1. Yiri by Koko
Yiri by Koko

2. Today you will… Recap Yiri by Koko info learnt last lesson.
Learn about the instruments used.
Learn about the melodies & tonality used.

3. Where is this music from?
The West African country of Burkina Faso

4. Official Language
French, but 90% of the population speak tribal languages of the Sudanic family.

5. Cultural Context Yiri is a native folk music piece from Burkina Faso.
Much of the music here is traditional folk music.
Yiri is celebration music for bringing a person out to honour them (usually an older person).

6. Structure Introduction (1st balaphon) Theme (1st balaphon)
12 variation verses(1st balaphon/group singers/solo tenor)
Coda
(drums play louder/rhythmic accents/more improvisation)

7. Structure continued The overall structure is strophic (AAAA).
The piece consists of a set of variations over an ostinato.

8. Texture
Light
Polyphonic
Heterophonic

9. Instruments Used Talking drum – a traditional WestAfrican drum. It
was originally used to send
messages across open plains.
Balaphon – a wooden xylophone of West Africa.
Cowbell – this is only used right at the end of
the piece.
Singers – they sing in unison & use the high tenor range
as doe the solo tenor singer.

10. Melodies & Tonality The music begins in Db major
It then quickly moves to Gb melodies moving against a pentatonic ostinato on Db.
The tonic is Gb as the melodic phrases consistently end on that note.
The music is diatonic.

11. Dynamics Mostly mezzo forte Crescendos & diminuendos at the beginning.
Coda is forte

12. Moderate except at the beginning where the tempo is quite free.

13. Lyrics
The lyrics are in a native tribal language & there is no translation currently available.