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E Flat Alto Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment Global Journal of HUMAN-SOCIAL SCIENCE: A Arts & Humanities - Psychology Volume 20 Issue 7 Version 1.0 Year 2020 Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal Publisher: Global Journals Online ISSN: 2249-460x & Print ISSN: 0975-587X Using Ethno-Compositional Materials for Contemporary Music Composition: ‘Ovie’ E Flat Alto Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment as Musical Example By Okafor, Justina Enoh Abstract- The search for musico-cultural identity and nationalism in Africa as well as in Nigeria gave rise to the evolution of new compositional innovations which stemmed from the use of ethno-compositional materials drawn from such cultures for compositional purposes which are contemporary in structure, culturally oriented and globally relevant. In response to this search, Nigerian Contemporary musicians and Art musicians/composers went back as it were to their ‘root’ giving birth to many contemporary compositions by various contemporary musicians and art musicians in Nigeria and Afr ica including other cultural clime. One of such contemporary composition is the musical example titled ‘Ovie’ for E flat Alto Saxophone and Piano accompaniment. In the musicological presentation of ‘Ovie’ for E flat Alto Saxophone and Piano accompaniment, the melodic structure/passage of the song texts ‘ovie’ was used as thematic mater ial to compose an entire work of 173 bars/measures. Presentation of information pertaining to its pre-compositional consideration and compositional techniques employed in the composition titled ‘ovie’ was discussed. Also literatures were reviewed to buttress facts where necessary. Keywords: ethno, compositional materials, musicocultural. GJHSS-A Classification: FOR Code: 190409 UsingEthnoCompositionalMaterialsforContemporaryMusicCompositionOvieEFlatAltoSaxophoneandPianoAccompanimentasMusicalExample Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of: © 2020. Okafor, Justina Enoh. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution- Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Using Ethno-Compositional Materials for Contemporary Music Composition: ‘Ovie’ E Flat Alto Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment as Musical Example Okafor, Justina Enoh A bstract - The s earch for musico-cultural identity and harmonic principles, voice leading techniques, cadential 2020 nationalism in Africa as well as in Nigeria gave ris e to the formulae, to mention but a few. evolutio n of new compositional innovations which stemmed In Africa/Nigeria, indigenous traditional music from the use of ethno-compositional materials drawn from ear Y and or folk tunes including repertoires of traditional such cultures for compositional purposes which are contemporary in structure, culturally oriented and globally ensembles (vocal and instrumental or both) as ethno- 49 relevant. I n r esponse to this search, Nigerian Contemporary compositional materials of various cultural milieus have musicians and Art musicians/composers went back as it were been used to compose enormous stylistic pedigree by to their ‘root’ giving birth to many contemporary compositions contemporary musicians (those without formal by various contemporary musicians and art mus icians in academic training) and art composers/musicians (those Nigeria and Afr ica including other cultural clime. One of such who have received formal/academic training in both contemporary composition is the musical example titled ‘Ovie’ African and western music idioms) who can express for E flat Alto Saxophone and Piano accompaniment. In the themselves in terms of music logically and structurally musicological presentation of ‘Ovie’ for E flat Alto Saxophone either consciously or unconsciously bearing in mind all and Piano accompaniment, the melodic structure/passage of the intricacies associated with the process of the song texts ‘ovie’ was us ed as thematic mater ial to compose an entire work of 173 bars/measures. Presentation composition such as the melodic contour, rhythmic of information pertaining to its pre-compositio nal cons ideration pattern, motifs, textual/tone colour, performance media, and compositio nal techniques employed in the composition style and so on. titled ‘ovie’ was discussed. Also literatures were reviewed to Composition usually involves individual’s ) A buttress facts where necessary. From the discussio n and innovative potentials which in turn involve contact and ( analysis of the work, it is concluded that compositional exposure to a wide spectrum/gamut of meaningful Volume XX Issue VII Version I materials can be drawn from our cultural and or traditional information on musical concepts and contents, coherent milieu for vocal music composition, instrumental composition or both vocal and instrumental compositions by contemporary organization of ideas, synthesis and analysi s of the music composers. compositional process. On the other hand, compositional works communicates certain ideas, Keywords: ethno, compositional materials, musico- - cultural. thoughts, content, meaning or claim to which the composer is predisposed to and influenced normally I. Introduction based on prevailing theories of tonality, thematic structures, form, rhythmic patterns, tempo and use of he Contemporary African Art musicians have been faced with the task of providing the relevance of musical instruments. Different ethno-compositional African characteristics and backgrounds and materials represent and reflect the culture of a people. T Idolor (2002) stated that, compositional techniques such practices to their numerous audiences through authentic art idiom (Agu, 2009:50). In response to this task, as statement of themes and their developments with Contemporary African and Nigeria musicians/Art music sequences, repetitions, tonal shifts, orchestration, dynamic shadings, part singing, text, texture, rhythm composers as well as musicians went back to existing Global Journal of Human Social Science cultural musical archives and musical heritage for and cadential formulae are all representative of a inspirations and techniques which is evident in the titles culture. The culture of a people represents the people. of their compositions, the use of African/Nigerian texts, Therefore, the discourse, using ethno-compositional setting of traditional melodies and elements such as materials for contemporary composition: ‘Ovie’ (E flat tonality and tonal constructs, melodic configuration, Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment as a musical pentatonic modes, antiphony, ostinato, instrumentation example) would not be complete without first, relating it and instrumental ensemble formats (orchestration), to its ethnographic location. This study is situated in Oghara community, one of the ethnic groups in Urhobo Author: Ph.D, College of Education, Agbor, Delta State. clan. Oghara community is made up of Urhobo e-mail: [email protected] ©2020 Global Journals Using Ethno-Compositional Materials for Contemporary Music Composition: ‘Ovie’ E Flat Alto Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment as Musical Example speaking people, geographically located with Edo State identify such composition, the composer, ep och and to the North and East , Koko North Local Government cultural affiliation. Instances are titles such as ‘Iyere’siri’, Area to the East and Jesse clan to the South. ‘Krisimasi Ede Ra’ghogho’ ‘Asiko’, ‘Igirigi Hermon’, ‘Ore- ‘Ovie’ is the title of the song text in a series of a ofe Jesu Kristi’, ‘Zidata Mo Nso Gi’, ‘Otu Nkwu’, ‘Eje Ka traditional choral-dance style known as ‘Ekha re Abere’. Jumo Gbagbo o’, ‘Orin Ijosin 54’, ‘Akinla’, ‘Ekpri Ekanem It was performed by the KingsWay Cultural Group of for Flute Solo and Piano Accompaniment’, ‘Ikemefuna’, Oghareki, Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government ‘Ahudiya’, ‘Wian’, ‘Oyoma for String Trio’, ‘Sanu dezuwa’ Area of Delta State, Nigeria. It is essentially a social to mention a few. The above explanation informed the music associated with coronation ceremony performed choice of the title used as musical example of the solely for the ‘Ovie’ (king) during an ordination ceremony discourse ‘Ovie’ E flat Alto Saxophone and Piano of a king. As an indigenous music, it is one of a series Accompaniment. ‘Ovie’ whose syllabic structure is of performances performed mainly for entertainment written and pronounced o/vi/ea/ is an Urhobo word purposes. meaning (king). In Urhobo culture, the king is the For the actualization of ethno-compositional symbolic head and traditional head presiding over 2020 theory, thematic materials were drawn from the matters concerning the culture and traditions of a transcription of the melodic configurations of the ear nomenclature within the State. Y traditional song titled ‘Ovie’ and the rhythmic b) Instrumentation/Medium/Accompaniment configurations of the ‘agogo’ (metal gong) from the 50 Instrumentation here is referred to the use or instrumental ensemble of ‘Ekha Re Abere’- these formed adaptation of an instrument other than the primary the source material for the new composition titled ‘Ovie’ source as a medium of musical and artistic expression. E flat Alto Saxophone and Piano Accompaniment; thus Akpabot (1986:79, 80) opined that; emerging a new stylistic idiom. Focal point was on the pre-compositional considerations and compositional ‘African instrumental melody in many instances techniques used in the composition. derives from, and
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