Drumming among the Akan and Anlo Ewe of Ghana: an introduction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v8i3.1827Abstract
It is generally recognized that the cultivation of music in any given society is limited by its tradition and history. Where ethnicity defines the boundaries of social and cultural life, particular traditions of drumming tend to be similarly confined. As a number of studies have been made of individual Akan and Anlo Ewe drumming styles, which have much in common (see references), it may be useful to offer here a general comparison of stylistic features of these two peoples, for there are also important differences that can be attributed to factors of ethnicity.References
Adu Boahen, Albert 1967 Africa under Colonial Domination, New Haven: Yale University Press
Akpabot, Samuel 1971 "Standard Drum Patterns in Nigeria", African Music 5(1)
Agawu, Kofi 1995 African Rhythm: A Northern Ewe Perspective, Cambridge
2003 Representing African Music, New York and London: Routledge
Anku, Willie 1992 Structural Set Analysis of African Music, vol. 1, Adowa, Legon, Ghana: Soundstage Production
1993 Structural Set Analysis of African Music, vol. 2, Bawa, Legon, Ghana: Soundstage Production
1995 "Towards a Cross-cultural Theory of Rhythm in African Drumming", in Kimberlin and Euba (eds) Intercultural Music, Vol. 1 Bayreuth, Germany: Bayreuth University
1997 "Principles of Rhythm Integration in African Drumming", Black Music Research Journal, 17(2)
2000 "Circles and Time", Music Theory Online 6, www.smt.ucsb.edu/mto/issues/mto.00.6.1.anku.html
2004 "Musical Transcription and Virtual-Scape: Reconstructing Collective Memory", IASA Journal 23(2004):38-56
Amoaku, Komla W. 1975 Symbolism in Traditional Institutions and Music of the Ewe of Ghana, Ph.D dissertation, University of Pittsburgh
Arom, Simha 1976 "The Use of Play-Back Techniques in the Study of Oral Polyphonies", Ethnomusicology, 3
Bascom, William 1969 Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria, New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston
Ekwueme, Laz 1975 "Structural Levels of Rhythm and Form in African Music", African Music, 5(4)
Erickson, Robert 1975 Timbre and Time: Sound Structure in Music, Madison: University of Wisconsin Press
Ellingson, Ter 1992 Transcription in Helen Myers (ed.) Ethnomusicology: An Introduction, New York: W.W. Norton & Company
Gbeho, Philip 1951 a "Beat of the Master Drum", West African Review, 22
1951b "African Drums are More than Tom-toms", West African Review, 22
1951c "African Music Deserves Generous Recognition", West African Review 22
Greene, Doris 1983 Purcussion Notation, Dance Notation Journal, 1(1;3):7-49
Jairazbhoy, Nazir 1977 "The Objective' and Subjective View in Music Transcription", Ethnomusicology, 21(2)
Josephs, Jess J. 1967 The Physics of Musical Sound, Princeton: Van Nostrand
Jones, A.M. 1949 "African Music", African Affairs, 48
1954 "African Rhythm", Africa, 24
1959 Studies in African Music, vol. 2, London: Oxford University Press
Kauffinan, Robert 1980 "African Rhythm: A Reassessment", Ethnomusicology, 8
King, Anthony 1961 "Employments of the 'Standard Pattern' in Yoruba Music", African Music, 2(3)
Koetting, James 1970 "Analysis and Notation of West African Drum Ensemble Music", Selected Reports, (3)
Kubik Gerhard 1972 "Oral Notation of Some West and Central African Time-line Patterns", Review of Ethnology 3(22):169-176
1994 Theory of African Music, vol. 1, Wilhelmshaven, Germay: Florian Noetzel Verlag
Kwami, Robert 1992b Sketches and Notes on Agbadza: An Introduction to African Drum Music from Ghana, Swansea Department of Education
1998 Towards a Comprehensive Catalogue of Ewe Drum Mnemonics, Journal of African Cultural Studies, 1:27-38
Locke, David and Godwin Kwasi Agbeli 1980 "A Study of the Drum Language in Adzogbo", African Music, 6(1)
Locke, David 1982 "Principles of Off-beat Timing and Cross-rhythm in Southern Ewe Dance Drumming", Ethnomusicology, 26(2)
1987 Drum Gahu: A Systematic Methodfor an African Percussion Piece, Tempe, AZ: White Cliff's Media Company
Nketia, J.H. Kwabena 1954 "The Role of the Drummer in Akan Society", African Music, 1(1)
1963 Drumming in Akan Communities of Ghana, London: University of Ghana and Thomas Nelson and Sons
1974 The Music of Africa, New York: Norton
1985 Integrating Objectivity and Experience, in Ethnomusicological Studies, Worlds of Music, 27(3):3-22
Pantaleoni, Hewitt 1972a The Rhythm of Atsia Dance Drumming Among the Aulo (Ewe) of Anyako, Ph.D dissertation, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut
1972b "Three Principles of Timing in Aulo Dance Drumming", African Music 5(2)
1972c "Towards Understanding the Play of Atsimevu in Atsia", African Music 5(2)
1972d "Toward Understanding the Play of Sogo in Atsia", Ethnomusicology, 16(1)
Pressing, Jeff 1983a "Cognitive Isomorphisms between Pitch and Rhythm in World Music", Studies in Music, 17
1983b "Rhythm Design in Support Drums of Agbadza", Africa Music, 6(3)
Rahn, Jay 1987 "Asymmetrical Ostinatos in Sub-Saharan Music: Time, Pitch, and Cycles Reconsidered", In Theory Only, 9:71-89
Rahn,John 1980 Basic Atonal Theory, New York: Schirmar Books
Reck, David 1992 "India/South India", in Jeff Todd Titon (ed.) Worlds of Music, New York: Schirmer Books, pp 231
Seeger, Charles 1974 Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, Los Angeles: Institute of Ethnomusicology and University of California
Toussaint, Godfried 2002 "A Mathematical Analysis of African Brazilian and Cuban Clave Rhythms", in the proceedings of BRIDGES: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science, pages 157-168, Towson University, MD, July 27-29
Wilson, Oily 1974 "The Significance of the Relationship between Afro-American Music and West African Music", The Black Perspective in Music, 2(1)
Akpabot, Samuel 1971 "Standard Drum Patterns in Nigeria", African Music 5(1)
Agawu, Kofi 1995 African Rhythm: A Northern Ewe Perspective, Cambridge
2003 Representing African Music, New York and London: Routledge
Anku, Willie 1992 Structural Set Analysis of African Music, vol. 1, Adowa, Legon, Ghana: Soundstage Production
1993 Structural Set Analysis of African Music, vol. 2, Bawa, Legon, Ghana: Soundstage Production
1995 "Towards a Cross-cultural Theory of Rhythm in African Drumming", in Kimberlin and Euba (eds) Intercultural Music, Vol. 1 Bayreuth, Germany: Bayreuth University
1997 "Principles of Rhythm Integration in African Drumming", Black Music Research Journal, 17(2)
2000 "Circles and Time", Music Theory Online 6, www.smt.ucsb.edu/mto/issues/mto.00.6.1.anku.html
2004 "Musical Transcription and Virtual-Scape: Reconstructing Collective Memory", IASA Journal 23(2004):38-56
Amoaku, Komla W. 1975 Symbolism in Traditional Institutions and Music of the Ewe of Ghana, Ph.D dissertation, University of Pittsburgh
Arom, Simha 1976 "The Use of Play-Back Techniques in the Study of Oral Polyphonies", Ethnomusicology, 3
Bascom, William 1969 Yoruba of Southwestern Nigeria, New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston
Ekwueme, Laz 1975 "Structural Levels of Rhythm and Form in African Music", African Music, 5(4)
Erickson, Robert 1975 Timbre and Time: Sound Structure in Music, Madison: University of Wisconsin Press
Ellingson, Ter 1992 Transcription in Helen Myers (ed.) Ethnomusicology: An Introduction, New York: W.W. Norton & Company
Gbeho, Philip 1951 a "Beat of the Master Drum", West African Review, 22
1951b "African Drums are More than Tom-toms", West African Review, 22
1951c "African Music Deserves Generous Recognition", West African Review 22
Greene, Doris 1983 Purcussion Notation, Dance Notation Journal, 1(1;3):7-49
Jairazbhoy, Nazir 1977 "The Objective' and Subjective View in Music Transcription", Ethnomusicology, 21(2)
Josephs, Jess J. 1967 The Physics of Musical Sound, Princeton: Van Nostrand
Jones, A.M. 1949 "African Music", African Affairs, 48
1954 "African Rhythm", Africa, 24
1959 Studies in African Music, vol. 2, London: Oxford University Press
Kauffinan, Robert 1980 "African Rhythm: A Reassessment", Ethnomusicology, 8
King, Anthony 1961 "Employments of the 'Standard Pattern' in Yoruba Music", African Music, 2(3)
Koetting, James 1970 "Analysis and Notation of West African Drum Ensemble Music", Selected Reports, (3)
Kubik Gerhard 1972 "Oral Notation of Some West and Central African Time-line Patterns", Review of Ethnology 3(22):169-176
1994 Theory of African Music, vol. 1, Wilhelmshaven, Germay: Florian Noetzel Verlag
Kwami, Robert 1992b Sketches and Notes on Agbadza: An Introduction to African Drum Music from Ghana, Swansea Department of Education
1998 Towards a Comprehensive Catalogue of Ewe Drum Mnemonics, Journal of African Cultural Studies, 1:27-38
Locke, David and Godwin Kwasi Agbeli 1980 "A Study of the Drum Language in Adzogbo", African Music, 6(1)
Locke, David 1982 "Principles of Off-beat Timing and Cross-rhythm in Southern Ewe Dance Drumming", Ethnomusicology, 26(2)
1987 Drum Gahu: A Systematic Methodfor an African Percussion Piece, Tempe, AZ: White Cliff's Media Company
Nketia, J.H. Kwabena 1954 "The Role of the Drummer in Akan Society", African Music, 1(1)
1963 Drumming in Akan Communities of Ghana, London: University of Ghana and Thomas Nelson and Sons
1974 The Music of Africa, New York: Norton
1985 Integrating Objectivity and Experience, in Ethnomusicological Studies, Worlds of Music, 27(3):3-22
Pantaleoni, Hewitt 1972a The Rhythm of Atsia Dance Drumming Among the Aulo (Ewe) of Anyako, Ph.D dissertation, Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut
1972b "Three Principles of Timing in Aulo Dance Drumming", African Music 5(2)
1972c "Towards Understanding the Play of Atsimevu in Atsia", African Music 5(2)
1972d "Toward Understanding the Play of Sogo in Atsia", Ethnomusicology, 16(1)
Pressing, Jeff 1983a "Cognitive Isomorphisms between Pitch and Rhythm in World Music", Studies in Music, 17
1983b "Rhythm Design in Support Drums of Agbadza", Africa Music, 6(3)
Rahn, Jay 1987 "Asymmetrical Ostinatos in Sub-Saharan Music: Time, Pitch, and Cycles Reconsidered", In Theory Only, 9:71-89
Rahn,John 1980 Basic Atonal Theory, New York: Schirmar Books
Reck, David 1992 "India/South India", in Jeff Todd Titon (ed.) Worlds of Music, New York: Schirmer Books, pp 231
Seeger, Charles 1974 Selected Reports in Ethnomusicology, Los Angeles: Institute of Ethnomusicology and University of California
Toussaint, Godfried 2002 "A Mathematical Analysis of African Brazilian and Cuban Clave Rhythms", in the proceedings of BRIDGES: Mathematical Connections in Art, Music and Science, pages 157-168, Towson University, MD, July 27-29
Wilson, Oily 1974 "The Significance of the Relationship between Afro-American Music and West African Music", The Black Perspective in Music, 2(1)
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2009-11-30
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“Drumming Among the Akan and Anlo Ewe of Ghana: An Introduction”. 2009. African Music : Journal of the International Library of African Music 8 (3): 38-64. https://doi.org/10.21504/amj.v8i3.1827.
