Koko - Yiri Flashcards
what is the texture at the beginning?
monophonic
what is the texture after the second balophon joins in?
- heterophonic
* polyphonic
what is the pulse/tempo at the very beginning?
- Unmetered
- No clear metre
- Free time
- Free tempo
- Irregular
Reject
• Quite slow /slow
what is the pulse/tempo after the second balophon joins in?
Regular • Metered • Steady • Clear • Defined • 90-110 bpm • Moderato / moderate • Allegretto / quite fast
Reject
• Fast / upbeat
How would this music have been learnt by the performers?
- oral (tradition)
- ‘by ear’
- communicated person-to-person
- learnt by rote
- copying others
What makes the music in this extract suitable for dancing?
- prominent/strong beat
- repetitive beat
- major (tonality)
- uplifting melody (no credit for reference to lyrics)
- steady tempo – do not accept lively/fast
- regular metre
what are common features of African music?
- repetition
- improvisation
- polyphony
- call and response
what instruments are heard in the piece?
- vocals
- balophon
- djembe
- dundun
- donno
what is the basic form of African music?
call and response
who leads the group?
the master drummer
where do koko come from?
Burkina Faso in Western Africa
what is the rhythm of the drum ostinato?
quaver, semi quaver, semi quaver
what is the structure of the piece?
- The introduction, in which the Balafon plays a solo using tremolo (very quick repetition of a single note).
- The main section which consists of the drums playing an ostinato and a strong clear pulse. Choruses and Balafon solos alternate in this section and in the very middle there is a vocal solo in which call-and-response is used.
• The coda, in which a short phrase for Balafon is played 5 times but varied slightly each time.
The drum ostinato, first heard in the main section, is interrupted by rests and a bell is sounded to mark the end of the piece.
what is the key of the piece?
it is in the key of G♭ Major.
what kind of scale is used?
pentatonic
describe the dynamics throughout the piece.
the piece begins with soft dynamics which increase as the texture thickens.
What does ‘yiri’ mean?
‘wood’. - All the instruments in this piece are made out of word except the bell.
How is this style of music learnt?
Oral tradition
In the melody, what does the balafons play?
- short patterns often from high to low.
What happens during the choruses?
The group sings in unison.
is there a lot of dynamic variation in this piece?
No, there is little dynamic variation
What texture is there occasionally?
Heterophonic (When the two balafons play different versions of the same tune at the same time.)
Is most of the music hexatonic?
yes
name 3 details about the rhythm in this piece?
- vocal soloists makes use of triplets
- syncopation frequently used
- the talking drums and djembe play together and so a resultant rhythm is heard.
- the resultant rhythm is an ostinato.
- the ostinato is played again and again throughout.
name 3 details about the rhythm in this piece?
- vocal soloists makes use of triplets
- syncopation frequently used
- the talking drums and djembe play together and so a resultant rhythm is heard.
- the resultant rhythm is an ostinato.
- the ostinato is played again and again throughout.
How many sections are in this piece?
3 (intro, main section, coda)
what tempo is the introduction?
free tempo
does the rest of the piece have a steady or unsteady pulse?
steady pulse
what metre is this piece mainly in?
4/4 (a few bars are in other metres though)
What is a balafon?
It is similar to an xylophone but with gourds underneath the bars to make it more resonant.
How are the talking drums (large and small) played?
With a hooked stick
What is a djembe?
a goblet shaped drum which is played with the hands.
What is a djembe?
a goblet shaped drum which is played with the hands.
What instrument is use to mark the end?
The bell
What happens to the ostinato in the coda?
it is interrupted with rests.
What does the balafon play in the coda?
A short phrase, repeated 5 times in slightly varied versions.
What does the vocal solo in the main section use?
Call and response
In the balafons solo in the intro, what is it played using?
played using tremolo
In the main section, what does it alternate between?
Balafon solos and choruses
name 3 different ways that you can play the drum differently with the hands on the skin?
open hand
cupped hand
slapped hand
name 3 different techniques of playing the drums
- playing with the hands on the skin
- playing with hands on the wooden edge of the drum
- using sticks
what are the 3 Africa drums called?
djembe
donno
dundun
what is a dundun drum?
double headed drum played with sticks
what is a donno drum?
hour-glass shaped ‘talking drum’.
name 3 common feautures of African music?
- repetition/ostinato
- improvisation
- call and response
- polyphonic textures
what is the lead drummer called?
master drummer
what does polyrhythmic mean?
many different rhythms occurring in different layers
where is singing from the region often heard?
religious ceremony’s, rituals and celebrations.
what is a past use of African drums?
sending message from one village to another (before telephones)
how many times does the chorus come in this piece?
3
what rhythm is the drum ostinato played and based on?
quaver- semiquaver- semiquaver
