Author Question: Refer to the Close Listening chart, WOM, p. 98. After you listen to the excerpt from Nyarai (Be ... (Read 67 times)

jayhills49 · **on:** Jul 25, 2018

Refer to the Close Listening chart, WOM, p. 98. After you listen to the excerpt from Nyarai (Be Ashamed) on CD 1:15, list the Euro American musical features you hear and the traditional African features you hear. Do you hear any connection between this music and the preceding mbira musical example? Explain your answer.

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How would you describe the melody (melodies) in the piece in terms of consonance/dissonaonce, repetition and contrast. Do you hear one long melody or many separate melodies? (Answers may vary.)

What will be an ideal response?

Dnite · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 25, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Euro American musical features
studio-produced music using popular music instruments (regular guitars and bass guitar, drums)
metrical two-beat throughout all the parts (not polymetric)
accompanying Western-type harmonic progression
popular music form based on repeating sections
Traditional African musical features
intricate, rhythmic interlocking of guitar parts (mbira-influenced)
collective improvisation (especially after 1:11)
polyrhythmic interplay among instruments

African language lyrics present a praise poem for warriors, their leaders, their families, and their supporters. (But the lyrics also chide people Be Ashamed' who are unreconciled to change.)1

1 Although in the song Mapfumo praises Mr. Mugabe's leadership in Zimbabwe, subsequent events have brought mixed reviews for Mr. Mugabe's leadership.

Answer to Question 2

The music has a gentle, restful consonant feel throughout the piece. This mood of general consonance continues even when the second part enters at 0:47. The melodic structure is highly unified through the constant flow of similar sounding melodic motives. Melodic contrast is provided when the second part enters with its independent melody that interweaves with the first part. There are times when the music seems to flow along in one continuous melodic stream, especially before the second part enters at 0:47, yet at other times, separate, shorter melodic ideas seem to emerge as the piece proceeds.