African and American Music Styles: A Concise Overview

Posted on Mar 19, 2025 in Music

African Music Styles

Africa

  • Main Styles:
    • Songs of work: Cacons
    • Various activities related to daily/private life: Music interpreted in small groups, family areas, smoother sound, dominated by instruments.
    • Music publishing: Music interpreted in tribal celebrations, involving a large group, often emphasizing percussion.
  • Purpose: African music is conceived as an integral part of life. Social music is a collective manifestation.
  • Texture: Polyphony and monodic songs. Question and response between soloist and group.
  • Melody: Scales of three to seven notes. Melodies linked to texts. Many African languages are tonal languages (meaning of a word changes depending on the pitch).
  • Rhythm: Characteristic polyrhythms.
  • Instruments:
    • Wind: Flute, cane
    • Percussion: Husk
    • String: Kora

North African Music Styles

North Africa

  • Main Styles:
    • Classic: Originates in the rich musical tradition of the courts of the Damascus Caliphate (medieval).
    • Folk: Oral tradition, usually tied to a specific activity (wedding songs, caravans).
    • Popular: Influence of Western instruments with electric incorporation.
  • Purpose: Entertainment and social criticism (texts include protests against political and religious power).
  • Texture: Heterophonic. Question and answer between soloist and group.
  • Melody: Maqam (scales).
  • Rhythm: Rhythmic modes (drum marked or dum tek).
  • Instruments:
    • Wind: Nay
    • Percussion: Adufe
    • String: Rough edge

Andean Music Styles

Andean Music

  • Main Styles: Folk: Oral tradition, usually associated with dance or daily activities.
  • Purpose: Social, recreational, and religious (songs used by shamans).
  • Texture: Monodic. European influence led to polyphony.
  • Melody: Pentatonic scales (three, four, and five notes).
  • Rhythm: Varies depending on the function (e.g., slow and free in shamanic ceremonies).
  • Instruments:
    • Wind: Pan flute
    • Percussion: Drum
    • String: Charango

Euro-Afro-American Music Styles

Euro-Afro-American Music

  • Main Styles:
    • Folk: Oral transmission, mixing music from different cultures.
    • Popular: Some figures from Latin America.
    • Classical: Classical music from settlers, creating an American musical culture.
  • Purpose: Entertainment, social (linked to ceremonies and folk dances), and religious (Catholic worship).
  • Texture: Both monody and polyphony.
  • Melody: Based on different musical cultures, including pentatonic scales from Africa and America, and diatonic scales.
  • Rhythm: African rhythmic patterns and European tradition.
  • Instruments:
    • Wind: Flute
    • Percussion: Marimba
    • String: Harp