AFRICAN ART SONGS IN NAIROBI: INVESTIGATING MUSICAL IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS IN PERFORMANCE PRACTICE BY SYLVESTER MATETE MAKOBI (B. Ed) M66/21365/2012 A Project Report Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Music in Performance in the School of Visual and Performing Arts of Kenyatta University October 2017 iii DEDICATION This project is dedicated to my family and all composers, singers and pianists who perform African art songs that they may continue exposing the genre. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank God for the far He has brought me since the start of my masters degree at Kenyatta University. I would like to thank my family for the love, prayers, and support. To my father, Mr. Timona Makobi for the opportunity and encouragement to pursue music and the lessons he continues to give me and pay for. To my mother, Mrs. Cecilia Makobi for teaching me the first song I ever performed as a solo. To my sister, Lilian Khahoya for teaching me how to read music and assistance throughout my university education. To my brother, Alexander Shibonje, for financial and moral support. I would like to thank my supervisors Dr. Duncan Wambugu and Dr. Wilson Shitandi for all the guidance throughout this project and my growth both as a performer and a scholar at Kenyatta University. I would extend my gratitude to all the lecturers at Kenyatta University, Department of Music and Dance for the knowledge they impacted upon me both in and out of lectures and performances at Kenyatta University. I would like to thank all the participants of this study because without them I would not have come up with the document. I would like to thank Dr. Charles Sykes and Prof. Marietta Simpson for their assistance in the logistics for my defence. Prof. Kimberly Carballo, Eddie Baraka, and Collins Murambi for their encouragement and support during the period of my Masters degree. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ ii DEDICATION .............................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................ iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... viii LIST OF GRAPHS ....................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF CHARTS.......................................................................................................................... x LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................................................................... xi ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS .................................................................................... xii OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS ......................................................................... xiii ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................. xiv 1.0 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background to the Study ......................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem ........................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Research Objectives.................................................................................................................. 3 1.5 Rationale and Significance of the Study .............................................................................. 3 1.6 Scope of the Study ..................................................................................................................... 4 1.7 Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 4 2.0 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE .............................................. 5 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 5 2.2 History and the Development of Art Song .......................................................................... 5 2.3 The Concept of African Art Song ......................................................................................... 8 2.4 Performance Practice and Musical Idiomatic Expressions in African Art Music 11 2.5 Techniques Used in Analysis of Art Songs....................................................................... 13 2.6 African Art Song Composers and Kenyan Classical Singers ..................................... 16 2.7 Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................ 18 3.0 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 20 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 20 3.2 Research Design...................................................................................................................... 20 3.3 Study Locale ............................................................................................................................ 21 3.4 Target Population and Sample Size................................................................................... 21 3.5 Sampling Techniques ............................................................................................................ 22 3.6 Research Instruments ........................................................................................................... 23 vi 3.6.1 Questionnaire ................................................................................................................................. 24 3.6.2 Analysis schedule ......................................................................................................................... 24 3.6.3 Structured interview schedule .................................................................................................. 24 3.7 Validity and Reliability ......................................................................................................... 24 3.8 Data Collection Techniques ................................................................................................. 25 3.9 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 26 3.10 Ethical Considerations .......................................................................................................... 26 4.0 CHAPTER 4: PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ................................. 28 4.1 Data Presentation ................................................................................................................... 28 4.1.1 Data Presentation of Selected Art Songs.............................................................................. 28 4.2 Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 39 5.0 CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS ............................................................... 56 5.1 Characteristics of African art songs .................................................................................. 56 5.1.1 Language ......................................................................................................................................... 56 5.1.2 Rhythm and rhythmic character .............................................................................................. 58 5.1.3 Repetition ........................................................................................................................................ 58 5.1.4 Solo or Call and response .......................................................................................................... 59 5.1.5 Melody and harmony .................................................................................................................. 59 5.1.6 Word painting ................................................................................................................................ 60 5.1.7 Scales ................................................................................................................................................ 60 5.1.8 Original source or form of African art songs ...................................................................... 60 5.2 Role of piano ............................................................................................................................ 62 5.2.1 Simulation ....................................................................................................................................... 62 5.2.2 Interaction of voice and