Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until...
-
Upload
annabella-casey -
Category
Documents
-
view
225 -
download
1
Transcript of Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until...
![Page 1: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Shona Music and Dance
Mbira Music of Zimbabwe
![Page 2: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Zimbabwe
• Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980
• War of independence from Britain: 1966-1979
• Although English is official language, most speak Shona (Bantu language)
![Page 3: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
![Page 4: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Spiritual Beliefs
• Strong belief in presence of ancestors and their spirits
• Many different types of spirits, including family members, chiefs, non-relatives and animals
• Believe that evil spirits (“witches”) also exist
![Page 5: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
The Bira• Bira = all-night, family-based ceremony with
singing, dancing, and libations• Considered primary means of communication
with the spirit world• Main instrument used: mbiras
![Page 6: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
The Mbira• Set of long metal keys• Soundboard with bridge to hold keys in place• Resonator to amplify sound• Jingles of various material made to buzz
![Page 7: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Player and Instrument• Mbira can be intimate instrument
• Instrument faces player
• Instrument produces melody, rhythm, overtones, “white noise”
• “The mbira’s sound surrounds the player”
![Page 8: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Mbira Music
• Short repeated phrases with small variations
• Emphasis not on dazzling improvisation but on the gradual development of a “piece”
• Usually 4 sections of 12 beats
• Songs structured on two “parts” – leader (basic melody) and follower (variations)
![Page 9: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Principle of Interlock• Playing technique (alternation of fingers)• “Leader” and “Follower” parts• Polyrhythms generated by 3:2 feel• Polyphony generated by multiple melodic
“layers”• Singing, instrument and hosho shakers
play in interlock – none is the “soloist”
![Page 10: Shona Music and Dance Mbira Music of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe Was British colonial “Rhodesia” until 1980 War of independence from Britain: 1966- 1979 Although.](https://reader035.fdocuments.net/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697bfa51a28abf838c97993/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Song: “Nhemumasasa”• Each melodic phrase = 3 x 4 note unit = 12
pulses• One time through entire musical unit =
3x4 3x4 3x4 3x4