AOS 4: Koko – ‘Yiri’• Sub-Saharan African music• From Burkina Faso (Western African musical

traditions)

What is Sub-Saharan African music like?

What is its importance?

Who participates?What is it com

bined with?

What occasions is it used for?

Is it different to Western music?

Instrumental music

ChoralDrumming

Instruments

What is its importance?

Communication

FeelingsEmotions

Social gatherings

Who participates?

Everybody

Unites people Regardless of ability

Part of everyday life

What is it combined with?

MovementCostumes

Stories Speech

Mime

Masks Body painting

What occasions is it used for?

Weddings

Funerals Birthdays

Harvest

Do you think music has the same role and importance throughout the world?

Do you think it is appreciated in the same way?

Drumming • Certain rhythms mean certain things• Communication• Oral tradition – no traditional notation• Varies from region to region• Will increase in tension• Signal • Solo• Improvisation• Master drummer

Choral

• Music = link to spirit world• Call and response• Short, simple melodies• Improvisation• Harmony varies from region to region• Overlapping textures• Tone languages – Pitch determines the

meaning of words

Instrumental

• Membranophones • Idiophones• Aerophones• Chordophones• Body percussion• Vocables • Interlocks and overlaps

Common features of Sub-Saharan African music

• Repetition/Cyclic patterns• Improvisation• Polyrhythm• Call & Response• Cyclic structure• Intertwining melodies• Polyphonic texture• Singing in harmony• Cross rhythms

Instruments

Djembe

Talking drum/Donno

Dundun

BalaphoneKora Ocarina

Shaker/beaded shekere/cabasa

Instruments in ‘Yiri’

• Vocals• Djembe• Donno• Dundun• Maracas/shakers• Balaphone• Flute• Kora• Tam-tam (gong)

Questions1. Which instruments are used in ‘Yiri’?2. What are the 3 main strands in the piece?3. How does the piece start?4. Identify a place where heterophonic texture is used. What

is this?5. What persists throughout the whole piece?6. Describe the dynamics.7. Where are triplets used?8. How would you describe the texture when all the parts are

playing/singing?9. How is variety achieved in this piece?10. How does the piece end?