Music of Africa and African Descent

Piano, Fortepiano and Harpsichord Music
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fredbucket
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Re: Music of African Descent

Post by fredbucket »

burstroman wrote:Would someone please post the Biblical Vignettes or at least "I Am the True Vine" by Nathaniel Dett? Thank you.
Here.
Dett - Eight Bible Vignettes.pdf
Regards
Fred
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sgambatiesque

Re: Music of African Descent

Post by sgambatiesque »

I've just encountered the music of Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, an Ethiopian nun who was educated and classically trained in Europe. She released two disks of piano music in 1963 when she was 40. Many of those tracks are now on a recording Éthiopiques, Vol 21: Piano Solo. (available on iTunes and the like). A number of tracks may found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSsO0575wb4

Her range is from a salon classical through blues and jazz incorporating local melodies and rhythms. While the music was "published in 1973" I don't know if this means that sheet music is available.

There is more biographical information and published reviews on the site for her foundation: http://www.emahoymusicfoundation.org/biography.html

I'd be interested to hear opinions and pointers to other piano artists from African nations.
Duirton

Re: Music of African Descent

Post by Duirton »

Very interesting!
would be good succeed to find the score.

Duirton
sgambatiesque

Re: Music of African Descent

Post by sgambatiesque »

sgambatiesque wrote: I'd be interested to hear ... pointers to other piano artists from African nations.
I wrote that when I thought the board didn't cover this subject already and thus created a new thread. The search function let me down on key-words Africa, African, Ethiopia, and Ethiopian :-(.

I would actually like to hear specifically music deriving directly from Africa, which is typically more modern in origin than those which have passed through the various American or Caribbean traditions like Dett, Joplin, and others.
Timtin
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Re: Music of Africa and African Descent

Post by Timtin »

Roger Ascham (1864-1934) perhaps deserves a mention in this thread.
Although he was born in England, he went to Port Elizabeth in South Africa in 1890,
where he made his name as a concert pianist, organist, teacher, and composer.
And yet today this so-called 'Paderewski of South Africa' is almost totally forgotten.
(Ironically, Paderewski himself hated the country, and vowed never to return, following
one curtailed tour there in 1912.)
If anyone can produce any of Ascham's music, or a list of works, that would be great.
His Op20 Etude is on IMSLP, but nothing else is on the internet. I have here one other
work, an impressive set of 12 Songs Op22, which I'll soon make available.
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/t ... 1121551566
alfor
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Re: Music of Africa and African Descent

Post by alfor »

from Médéa, Algeria:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=68&start=3250
Best regards, Alfor S. Cans

Music is a higher revelation than wisdom and philosophy (Beethoven)


http://www.mediafire.com/alfor
bingo
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Re: Music of African Descent

Post by bingo »

sgambatiesque wrote: Tue Jan 24, 2012 11:40 am I've just encountered the music of Emahoy Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou, an Ethiopian nun who was educated and classically trained in Europe. She released two disks of piano music in 1963 when she was 40. Many of those tracks are now on a recording Éthiopiques, Vol 21: Piano Solo. (available on iTunes and the like). A number of tracks may found on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSsO0575wb4

Her range is from a salon classical through blues and jazz incorporating local melodies and rhythms. While the music was "published in 1973" I don't know if this means that sheet music is available.

There is more biographical information and published reviews on the site for her foundation: http://www.emahoymusicfoundation.org/biography.html

I'd be interested to hear opinions and pointers to other piano artists from African nations.
Emahoy passed away in March 2023 at the age of 99. According to Wikipedia "Her music has been described as melodic blues piano with rhythmically complex phrasing.[15] For three decades she lived a reclusive life with only rare performances including one at the Jewish Community Center in Washington, D.C. on 12 July 2008.[16] Three tribute concerts were held in Jerusalem in 2013 to mark her 90th birthday and a compilation of her musical scores was released."

Her sheet music is available at https://www.emahoymusicpublisher.com/music-sheets - it's not cheap at $US140 for 16 sheets, but it does go towards funding music education programmes.
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