Samia Afro-Classics: A creative composition 1.Omwana Uno 2. Mama
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Date
1999-04
Authors
Musungu, Gabriel J
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
While arranging Samia folk songs, many arrangers have not considered musical components that are important in its tradition, for example, syllabic intonation, scales and speech rhythm. The end result has been distortion of the melodic flow, misplaced accents in the syllables and words of the Samia songs. This has interfered with the Samia dialect and speech rhythm. The study, Samia Afro-Classics, was prompted by the above and the fact that, the composers and arrangers may not have considered the Luhya sub ethnic factor. This is also due to the fact that the Samia have their own musical components. The study has a creative arrangement and a composition done in Samia tradition observing its speech rhythm, accents and syllabic intonation. Specifically, the study sought to: collect Samia folk songs from various performing groups, transcribe the folk songs collected with a view to classify them, adapt and arrange Samia folk songs with an intention of producing a creative work using Western techniques, compose a piece of music with Samia rhythm and dialect using Western notation and analyses the two creative works. The study used the theory of cultural change which involves acculturation, syncretism and diffusion processes to merge the Sarnia and Western elements. The snowball and purposive sampling methods were used to get the respondents. The music elements of the two cultures were identified and merged. For example, from the Sarnia, there were melodic elements, speech rhythms and syllabic accents, while from the Western music there were, harmony, dynamics, intervals, notation, bar and bar lines, time signature, key signature and tempo. Finally, an analysis of the creative works was do
Description
A creative work submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Music. Faculty of Arts of Kenyatta University. April, 1999. MT 40.M8