XYLAFRIQUE: Contemporary Art Compositions Based on the Dagaaba Gyil (Xylophone) Genre

ABSTRACT

The study adopted a mode of creativity/dynamic approach through the synthesis of Dagaaba gyil genre and Western compositional techniques and approaches. To ground the study in the rich cultural traditions of the Dagaaba people of Winneba and Kasoa in the Central Region of Ghana an anthropological documentation formed an important part of the study. The study adopted Nketia‟s syncretic approach theory (1982), the bi-musicality, African Pianism theories of Euba (1992) and Webster‟s model of creative thinking in music. In addition to Akuno‟s (1997) theory on social functions in which; the contextual meaning of the composition was based. Thirty-nine Dagaaba gyil folk songs were collected from traditional performers, through purposeful and snowball sampling techniques. Songs were recorded, transcribed and analysed for dominant traditional musical features. The result was a compositional inspiration on which the Xylafrique was based. Rhythmic and melodic accuracy of the transcribed songs were ascertained by play backs using FINALE notation software. The report contains a discussion on the unique elements of Dagaaba gyil music, the full musical score of the innovations, and the analysis of the score and finally the perspectives highlighted all the social, moral and educational relevance of the work.