Yiri – African Music
Background Info & Style
Yiri is a piece of African music. It actually comes from the country Burkino Faso.
African music uses an oral tradition – the music is passed on through demonstration and word of mouth. It is rarely written down.
Common features of African Music are:
Repetition
Improvisation
Call and Response
Polyphonic texture
The piece also uses an OSTINATO in the drum parts.
Melody
The melody uses a pentatonic (5 note) scale.
The melodies are mainly improvised.
They are often short and simple and use lots of repetition.
The melodies sung make extensive use of Call & Response.
Texture
Yiri makes use of several different textures throughout the piece:
MONOPHONIC – solo balaphone at the start of the piece.
HETEROPHONIC – Several balaphones play the same melody but with slight embellishments between each part.
POLYPHONIC – independent parts playing at the same time, balaphones, singers, and percussion instruments
Harmony & Tonality
Instrumentation
Balaphones – xylophone type instrument.
Djembe – Goblet shaped drum.
Talking Drum – Pitches are adjustable.
Rhythm and Metre
Extensive use of Syncopation (off beat rhythms).
Cross Rhythms – create irregular accents in the music.
Timeless section during Balaphone solo at the start of the piece.
Use of an Ostinato – repetitive pattern in the drums throughout the piece.
Share with your friends: |