Comparison of Hausa Music and the Music of Samuel Barber

Presentation by Sarah Victor

Demographics of the Hausas

• Country: Nigeria (West Africa) • Population: 25,391,000 • Life Expectancy: 56 • 33% unemployed, 25% literate • Religion: Islam (Sunni) • Languages: English, Hausa

Hausa

Hausa History

• 1500: Islam was introduced by traders, religion was forced upon them • 1804-1808: “holy wars”, conquered by Fulani, strongly Islamic neighbors • Became slaves until early 1900’s • 20 th century: colonized by British

Hausa Culture

• Either commoners or chiefs • Marry close relatives • Wife must appear unhappy • Takes care of children, pleases husband • Women have less opportunity • High divorce rate • Land divided into 7 states based on strengths

Language & Music

• Hausa is numerically one of the world’s most popular languages • Hausa word “Boog”, meaning “to beat” is a linguistic precursor for the English phrase “Boogie-Woogie” • A repetitive drum pattern is typical of Hausan music, much like the redundant base-line of American Boogie-Woogie

Hausa Instruments

Kuntigi A one or two-stringed lute Goje Kakaki 3-4 meters long, metal trumpet Dondo Drum Shekere

Louange Aux Gens Du Terroir/Praise Of The People Of The Land

• Recorded on the album “Nigeria. Hausa Music. Traditions of the Emirate of Kano” by Various Artists: Maryam Yusuf Kabara, Murja Ibrahim, Safiya Ayuba Kigama, Jumoke Abdulrazak, Sa'adatu Abubakar, Sadiya Muhammad Sunusi, A'isha Baballe, Maijida Umar Abdullahi.

Song Introduction

• Hausa music is traditionally used to celebrate major life events such as births, marriages, and circumcisions • My selection is a celebration, or praise, of the people of the land

Listen!

• The repetitive bass line of the drum beats continually while the vocalists improvise and create their own melodies over the bass line • The celebratory nature of Hausa music is representative of the jovial dancing associated with current day Boogie • Chorus becomes very loud • http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/-/ /11073892/

Samuel Barber

• Born March 9, 1910 in West Chester, Pennsylvania • Studied at Curtis Institute of Music • American Prix de Rome, two Pulitzers, elected to American Academy of Arts & Letters • Famous works include and his opera

Vanessa Adagio for Strings

Samuel Barber Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia

Samuel Barber’s Music

• Called a Neo-Romantic composer • “broad lyricism and dramatic expression” • Rarely ventured into Americana music

Excursions, Op. 20

• First published solo piano piece of Barber & his only excursion into Americana music • Includes elements of boogie-woogie, blues, cowboy, and hoedown music • Four movements • Inspired by Jeanna Behrend • Debuted by Vladimir Horowitz in July 1944 at Carnegie Hall http://www.youtube.co

m/watch?v=1L2Cn8ZF FzI

New Grove Dictionary of Music

• “a percussive style of piano Blues favoured for its volume and momentum… is characterized by the use of blues chord progressions combined with a forceful, repetitive left-hand bass figure… [and] independence of the right-hand improvisations from the steady, rolling rhythm maintained by the left hand”

This excerpt is an example of the “repetitive left hand bass figure” with “right hand improvisations”, a classic characteristic of Boogie-Woogie music.

Measure 4-9 demonstrate the “momentum” characteristic of Boogie music, with quarter notes that transition to eighth notes, and eventually sixteenth notes.

This excerpt represents the extreme dynamics of “volume”, with frequent shifts from sf to pp .

Excursions Music Theory

• A 1 BA 2 CA 3 Coda • A section are in tonic key of C minor • B section uses subdominant f, C uses dominant G • I-IV-I-V-I simple progression • B and C sections use bitonality • 7 th chords used in melody

Music Theory ~ Connection

• The West African word “Bogi” means “to dance” • The Hausa word “Boog” means to beat, as in a drum • These are linguistic precursors for the American term “Boogie”, a style of music which is closely associated with dance with a repetitively beating bass

Comparison (Continued)

• Both selections of music possess the repetitive bass figure reminiscent of boogie music with right hand improvisations • The origin of the term “boogie” is technically unknown, however these similarities insinuate that the celebratory nature of dance and style of American Boogie music derivate from West African tribes such as the Hausas.

Similarities & Differences

•Vocals/Drums •Celebratory sound •Alternation between soloist then chorus •No chord progressions, just drum beat • Ostinato left-hand bass line • “Right-hand” improvisation for melody • Aspects of volume • Allegro Tempo: 152 and 144 • Very energetic from start • Recognizable melody • Piano solo •Very dissonant •Minor key •Use of blues chords •Chord progression and structure

Works Cited

• • • • • • http://www.emusic.com/listen/#/album/Various Nig%C3%A9ria-Musique-Haoussa Nig%C3%A9ria-Hausa-Music-MP3 Download/11073892.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogie-woogie http://www.joshuaproject.net/people profile.php?peo3=12070&rog3=NI www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/people/Hausa.html

http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcnigeria.

htm www.schirmer.com/composers/barber_bio.htm

• • • • • • • • • • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausa_people http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hausa_music http://www.naxos.com/person/Samuel_Barber/25965.ht

m http://obit-mag.com/articles/a-fanfare-for-samuel-barber http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/barber.php

http://www.musolife.com/444/features.html?page=9 http://www.african drums.com/hausa_dondo_drum_nov.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakaki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goje http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shekere