The growth, development and impact of the Grahamstown Festival of the Arts with special reference to music
- Authors: Silva, Jane Susan
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Grahamstown , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Influence , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Art and music , Music -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2656 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002322 , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Grahamstown , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Influence , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Art and music , Music -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Grahamstown
- Description: The Grahamstown Festival has become a huge and complex annual celebration of the arts, transforming the small Eastern Cape city for ten days every year. However this event had very modest beginnings, as did music and festivals in the city of Grahamstown. From its early days Grahamstown showed strong signs of becoming an important cultural centre, presenting numerous musical concerts from 1812, the festival tradition in the city beginning in 1887. The modern arts festival, initiated in 1971, had a chequered history during the early and mid 1970's, weathering economic recession, petrol restrictions and a repressive and restrictive political atmosphere. However by 1979 the event had become established and popular enough to ensure continued success during the 1980's. The period 1980-89 was one of great growth and development for the festival regarding attendance, and the number and nature of productions presented. Music had always been an integral part of the festival, and for the first time its role in this artistic celebration is being examined. The impact of such an event is varied and far-reaching, and thus difficult to assess, but the thesis ends with an attempt to gauge the Festival's impact.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998
- Authors: Silva, Jane Susan
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Grahamstown , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Influence , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Art and music , Music -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2656 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002322 , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Grahamstown , Standard Bank National Arts Festival -- Influence , Grahamstown (South Africa) -- Art and music , Music -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape -- Grahamstown
- Description: The Grahamstown Festival has become a huge and complex annual celebration of the arts, transforming the small Eastern Cape city for ten days every year. However this event had very modest beginnings, as did music and festivals in the city of Grahamstown. From its early days Grahamstown showed strong signs of becoming an important cultural centre, presenting numerous musical concerts from 1812, the festival tradition in the city beginning in 1887. The modern arts festival, initiated in 1971, had a chequered history during the early and mid 1970's, weathering economic recession, petrol restrictions and a repressive and restrictive political atmosphere. However by 1979 the event had become established and popular enough to ensure continued success during the 1980's. The period 1980-89 was one of great growth and development for the festival regarding attendance, and the number and nature of productions presented. Music had always been an integral part of the festival, and for the first time its role in this artistic celebration is being examined. The impact of such an event is varied and far-reaching, and thus difficult to assess, but the thesis ends with an attempt to gauge the Festival's impact.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998
Performance of Mhande song-dance: a contextualized and comparative analysis
- Authors: Rutsate, Jerry
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Karanga (African people) -- Music Shona (African people) -- Music Folk music -- Zimbabwe Music -- Zimbabwe Folk songs, Shona Mhande Dance music -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2655 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002321
- Description: This thesis is an investigation of the significance of Mhande song-dance in two performance contexts: the Mutoro ritual of the Karanga and the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Competition. In addition, I undertake comparative analysis of the structure of Mhande music in relation to the structure of selected genres of Shona indigenous music. The position of Mhande in the larger context of Shona music is determined through analysis of transcriptions of the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic elements of chizambi mouth bow, karimba mbira, ngororombe panpipes, ngano story songs, game, hunting, war, and love songs. Mhande is an indigenous song-dance performed for the mutoro ceremony, the annual rain ritual of the Karanga. The Mhande repertoire consists of distinctive songs and rhythms used for communicating with the majukwa rain spirits. The rain spirits in turn communicate with God (Mwari) the provider of rain, on behalf of the Karanga. Mhande song-dance is performed exactly the same way in the annual Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Competitions as in the ritual context of the mutoro ceremony. However, in the context of the Competition, it is used for the expression of joy and as a form of cultural identity. The Competition is a forum in which Karanga songdance traditions such as Mhande, compete with other Shona song-dance traditions such as mbakumba, shangara and chinyambera. I contextualize and analyse Mhande song-dance by using the ‘Matonjeni Model’, which in terms of Karanga epistemology, is culture specific. This Model is grounded in description, interpretation and analysis; the primary methods in my research process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Rutsate, Jerry
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Karanga (African people) -- Music Shona (African people) -- Music Folk music -- Zimbabwe Music -- Zimbabwe Folk songs, Shona Mhande Dance music -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2655 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002321
- Description: This thesis is an investigation of the significance of Mhande song-dance in two performance contexts: the Mutoro ritual of the Karanga and the Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Competition. In addition, I undertake comparative analysis of the structure of Mhande music in relation to the structure of selected genres of Shona indigenous music. The position of Mhande in the larger context of Shona music is determined through analysis of transcriptions of the rhythmic, melodic and harmonic elements of chizambi mouth bow, karimba mbira, ngororombe panpipes, ngano story songs, game, hunting, war, and love songs. Mhande is an indigenous song-dance performed for the mutoro ceremony, the annual rain ritual of the Karanga. The Mhande repertoire consists of distinctive songs and rhythms used for communicating with the majukwa rain spirits. The rain spirits in turn communicate with God (Mwari) the provider of rain, on behalf of the Karanga. Mhande song-dance is performed exactly the same way in the annual Chibuku Neshamwari Traditional Dance Competitions as in the ritual context of the mutoro ceremony. However, in the context of the Competition, it is used for the expression of joy and as a form of cultural identity. The Competition is a forum in which Karanga songdance traditions such as Mhande, compete with other Shona song-dance traditions such as mbakumba, shangara and chinyambera. I contextualize and analyse Mhande song-dance by using the ‘Matonjeni Model’, which in terms of Karanga epistemology, is culture specific. This Model is grounded in description, interpretation and analysis; the primary methods in my research process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
Understanding form and technique : Andrew Tracey's contribution to knowledge of lamellophone (mbira) music of Southern Africa
- Authors: Gumboreshumba, Laina
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Tracey, Andrew T N Ethnomusicology -- Africa Mbira Mbira music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002303
- Description: This thesis interrogates Andrew Tracey’s career as an ethnomusicologist and the significance of his research and publications on lamellophone (mbira) music of the Shona/Sena in Zimbabwe and Mozambique to subsequent scholarship of lamellophones throughout southern Africa. Through a survey of authors who have cited Tracey’s publications, this study assess how his use of the pulse notation transcription method and his theory of form and harmonic structure in mbira music, which he terms ‘the system of the mbira’ (A. Tracey, 1989) have influenced and contributed to the work of ethnomusicologists, musicologists and composers. Further this research evaluates the impact on subsequent publications by other scholars of Tracey's technical analysis of mbira music. Organizing and indexing Andrew Tracey's field collection in the ILAM archive gave direct knowledge of the scope of his work. The thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter contains a general introduction to the thesis and outlines the goals of the research. Chapter Two presents a biographical sketch of Andrew Tracey. A general introduction to the lamellophone (mbira) family of musical instruments in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa is presented in Chapter Three, which also addresses the social function of lamellophone music. Chapter Four gives a summary of Andrew Tracey’s research on the Shona mbira (his publications, recordings, films etc), and it analyzes his theory - “The system of the mbira” - in which he defines the form and structure of mbira music. Chapter Five examines the impact of Andrew Tracey’s research and publications on mbira music to subsequent scholarship and makes an analysis and evaluation of the significance of his contribution to the body of knowledge of the instrument and its music. In addition I relate my personal experiences with mbira music as a Shona person and mbira player and give my opinions on Tracey’s and subsequent scholars’ theories on mbira music. Chapter Six concludes with a summary of outcomes of this research. Basing on the analyses of presented data, it is deduced that, despite a few shortcomings, Andrew Tracey’s research on mbira music is crucial for it laid the groundwork for subsequent mbira scholarship.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Gumboreshumba, Laina
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Tracey, Andrew T N Ethnomusicology -- Africa Mbira Mbira music
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:2638 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002303
- Description: This thesis interrogates Andrew Tracey’s career as an ethnomusicologist and the significance of his research and publications on lamellophone (mbira) music of the Shona/Sena in Zimbabwe and Mozambique to subsequent scholarship of lamellophones throughout southern Africa. Through a survey of authors who have cited Tracey’s publications, this study assess how his use of the pulse notation transcription method and his theory of form and harmonic structure in mbira music, which he terms ‘the system of the mbira’ (A. Tracey, 1989) have influenced and contributed to the work of ethnomusicologists, musicologists and composers. Further this research evaluates the impact on subsequent publications by other scholars of Tracey's technical analysis of mbira music. Organizing and indexing Andrew Tracey's field collection in the ILAM archive gave direct knowledge of the scope of his work. The thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter contains a general introduction to the thesis and outlines the goals of the research. Chapter Two presents a biographical sketch of Andrew Tracey. A general introduction to the lamellophone (mbira) family of musical instruments in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Africa is presented in Chapter Three, which also addresses the social function of lamellophone music. Chapter Four gives a summary of Andrew Tracey’s research on the Shona mbira (his publications, recordings, films etc), and it analyzes his theory - “The system of the mbira” - in which he defines the form and structure of mbira music. Chapter Five examines the impact of Andrew Tracey’s research and publications on mbira music to subsequent scholarship and makes an analysis and evaluation of the significance of his contribution to the body of knowledge of the instrument and its music. In addition I relate my personal experiences with mbira music as a Shona person and mbira player and give my opinions on Tracey’s and subsequent scholars’ theories on mbira music. Chapter Six concludes with a summary of outcomes of this research. Basing on the analyses of presented data, it is deduced that, despite a few shortcomings, Andrew Tracey’s research on mbira music is crucial for it laid the groundwork for subsequent mbira scholarship.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Performing the township: pantsula for life
- Van Niekerk, Heather Elizabeth
- Authors: Van Niekerk, Heather Elizabeth
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Pantsula (Dance) South Africa Johannesburg , Pantsula (Dance) South Africa Makhanda , Dance Social aspects South Africa , Sophiatown (Johannesburg, South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/57874 , vital:26998
- Description: Pantsula dance is a performing art born from the townships of Johannesburg. It is a dance form performed across South Africa, in a variety of contexts; in theatres, music videos and competitions in community halls, on national and international stages and on television, and in the streets of townships, cities and suburbs across South Africa and abroad. Its performance is widespread, but it has its beginnings as a dance form born in areas created to marginalise and oppress. There is a scarcity of academic scholarship related to pantsula dance. This thesis aims to be a contribution to that pre-existing body of knowledge in the hope that there can be further engagement on this important, and increasingly mainstream, art form. I have focused my thesis on analysing pantsula dance as a performance of 'the township'. This has been attempted through an ethnographic engagement with pantsula dancers based in different township areas of Johannesburg and Graha mstown: various members of Impilo Mapantsula, Via Katlehong, Intellectuals Pantsula, Via Kasi Movers, Dlala Majimboz and the cast of Via Katlehong's Via Sophiatown. The research was conducted between 2013 and 2016 and serves to represent various moments within the ethnographic research process, while coming to understand various aspects of pantsula dance. An engagement with notions of 'the township', the clothing choices of the pantsula 'uniform', the core moves, inherent hybridity in the form itself, and the dedication to the dance form as a representation of the isipantsula 'way of life', are addressed throughout the thesis. As well as engaging with the memory and representation of Sophiatown as an important component to pantsula dance. Pantsula dance, an intrinsically South African dance form, provides a celebratory conception of 'the township' space and allows people from different backgrounds to engage in an important part of South Africa's past, present and future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
- Authors: Van Niekerk, Heather Elizabeth
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Pantsula (Dance) South Africa Johannesburg , Pantsula (Dance) South Africa Makhanda , Dance Social aspects South Africa , Sophiatown (Johannesburg, South Africa)
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/57874 , vital:26998
- Description: Pantsula dance is a performing art born from the townships of Johannesburg. It is a dance form performed across South Africa, in a variety of contexts; in theatres, music videos and competitions in community halls, on national and international stages and on television, and in the streets of townships, cities and suburbs across South Africa and abroad. Its performance is widespread, but it has its beginnings as a dance form born in areas created to marginalise and oppress. There is a scarcity of academic scholarship related to pantsula dance. This thesis aims to be a contribution to that pre-existing body of knowledge in the hope that there can be further engagement on this important, and increasingly mainstream, art form. I have focused my thesis on analysing pantsula dance as a performance of 'the township'. This has been attempted through an ethnographic engagement with pantsula dancers based in different township areas of Johannesburg and Graha mstown: various members of Impilo Mapantsula, Via Katlehong, Intellectuals Pantsula, Via Kasi Movers, Dlala Majimboz and the cast of Via Katlehong's Via Sophiatown. The research was conducted between 2013 and 2016 and serves to represent various moments within the ethnographic research process, while coming to understand various aspects of pantsula dance. An engagement with notions of 'the township', the clothing choices of the pantsula 'uniform', the core moves, inherent hybridity in the form itself, and the dedication to the dance form as a representation of the isipantsula 'way of life', are addressed throughout the thesis. As well as engaging with the memory and representation of Sophiatown as an important component to pantsula dance. Pantsula dance, an intrinsically South African dance form, provides a celebratory conception of 'the township' space and allows people from different backgrounds to engage in an important part of South Africa's past, present and future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
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