Koko: Yiri

Question 0

How did the musicians perform Yiri?

Answer 0

By memory

Question 1

What does the word Yiri mean?

Answer 1

Wood

Question 2

How was the score made?

Answer 2

Transcription - notating the music heard on the recording

Question 3

What instruments are used?

Answer 3

Balafon, djembe, talking drums and the members of koko sung and are split into soloist and chorus

Question 4

What is a balafon?

Answer 4

It’s similar to a xylophone but it’s made of wooden bars which are tuned to different pitches. Gourds hand beneath the bars to make the instrument sound more resonant.

Question 5

What is a djembe?

Answer 5

A drum shapes like a goblet played with hands

Question 6

What is a talking drum?

Answer 6

A drum played with a hooked stick and can be used to imitate speech by creating different pitches and slides

Question 7

Describe the structure of this piece

Answer 7

1. Intro is a balafon solo played using tremolo
2. Main section
   - the drums play an ostinato and there’s a strong clee pulse. Music alternates between balafon solos and choruses.
   -in the middle of this section there’s a vocal solo where call and response if used
3. Coda
   A shirt phrase for balafon is played 5 times in slightly varied versions. The drum ostinsto is interrupted by tests and a bell is sounded to mark the end

Question 8

What key is this piece in?

Answer 8

Gb major

Question 9

Describe the use if melody and harmony in this piece

Answer 9

The music is mainly hexatonic. The balafons mostly play short patterns which often fall from high to low. They tend to emphasise the notes Gb and Db. The balafon has solo breaks which are more virtuosic. During the choruses, the group sings together in unison. Also has short, falling phrases that emphasise Gb and Db ( tonic and dominant)

Question 10

What is the metre of this piece?

Answer 10

The main metre is 4/4, although a few bars are in other metres

Question 11

What tempo is the piece in?

Answer 11

After the intro which is in free tempo the rest of the piece maintains a steady pulse

Question 12

Describe 4 features of rhythm in this piece

Answer 12

1. Syncopation is frequently used, especially in vocal and balafon parts
2. During one vocal solo, balafon plays semi quavers in groups of 3, creating cross rhythms
3. The vocal soloist makes use of triplets
4. The drums play a rhythmic ostinato which lasts throughout the piece. Consists of a quaver and 2 semi quavers repeated. On top of this djembe plays occasional fills.

Question 13

Describe the texture of this piece

Answer 13

Most of Yiri has layered texture but also includes: a monophonic intro and occasional heterophonic textures

Question 14

Describe the dynamics of this piece

Answer 14

There’s little dynamic variation throughout the piece