Transcript Slide 1
The fourth area of study looks at
aspects of world music
We will look specifically at Indian, African and Celtic
music.
Our second set work is Yiri by Koko.
We will be studying this work through listening,
analysis and composition tasks.
Learning Objectives
To consolidate learning on features of African
instrumental and vocal music.
To develop an understanding of the musical themes in
Yiri by Koko
To develop an understanding of the three main
musical elements in Yiri by Koko.
To develop an understanding of
Background to the set work ‘Yiri’
The musicians in the group Koko are:
Madou Kone: vocals, balaphone, flute
Sydou Traore: vocals, balaphone
Jacouba Kone: djembe
Francois Naba: vocals, tam-tam, dundun, maracas
Keresse Sanou: talking drum
Tidiane Hema: vocals, maracas
Burkino Faso
This set work comes from Burkina Faso, which is a
landlocked nation situated in West Africa. It is
surrounded on all sides by other countries: Mali, Niger,
Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire.
Renamed by President Thomas Sankara in 1984,
Burkino translates as ‘men of intengrity’ and Faso
means ‘father’s house’ and its inhabitants are called
Burkinabe.
Musical themes
The themes in music from the region of Burkino Faso
conjur up some of mankind’s greatest battles in life,
including the fight for survival and looking after the
environment.
In addition the music focuses on creation, community
celebrations and friendships.
Yiri by Koko:
Three clear musical strands
The balaphone ostinati- in combination, these
produce a complex polyphonic texture.
2. The drum ostinati- in this work they play a
relentless one-bar pattern (albeit with a little
variation at the beginning of the bar of:
two semiquavers- quaver-two semiquavers- quaver
3. The vocal line- this is a simple pentatonic call and
response structure
1.
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
0.00 – 0.18 Introduction
-Free tempo
-High balaphone improvised solo (softly)
-Monophonic texture
-Solo is in Gb major (fast high and low rolls on every
note) – repetitive and simple.
0.18 – 0.34 -Moderate tempo established by two balaphones
-Major tonality
-Strong rhythmic basis (built on two-bar phrases)
-Heterophonic texture
-Semiquaver and quaver rhythms
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
0.34 – 1.09 -Large talking drum, small talking drum and djembe
play an ostinato.
- Balaphones play a melody.
- Lower balaphone plays an ostinato (bars 17-20)
- Occasional djembe fills in this section
- Melody includes syncopated rhythms and lots of
repetition of the tonic and dominant notes.
- Bar 21 – simple melodic phrases are repeated with
slight variation in short two-bar phrases.
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
1.09 – 1.25
- Chorus A1
- Voices in unison
- Melody is short, simple and repetitive.
Semiquaver, quaver, semiquaver rhythm is a feature
of the vocal writing.
- No harmony.
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
1.25 – 1.44
-Short instrumental for balaphone (solo break) and
drums play continuous ostinati as before.
- Chorus A 2
- Voices in for second verse (music much the same as
before).
- Voices out, then solo instrumental break on
lower pitched balaphone.
- Some variation in balaphone melody.
1.44 – 2.01
2.01 – 2.10
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
2.10 – 2.45 -Solo with choral responses
- A solo voice (call). Dramatic and new melody
features long held notes and short punctuated notes
on ‘Yiri’.
- The drum ostinato continues.
- Vocal melody has triplets.
- Lower balaphone plays the same ostinato as bars
17-20.
-Voices (choral response) in unison after the call at
bar 63.
- New melodic riffs in balaphones.
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
2.45-3.14
- Solo voice (call) again with long held notes.
- Drums same as before.
- Balaphone now plays a rhythmic three-note
semiquaver melodic figure creating cross-rhythms.
- Bar 71- solo voice.
- Main features: triplet idea, syncopated rhythms,
semiquaver-quaver rhythms.
- Vocal response from the choir in unison
- Solo voice (call) with some varied balaphone
rhythms in a solo break.
3.15-3.19
3.20-3.28
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
3.28-3.59
- Instrumental solos carry on.
- New melodies on the balaphones.
- Short three-beat (one-bar) rest before we have the
next chorus.
- Chorus B1
- Full choir in unison singing ‘Yiri’ with some short
instrumental interjections to break up vocal lines.
- Dialogue effects between voices and instruments.
4.00-4.31
4.31-4.45
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
4.45-5.20
- Instrumental as a balaphone break.
- Riffs with variations.
- Quite extended and is based on the original
melody with variations.
- More virtuosic with rapid figuration featuring
octave leaps and semiquaver and demisemiquaver
patterns.
- Chorus A3
- Full choir again in unison with instrumental
interjections.
5.20-5.36
Close analysis of ‘Yiri’
Timing
Analysis
5.36-6.24
- Instrumental ending played as a balaphone break.
- This is very syncopated and the drums re-enter at
bar 153, one bar before the coda.
- Coda
- Five two-bar phrases mostly in octaves end with
dramatic rests observed by all instruments.
- This has the sense of a strong riff.
- There are some differences in notes on occasions
(see bars 154-end) creating an heterophonic
texture.
- Drums play an ostinato (bar 153 -)
- Piece concludes with a final ‘ting’ on the bell.
6.24 to
end
Plenary
We will continue to analyse Yiri during tomorrow’s
lesson.
You will then answer a 10 mark essay question.