverse sacred and secular musical styles endemic to various regions.
Christian Liturgical Music: Sacred chants of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are prevalent.
Secular War Songs: These songs blend indigenous and religious elements to advocate for unity during conflicts.
Zema (Chant): Defined as pleasing sound; rooted in both indigenous and Christian traditions.
Performers: Debtera—an itinerant group of singers and performers.
Instruments: Includes kebero (drums) and tsanatsel (sistrum) with sections often performed a cappella.
Origin of Folk Music: Predominantly from the highland region, reflecting rich cultural narratives.
Musical Characteristics: Utilizes modal and pentatonic scales with assorted chordophones like masenqo, krar, and begena.
Historical Significance: Songs commemorating the Battle of Adwa represent the Ethiopian spirit and resistance against colonization.
Modern Protests: Contemporary compositions often address socio-political issues, maintaining the legacy of past struggles.
Celtic Roots and Colonial Influence: Gaelic origins faced British colonialism and subsequent nationalist movements.
Key Events: Easter Rebellion (1916) leading to Republic of Ireland (1949) and Northern Ireland’s complex identity.
Early 20th Century Revivals: Home Rule Movement promoted Gaelic culture and language.
Ceili Bands: Emerged as popular rural music ensembles incorporating traditional instruments.
Influence of American Music: Emigration shaped modern Irish music with cross-cultural influences.
Revival Movements: The 1960s-70s saw significant folk music resurgence driven by socio-political changes.
Characteristic Elements: Ornamentation and suite-like dance compositions, with jigs and slips as prevalent forms.
Cultural Background: Bulgaria's history traverses Ottoman rule, monarchy, and communism.
Population and Religion: 85% ethnic Bulgarians with a spectrum of religious practices.
Characteristics of Bulgarian Music: Additive meters, as seen in common forms such as daichovo horo 9/8.
Instruments Used: Gaida, zurna, and other traditional instruments feature in ensemble contexts.
Narodna Muzika: State-sponsored folk music education under communist rule, fostering traditional forms.
Folklorization: Transformation of folk traditions for concert stages, intertwining classical techniques with folk themes.
The Shift in Musical Expression: Evolving away from purely traditional context to broader cultural significance.
Mysterious Bulgarian Voices: Gaining western attention, the traditional female choir represents an example of cultural crossroads.