South African Choral Music (Amakwaya): Song, Contest and the ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

10.2 Visual Representation experienced as sufficient or definitive. Thus the repertoire defied the attempts of Apartheid South Africa to fix social and ethnic identities in isolation from, or even in opposition to, one another. That this cultural negotiation still continues today is evident in their inclusion of neo-traditional wedding songs as a sign of their desire to remain true to their ancestral roots, just as their inclusion of Western compositions is a sign of their continued aspirations towards a 'modern' way of life. The section of choral works composed by black African composers may be viewed as a distinct attempt to reconcile these two cultural elements. 10.2 Visual Representation It is interesting to note that visual aesthetics support the impression of this segmentation. For choirs participating in competitions and festivals it became common practice to wear elaborate robes when presenting Western set pieces and to change into traditional attire for the rendition of traditional songs. Lunga from the Bonisudumo Choristers explains why it is that they have various uniforms: ''We do have the one which is suitable for summer, we do have the one with a jacket suitable for winter. And then we do have the traditional one, suitable for both seasons. It depends on which activity we are going to perform for".12 Musa Xulu observes that choirs would even "wear Sotho attire for Sotho songs, Zulu attire for Zulu songs, Xhosa attire for Xhosa songs and colonial type attire for western type songs".13 To understand the historical contest, we have to return briefly to a point made in Chapter 1, where I argued that the African Native Choir was negotiating identity through the medium of dress during their concerts in England. In the first half of the programme they dressed in "sundry African costumes singing in the Kaffir tongue" but changed to "European dress" for the second hale 4 This, I suggested, should be seen in relation to current clothing and dress etiquette, which was amongst the most morally charged aspects of the mission education. For the middle class African, change of dress became the most obvious symbol for leaving traditional social life behind in order to enter the modern Westernised world. I have argued earlier that dress and tidiness were foremost concerns of the missionaries (Chapters 1.2.2, page 23 and 3.2.1, page 77). Once they had internalised these ideals, clothing became for the converts a key means of showing their improvement in 'civilisation'. The practice of changing their dress for the various parts of the repertoire is, for contemporary amakwqya groups, an act of shifting identity. Dress is thus a sign of the process of negotiation and of the desire to merge the inner and outer selves, and facilitates the process of becoming completely immersed in the diverse requirements of the segmented repertoire. Apart from the status that Western designed robes gives to the choristers, uniforms have great relevance for them, as a form of identification as a group. Lastly, dress becomes an expression of protest and a sign of emancipation for the amakwqya performers. Edward Mngadi explains: "The attire that native Africans used to wear, was seen [by the missionaries] to be uncivilised and heathen. That is why nowadays you will find some choirs coming in their traditional attire... They are trying to go back to what was taken away from them by the missionaries".15 The effects of the aesthetics of dress on amakwqya performance practice are complex and need fuller investigation. 12 Lunga, Bonisudumo Choristers (Gauteng), questionnaire Johannesburg, February 12, 2001. 13 M. Xulu, 1995: 164. 14 The Christian Express (May 1, 1891). 15 Personal communication with Edward Mngadi, Durban, November 16, 1999. 275
276 The Sectionalised Repertoire ofAmakwaya Figure 10.1: Molopo ChoralArtists, NCF, Johannesburg, December 2001 10.3 Phenomenology of the Sectionalised Repertoire The following section will investigate the importance and function of each section of amakwqya repertoire as seen by the performers themselves. When asked whether the choirs and their conductors favoured anyone part of the repertoire, Fakazi replied: " ...you know what will happen here, the conductors will go more for the African pieces well composed and the Western pieces well composed. Because the traditional wedding songs you don't have to learn them. You don't have to have copies. They don't take them so seriously".16 In an interesting discussion that occurred during a meeting with the Action Research group that I had initiated in Pietermaritzburg, conductors from various community and school choirs supported Fakazi's statement. Even though they agreed that they enjoyed wedding songs, they were more interested in classical songs: "Our music is the classical music: how to handle the notes, how to project the voice, we enjoy it. .. Just when we are relaxed, we sing wedding songs. But when we are in business, it's classicaL .. We enjoy the classical music to the point of crying. Classical music - that . h th ,,17 IS w y we come toge er. Andile Radebe, who conducts a school choir at Sinamuva Public Primary School in Imbali near Pietermaritzburg, prefers "to have a good choir that is good when it comes to the classical music than a choir that excels when it comes to wedding songs".18 This preference becomes obvious, as Andile Radehe admits: 16 Personal communication with Zakhele Fakazi, Marianhill, November 05,1999. 17 Ntombizodwa M. Majola, Thembelihle Dladla, Thokozani Ndolomba, Andile Radebe,Joshua Radebe, (pietermaritz burg Participatory Action Research Group, 12 th meeting, May 04, 2000). 18 Andile Radebe, Pietermaritzburg Participatory Action Research Group, 12 th meeting, May 04,2000.
Page 1 and 2:
South African Choral Music (Amakway
Page 3 and 4:
11 Preface
Page 5 and 6:
IV 2.2.3 Employment and the Work Pl
Page 7 and 8:
VI 8 Preface FROM SCHOOLS TO COMMUN
Page 9:
VIII 12.2.5.2 Towards an African Op
Page 13:
Introduction Amakwaya and the Aspec
Page 17 and 18:
Introduction XVII mainly concerned
Page 19:
Introduction XIX who had been expos
Page 25 and 26:
Outline xxv group prioritised probl
Page 27 and 28:
Outline XXVII Music (6.2). The part
Page 30:
:xxx Preface fields, were a source
Page 35 and 36:
6 The Mrican Native Choir (1892) an
Page 40 and 41:
1.2 Communicating Identity and Diff
Page 43 and 44:
14 The Mrican Native Choir (1892) a
Page 45 and 46:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 52:
1.2 Communicating Identity and Diff
Page 57:
28 The African Native Choir (1892)
Page 63:
34 Becoming Amakholwa: Mission Comm
Page 66 and 67:
2.1 Setting the Scene: Early Missio
Page 68:
2.1 Setting the Scene: Early Missio
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 76 and 77:
2.2 Becoming Amakholwa 47 were abou
Page 78 and 79:
2.2 Becoming Amakholwa 49 published
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 86 and 87:
2.3 Images ofthe Other 57 'Heathen'
Page 88 and 89:
2.3 Images ofthe Other 59 aim to "e
Page 91 and 92:
Shaping a New World: The Mrican Mid
Page 94 and 95:
66 Shaping a New World: The African
Page 96:
68 Shaping a New World: The Mrican
Page 99 and 100:
3.2 The Applications for the Exempt
Page 101 and 102:
3.2 The Applications for the Exempt
Page 104 and 105:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 113:
3.3 Between Two Worlds: Exclusivene
Page 116:
Page 119 and 120:
3.4 Summary 3.3.3 Isolation of the
Page 121:
Negotiating Tradition and the Moder
Page 125 and 126:
4.1 The Mrican Yearly Register: A D
Page 127 and 128:
4.1 The Mrican Yearly Register: A D
Page 129:
4.1 The African Yearly Register: A
Page 132 and 133:
104 Negotiating Tradition and the M
Page 135:
4.2 Emancipation and the Quest for
Page 139 and 140:
4.3 Music of the Elite: Manifestati
Page 141 and 142:
4.3 Music ofthe Elite: Manifestatio
Page 143 and 144:
Page 145 and 146:
Page 148:
PART TWO Musi : The ntext of e.. rm
Page 151 and 152:
5.1 Umculo amakholwa - "Christian M
Page 153 and 154:
5.2 Early Musical Encounters: Missi
Page 156 and 157:
130 Music at the Mission Station an
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170:
Page 175 and 176:
5.5 Musical Innovations, Structural
Page 177:
5.6 Summary 5.6 Summary I have trac
Page 180:
6.1 The Establishment ofAdams Colle
Page 183:
158 Music Education at Adams Colleg
Page 188:
6.2 The Content ofMusic Education 1
Page 193 and 194:
168 Music Education at Adams Colleg
Page 196 and 197:
6.2 The Content ofMusic Education I
Page 198 and 199:
6.2 The Content of Music Education
Page 200:
6.3 Summary 175 More recently, Khab
Page 203 and 204:
7.1 Organising and Moralising Leisu
Page 205 and 206:
7.1 Organising and Moralising Leisu
Page 207 and 208:
7.2 Choral Music, Performance, Disc
Page 209 and 210:
7.2 Choral Music, Perfonnance, Disc
Page 212 and 213:
188 Leisure-time and the Role of Ch
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216:
Page 221:
7.2 Choral Music, Performance, Disc
Page 226:
202 From Schools to Communities: Th
Page 230:
Page 238 and 239:
Page 241 and 242:
8.2 School Choir Contests and the R
Page 243:
8.3 Adult and Community Choirs then
Page 247 and 248: 8.3 Adult and Cormnunity Choirs 223
Page 249 and 250: 8.3 Adult and Community Choirs whic
Page 253 and 254: 8.3 Adult and Community Choirs 8.3.
Page 255: 8.3 Adult and Community Choirs ...
Page 258: 234 From Schools to Communities: Th
Page 262 and 263: 238 Competition: Perfonnance, Meani
Page 265 and 266: 9.2 Competition Transformed 241 art
Page 267: 9.3 The Lived Experience: Exploring
Page 270: 246 Competition: Perfonnance, Meani
Page 273 and 274: 9.3 The Lived Experience: Exploring
Page 275: 9.3 The Lived Experience: Exploring
Page 278 and 279: 254 Competition: Pecfonnance, Meani
Page 280: 256 Competition: Perfonnance, Meani
Page 285 and 286: 9.3 The Lived Experience: Exploring
Page 287 and 288: 9.4 Competition: the Negative Aspec
Page 289 and 290: 9.4 Competition: the Negative Aspec
Page 292 and 293: 268 Competition: Performance, Meani
Page 294 and 295: 270 Competition: Performance, Meani
Page 297: 274 The Sectionalised Repertoire of
Page 301 and 302: 278 The Sectionalised Repertoire of
Page 303: 280 The Sectionalised Repertoire of
Page 307 and 308: 284 Figure 11.2: Rural wedding in N
Page 309 and 310: 286 Neo-traditional Songs All songs
Page 311 and 312: 288 Neo-traditional Songs associate
Page 315: 292 " JI 11.2.5 Falling Melody Line
Page 319: 296 11.3 Summary Neo-traditional So
Page 323 and 324: 300 Mrican Eclectic Compositions I
Page 325 and 326: 302 Mrican Eclectic Compositions Wh
Page 328 and 329: 12.1 The Process of Composing 305 a
Page 330 and 331: 12.2 Periodisation of African Eclec
Page 332: 12.2 Periodisation ofMrican Eclecti
Page 335 and 336: 312 Mrican Eclectic Compositions ma
Page 339: 316 Mrican Eclectic Compositions 12
Page 347: 324 Mrican Eclectic Compositions th
Page 356:
12.2 Periodisation ofMrican Eclecti
Page 361 and 362:
338 Mrican Eclectic Compositions (b
Page 365 and 366:
342 Figure 12.28: Peiformance rif H
Page 368 and 369:
12.3 Summary There is a small but i
Page 370 and 371:
12.3 Summary 347 Western. It was on
Page 374 and 375:
13.1 Reconsidering Repertoire: Khab
Page 377 and 378:
354 Westem Repertoire interval is t
Page 379 and 380:
356 Western Repertoire Judging from
Page 381 and 382:
358 Westem Repertoire group's commi
Page 384:
13.2 The Significance ofOratorio: M
Page 391 and 392:
368 Western Repertoire George Mxada
Page 393 and 394:
370 Western Repertoire creation of
Page 395 and 396:
372 Western Repertoire form. Opera
Page 397 and 398:
374 Westem Repertoire really suffic
Page 401 and 402:
A) The Need for Critical Developmen
Page 403 and 404:
A) The Need for Critical Developmen
Page 405 and 406:
B) Some Perspectives on Future Deve
Page 407 and 408:
Page 409 and 410:
Page 413 and 414:
4. Books and Articles 391 Benson, M
Page 417 and 418:
4. Books and Articles 395 Mngoma, K
Page 420 and 421:
398 Bibliography Reid, D. J. 1871.
Page 422 and 423:
400 Phelelani Mnomiya Peter Morake
Page 424:
402 Johannesburg; 7 - 9 December 20
show all

South African Choral Music (Amakwaya): Song, Contest and the ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?