The approach I chose for the "history" assignment was fairly broad. It was difficult to find articles/books on specific elements such as the development of the djembe. Instead, my research focused on the broad and diverse history of African music. Most anthropologists and ethnomusicologists find it absurd to lump all of African music into one category. Indeed the music of Africa is as diverse as the cultures within it. Moreover, culture change over time. Thus the diverse musical varieties that arise constantly evolve also, making the common dichotomy between contemporary vs. traditional difficult. In this light, music is simply an expression of a particular people at a particular point in time.
Though African music is incredibly diverse, some scholars argue that there are common elements that tie the continent together. The following are some common characteristics of African music that Alexander Agordoh (2005) identifies:
I think I can, I just have to be honest about who I am and who I'm not. I'm not African, and so trying to perfectly reproduce the elements listed above is dishonest. But I AM curious about the instruments I play and where they came from. I do think they are significant and legitimate musically. Therefore, maybe the question becomes more about how I can learn from the history of our instruments in a way that affects the way I create music. If I approach this "past" with humility and recognize it as legitimate, then I can let it mix and blend with me and influence my conception of music.
Though African music is incredibly diverse, some scholars argue that there are common elements that tie the continent together. The following are some common characteristics of African music that Alexander Agordoh (2005) identifies:
- Music has many uses, not just for entertainment. It often accompanies all sorts of activities in varies arenas of life.
- More than elsewhere, music is associated with dance.
- Music is highly percussive.
- Hand-clapping is often used as a percussive instrument.
- The audience is rarely separated from the artists.
- Music tends toward "dualism" in which melodies/motifs (including percussion) often consist of two phrases.
- High emphasis on improvisation and variation of motifs
I think I can, I just have to be honest about who I am and who I'm not. I'm not African, and so trying to perfectly reproduce the elements listed above is dishonest. But I AM curious about the instruments I play and where they came from. I do think they are significant and legitimate musically. Therefore, maybe the question becomes more about how I can learn from the history of our instruments in a way that affects the way I create music. If I approach this "past" with humility and recognize it as legitimate, then I can let it mix and blend with me and influence my conception of music.
