1. Central and West African Performing Arts
An Overview
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

2. Major Performing Arts of Central and West Africa
Music
Dance
Theater
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

3. Sub-Saharan African Music
Major Characteristics
Interlocking melodies and rhythmic parts
Preference for dense, overlapping textures and buzzy timbres
Cyclical forms (based on melodic/rhythmic ostinatos)
Flexible approaches to rhythms often combining or juxtaposing units of twos and threes
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

4. Sub-Saharan African Music (continued)
Major Characteristics (continued)
Descending melodic shape
Musical roles including “core” and “elaboration” parts
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

5. Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle
BaMbuti Music
Instruments
Whistles
End-blown flutes made from cane
Rhythm sticks and rattles
End-blown molimo trumpet
Musical bow
Small lamellaphones and drums (borrowed from the Bantu)
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

6. BaMbuti Music (continued)
Features
Musical performance is a non-specialized activity
Music participation may be differentiated by gender and age
Molimo ceremony
Elima ceremony
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

7. BaMbuti Music (continued)
Features (continued)
The music is primarily vocal and communal singing is more important than individual singing
Use of ostinato, interlock, call-and-response, and hocket techniques
Use of yodeling
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

8. BaMbuti Music (continued)
Features (continued)
Musical performances often involve communication with the spiritual world, although it is primarily through musical sound rather than words
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

9. Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle
Mande Music
Instruments
Balo
Kora
Kontingo
Features
Two main social categories:
Sula – ordinary people
Nyamalo – craft specialists
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

10. Mande Music (continued)
Features (continued)
Jalolu (musicians and oral historians) belong to the Nyamalo
With the power to manipulate words, the jalolu have the greatest power
Music is a professional and specialized activity
Musical performance emphasizes verbal artistry and elaborate texts
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

11. Mande Music (continued)
Musical Form
Donkilo
Sataro
Kumbengo
Birimintingo
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12. Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle
Ewe Music
Instruments
Gankogui
Axatse
Atsimevu
Gboba
Sogo
Kidi
Kaganu
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

13. Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle
Ewe Music (continued)
Features
Dance drumming is the most important musical activity
The formation of ensembles, the definition of genres, and the organization of musical events are shaped by local conceptions of social hierarchy as well as according to the groups that people use to define their social identity
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle

14. Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle
Ewe Music (continued)
Features (continued)
Voluntary dance clubs are the primary institutions through which dance-drumming is performed
Copyright 2015, Sean William Doyle