Notes

Introduction (pages vii-viii)

¹The African Music Center in New York is an example of such a dealer.

Expression of Life (pages 1-16)

¹Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life), recorded and introduced by Herbert Pepper (ORSTOM: the French Office of Overseas Scientific and Technical Research), preface by L. S. Senghor, published in 1958 by Ducretet-Thomson, under the auspices of the International Music Council (Unesco). The presentation case includes an illustrated explanatory booklet and three LP records (320 C 126, 127, and 128). This album is one of the first achievements of its kind in this field.

²Batteries africaines (African Percussion), Vogue EXTP 1031. Side A: Lohu initiation drums.

The African Musician (17-39)

¹Music from Rwanda , Bären Reiter Musicaphon, BM 30 L 2302, Unesco Collection.

²In La Musique dans la Vie (Music in Life), Paris, OCORA, 1967. The French Office de Coopération Radiophonique (OCORA) was originally instituted to provide technical assistance for radio and television stations in francophone Africa. In 1969, it was incorporated into the French National Radio and Television Broadcasting Organization (O.R.T.F.). However, after some fifteen years of achievement in the field of African broadcasting, not to mention its extremely dynamic role in the diffusion and preservation of traditional African music, we feel that we may continue to refer to OCORA by its original title, regardless of subsequent administrative changes. We consider that the name OCORA is synonymous with the recording company to which we wish continuing success in its already brilliant career.

³According to Tolia Nikiprowetzky; cf. commentary of Sénégal, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Senegal), OCORA, OCR 15.

⁴André Jolivet, quoted by Tolia Nikiprowetzky, ibid.

⁵Herbert Pepper, in introduction to Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life), op. cit.

⁶André Schaeffner, “La Musique noire d’Afrique” (The Black Music of Africa) in Larousse de la Musique , Paris, Larousse.

The Musical Instruments (pages 40-118)

¹There are a number of excellent recordings which give a clear idea of the possibilities of this instrument: Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A (text and photographs by Charles Duvelle), Side B, track 5: “Djerma song performed by a woman with one-stringed fiddle accompaniment”; Rythmes et chants du Niger (Rhythms and Songs from Niger ), OCORA, SOR 4, Side B, track 1: “Hausa music.”

²Nomades du Niger (Nomads of Niger ), OCORA, OCR 29, Side B, track2: “Tekalelt”. An admirable Inzad solo by a woman playing an instrumental version of a Tamashek love song.

³Sénégal, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Senegal ), OCORA, OCR 15 – “M’Baré Galé.” Song for solo male voice, performed by a griot who accompanies himself on the Riti .

⁴Nomades du Niger (Nomads of Niger ), OCORA, OCR 29, Side B, tracks 2 and 3: “Tekalelt” and especially “Taïlalt.”

⁵Niger, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Niger ), OCORA,-OCR 20, Side A, tracks 4 and 5: “Zatau” and “Babaï.”

⁶Musiques dahoméennes (Music of Dahomey ), OCORA, OCR 17, Side A, tracks 1 and 2: “Nago music”; also Pondo Kakou, musique de société secrète (Pondo Kaku, Secret Society Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20141, Side B, track 3 are examples of the Godie used in conjunction with other instruments.

⁷The Music of Ethiopia II , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2305, Side B, track 4.

⁸Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side A, track 4: “Ba-lari song.” The Nsambi fiddle accompanying this song has three metal strings; the bow is made of wood and plant fibres.

⁹Sénégal, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Senegal ), OCORA, OCR 15, Side B, track 3.

¹⁰Same record, Side B, track 2: “Lélé.” A love song performed by a talented griot , Amadu Coly Sall, a poet and musician who accompanies himself on a one-stringed lute. This record contains several other items of instrumental music performed on the Khalam , in particular Side B, track 3, an example of the Molo .

¹¹Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side B, track 3: “Konde lute.” A song in praise of the village hunters played on the Konde .

¹²Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 4. An interesting comparison can be made between this excellent recording of a kuntigi (one-stringed lute from Niger) and the Senegalese Molo , mentioned on page 45.

¹³Niger, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Niger ), OCORA, OCR 20.

¹⁴The Music of Nigeria-Hausa Music , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2306, Side A, track 3: “Praise song for a hunter” accompanied by a Komo lute.

¹⁵Music from Rwanda , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2302, Side A, track 5: “Board zither” and Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 3: “Inanga solo” are both excellent examples of solos played on the Inanga zither from Rwanda.

¹⁶Musiques dahoméennes (Music of Dahomey ), OCORA, OCR 17, Side A, tracks 4 and 5: “Mahi music.” Two interesting recordings of a pair of Tobas played first in an orchestra and second with orchestra and voice.

¹⁷Musique malgache (Malagasy Music ), OCORA, OCR 24, Side A, track 3.

¹⁸The commentary of Valiha, Madagascar , OCORA, OCR 18, both sides of which are devoted to the Valiha zither and give a detailed description with photographic illustrations of the different kinds of Valiha in current use in Madagascar.

¹⁹Same record, where the instrument is described in the text and can be heard on Side B, track 8.

²⁰Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson 320 C 126, Side A, sequence 15: a young woman sings and accompanies herself on a one-stringed bow-harp, using the dual melody-percussion technique.

²¹The Music of the Senufo , Musicaphon BM L 2308, Side A, track 2:Senufo one-stringed harps.

²²Anthologie de la musique du Tchad (Anthology of the Music of Chad ), OCORA, OCR 37, Side A, track 3: three Dilla harps accompany a singer’s description of a journey; OCR 38, Side A, track 1:Kinde harp. This Anthology of the Music of Chad, which was issued by OCORA in 1967 and obtained the Grand Prix de V Académie Charles Cros in 1968, is an extremely valuable document, not only because of its undeniably high technical quality, but also because it was virtually the first record ever issued of the traditional music of Chad. It gives the widest possible panorama of the musical art of the whole country. The three records, OCR 36, 37, and 38, are devoted respectively to the Sara , the music of Western Mayo-Kebbi, and the Islamic populations. The presentation case also contains an explanatory booklet with abundant photographs. Text, photographs, and production by Charles Duvelle. English translation by Josephine Bennett.

²³République Centrafricaine (Central African Republic ), OCORA, OCR 11, Side A, track 1: “Isongo music” and Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 2: “Ngombi harp” are two of the most outstanding examples.

²⁴Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson op. cit. 320 C 127, Side B, sequence 5.

²⁵Same record, sequence 11.

²⁶Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.045.

²⁷Pondo Kakou, musique de société secrète (Pondo Kaku, Secret Society Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.141, Side B, track 8: Bolon harp duet.

²⁸Sometimes spelt, “cora.”

²⁹Musique malinké (Malinke Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.146 and Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.045.

³⁰Premier festival mondial des Arts negres (First World Festival of Negro Arts ), Philips R 77.486L, Side B, track 3: “Improvisations on the Kora” .

³¹Les Ballets africains de Keita Fodéba (Keita Fodeba’s African Ballets ), Vogue LDM 30.082, Side A, track 2.

³²Vogue LDM 30.082 and Vogue LDM 30.040.

³³Same records and Philips R 77.486L, Side B, track 1.

³⁴Vogue LDM 30.082: “Boundessa.”

³⁵Musique malinké (Malinke Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.146, Side B, track 7.

³⁶Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.045, Side A, track 3.

³⁷Paris, Cujas, 1965.

³⁸Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson, 320 C 126, 127, and 128, op. cit.

³⁹Chantefables du Cameroun (Musical Fables of Cameroon ), Le Chant du Monde, LDZ-S 4326, Side B. In addition to this epic, the record also contains a few sequences devoted to the mvet players of southern Cameroon. Detailed explanations are given in the accompanying leaflet.

⁴⁰Musique bamoun (Bamun Music ), OCORA, SOR 3, Side A, track 3, for example, is a “Young People’s Song” where the mvet is merely used as an accompaniment.

⁴¹Musiques centrafricaines (Music of the Central African Republic ), OCORA, OCR 12, Side B, track 3: “Pygmy harp-zither,” for example.

⁴²Several examples of the use of the bow-lute can be found in the album, Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson, 320 C 126, Side B, sequence 20 and 320 C 127, Side B, sequence 4 and in Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side A, track 5.

⁴³Anthologie , Ducretet-Thomson 320 C 126, op. cit., Side A, sequence 10.

⁴⁴Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.045 – Side B, track 3.

⁴⁵Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 1: a love song performed in this manner.

⁴⁶Music from Rwanda , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2302, Side B, track 2: a historical tale with Munahi accompaniment; Musiques dahoméennes (Music of Dahomey ), OCORA, OCR 17, Side B, track 2; Musique malgache (Malagasy Music ), OCORA, OCR 24, Side B, track 6.

⁴⁷The Music of the Dan , Musicaphon BM L 2301, sequence 12: “The Mask Baegbo.”

⁴⁸The Music of the Ba-benzele Pygmies , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2303, Side A, track 1: a Ba-benzele singer accompanying herself with a whistle announces the return from a successful hunt.

⁴⁹Nomades du Niger (Nomads of Niger ), OCORA, OCR 29, Side B, track 4: a very old tune calling upon the ancestors, usually played when the flocks are returning from their grazing grounds. Played on the sareua flute.

⁵⁰Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side A, track 5: “Solo for lontore transverse flute,” recorded in Bussance territory; Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.045, Side B, track 2: “Baule flute duet” (Ivory Coast).

⁵¹Musicfrom Rwanda , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2302, Side B, track 1: vertical flute solo played by a cowherd: “The awkward wife.”

⁵²Musique fali, Nord Cameroun (Fali Music, North Cameroon ), OCORA, SOR 9, Side B, tracks 1 and 4: solo and duet for the Feigam flute.

⁵³Au coeur du Soudan (In the heart of Sudan ), Le Chant du Monde LD-S 8246, Side B, track 2: “Two airs for Fulani flute”; exquisite music despite the inferior recording quality.

⁵⁴The Deza Sanza (see page 80) has the same notion of music—seen as the union of the male and female principles; each note that is played represents a child that is born.

⁵⁵Music from Rwanda , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2302, Side B, track 6: “The Shrewish Wife”— two vertical flutes.

⁵⁶The Music of the Senufo , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2308, Side A, track 4: “Flute ensemble of the Chief” with two Mana (transverse flutes with three holes) and two Tama hour-glass drums.

⁵⁷Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 7: “Funeral music.” See also The Music of the Senufo (Ivory Coast), Musicaphon BM 30 L 2308, Side A, track 7 and Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side B, track 1.

⁵⁸Musique baoulé (Baule Music ), OCORA, SOR 6, Side A, track 3: “The entrance of the genie Goli.”

⁵⁹Musique centrafricaine (Music of the Central African Republic ), OCORA, OCR 43, Side A, track 4.

⁶⁰Music of the Dan , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2301, sequence no. 13.

⁶¹Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side B, track 4.

⁶²Anthologie de la musique du Tchad (Anthology of the Music of Chad ), OCORA, OCR 37, Side A, track 5: “The funeral ceremony of a woman healer.”

⁶³Same record, Side B, track 2.

⁶⁴The Music of Nigeria I – Hausa Music , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2306, Side B, sequence 8: trumpet fanfare for the Emir of Zaria.

⁶⁵Same record, Side B, sequence 7: fanfare for the Sultan of Sokoto.

⁶⁶Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, Side B, track 9.

⁶⁷Niger, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Niger ), OCORA, OCR 20, Side B, tracks 4 and 7.

⁶⁸Same record, Side A, track 3: This Djerma orchestra also consists of one alghaita and three drums.

⁶⁹Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side A, track 6.

⁷⁰Same record, Side A, track 4 and Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409 A, several examples.

⁷¹Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side A, track 6.

⁷²Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side B, track 5.

⁷³Musique centrafricaine (Music of the Central African Republic ), OCORA, OCR 43, Side A, track 1: “Bagandu music” and Side B, track 6: a satirical song: “If you don’t want me any longer, you can just go away.” See also Chants et danses de la foret centrafricaine (Songs and Dances of the Central African Forest ), Harmonia Mundi HMO 30. 733, Side B, track 2 and The Music of the Dan , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2301, Side A, track 7.

⁷⁴Cf. Jacqueline Roumeguère-Eberhardt: “African Thought and Society”, “Essai sur une dialectique de complémentarité antagoniste chez les Bantu du Sud-Est,” Paris, Mouton & Co., 1963.

⁷⁵Musique kabrè du Nord-Togo (Kabre Music from Northern Togo ), OCORA, OCR 16, Side A, track 3: “Rhythm for grinding millet.”

⁷⁶Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale (Panorama of the Instrumental Music of Black Africa ), BAM LD 409, Side A, track 1.

⁷⁷Same record, Side A, track 4 gives an excellent recording of Malinke xylophones (Guinea).

⁷⁸Premier festival mondial des Arts nègres (First World Festival of Negro Arts ), Philips R 77.486L, Side B, track 2: “Tune for a Fiancée,” xylophone solo; Musiques du Cameroun (Music of Cameroon ), OCORA, OCR 25, Side A, track 1: orchestra of five xylophones with rattle accompaniment; Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC 20045, Side A, track 1: “Malinke Feast Music” (Guinea)—metal jingles that add to the rhythm of the xylophone can be heard on this recording.

⁷⁹Musique centrafricaine (Music of the Central African Republic ), OCORA, OCR 43, Side A, track 1.

⁸⁰Premier festival mondial des Arts nègres (First World Festival of Negro Arts ), Philips R 77.486 L, Side B, track 1.

⁸¹Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side B, track 2.

⁸²Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson, op. cit., 320 C 127, Side A, sequence 4.

⁸³Musique kabrè du Nord-Togo (Kabre Music from Northern Togo ), OCORA, OCR 16, Side A, track 1.

⁸⁴This type is found only in equatorial Africa. Elsewhere, in Senegal, Guinea, and other parts of West Africa, the slit has two lips of unequal thickness, but no tongues.

⁸⁵Anthologie de la vie africaine (Anthology of African Life ), Ducretet-Thomson, op. cit., 320 C 128, Side B, sequence 12.

⁸⁶Les Dogon (The Dogon ), OCORA, SOR 2, Side B, track 4.

⁸⁷Pondo Kakou, musique de société secrète (Pondo Kaku, Secret Society Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20. 141, Side A, track 2: “Six Drums.”

⁸⁸Rythmes et chants du Dahomey (Rhythms and Songs from Dahomey ), BAM LD 376, presented by Gilbert Rouget, Side A.

⁸⁹Musique kongo (Kongo Music ), OCORA, OCR 35, Side B, track 2.

⁹⁰Same record, Side B, track 3.

⁹¹Pondo Kakou, musique de société secrète (Pondo Kaku, Secret Society Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.141, Side A, track 1.

⁹²Batteries Africaines (African Percussion ), Vogue EXTP 1031, Side A; and Music of West Africa , Vogue Contrepoint MC. 20.045, Side A, track 4: “Malinke water-drums”; as well as, Dahomey: musique du roi—Guinée: musique malinké (Dahomey: Music of the King—Guinea: Malinke Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.146, Side B, track 2, where the drums and songs which accompany a gi dunu dance performed by women dancers give a better idea of the use of these water-drums.

⁹³The Music of the Senufo , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2308, Side A, track 3; Side A, track 6 of the same record is an example of a water-drum played by a Senufo woman.

⁹⁴Batteries africaines (African Percussion ), Vogue EXTP 1031, presented by Gilbert Rouget, Side B.

⁹⁵The Music of the Ba-Benzele Pygmies , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2303, Side A, track 8.

⁹⁶Music from Rwanda , Musicaphon BM 30 L 2302, Side A, track 1.

⁹⁷Same record, Side A, track 8.

⁹⁸Haute-Volta (Upper Volta ), OCORA, SOR 10, Side A, tracks 1 and 2. Recordings and introduction by Charles Duvelle.

⁹⁹Same record, text by Charles Duvelle.

¹⁰⁰Same record, text by Charles Duvelle.

¹⁰¹OCORA, SOR 3, Side B, track 2. This record, together with those issued by the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, was among the first to reveal to the European public the existence of African court music.

¹⁰²OCORA, OCR 36, 37, and 38, op. cit.

¹⁰³We have in mind particularly, Sénégal, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Senegal ), OCORA, OCR 15, which has some interesting percussion recordings.

¹⁰⁴This is true of the Ducretet-Thomson album, 320 C 126, 127, and 128 that has already been mentioned several times.

The Music (pages 119-148)

¹Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale , BAM LD 409 A.

²Birago Diop, Senegalese poet.

³See the commentary of Afrique noire, panorama de la musique instrumentale , op. cit.

⁴Paul Collaer, “Notes on music in Central Africa” in Problems of Central Africa , No. 26, 1954—special issue devoted to Negro music (Brussels, Institutuniversitaire des territoires d’Outre-mer).

⁵Ibid.

⁶Musique des Prince si Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.093.

⁷Pondo Kakou, musique de société secrète (Pondo Kaku, Secret Society Music ), Vogue Contrepoint MC 20.141.

⁸Musique pygmée de la haute Sangha (Pygmy Music of Upper Sangha ), BAM LD 325, Side B.

⁹Gilbert Rouget, explanatory note with above record.

¹⁰Robert Gay, “Negro factors in American Music” in Problems of Central Africa , op. cit.

¹¹Engelbert Mveng, S. J., “The African Signification of Art” in Symposium on Negro Art , vol. 1. Paris, Présence Africaine , special issue, 1967.

¹²Inchallah, Sénégal, la musique des griots (Music of the Griots of Senegal ), OCORA, OCR 15, Side B, track 1.