STUDY GUIDE

MUSIC OF AFRICA


Know the map of Africa (at least the countries we discussed in class).
You can use Nketia's map (on page vi).
Note that there are a few changes in the last 30 years to the map of Africa --
Dahomey is now Benin, Zaire is now Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rhodesia is Zimbabwe,
South West Africa
is now Namibia, and Upper Volta is now Burkina Faso.
As you know, the colonization of Africa by the Europeans caused many arbitrary boundaries
to be drawn that did not and do not represent the composition of indigenous populations.

Know something about the location and features of certain ethnic groups that were discussed in class.
(Nketia, Appendix Two, page 251). Note that you can get a smaller subset from the syllabus.

NKETIA The Music of Africa: Whole book, but read sections One and Two more carefully.
Chapter 21 is a useful summary.

ROBERTS Black Music of Two Worlds: Introduction, and Chapters 1 and 8
Note: Introduction: Africa, Europe and Islam is especially useful (pages xxi-xxxvii)

NOTES FROM CLASS, of course. All classes are relevant, including the student presentations.

VIDEOS shown in class.

Other topics: The African aesthetic, Musical instruments (organology, taxonomy),
tuning systems, rhythmic structure, bell patterns, influence in the Americas.