N wo na kokor iere - African Music on Piano

West African traditional music is surprisingly easily adapted to being played on piano, especially when you have four hands to perform it. West African music is polyrhythmic in nature and polyphonic. This music relies on the communication between ensemble members in call and response as well as improvisation in response to the contributions eachother makes to the thick, intense rhythmic fabric. Although this piece, the third and last one in my four-hands piano compostion, the Dagara Mass Suite, does not include improvisation, there is much communication between the voices (voices between the two players and voices within each players' own parts), and is written so sound improvisatory. The melody and lyrics, by Fr. Greg Dongkore, that this piece is based on were written to be sung during Catholic Mass in the Diocese of Wa, Ghana, and to be accompanied by gyil (a kind of pentatonic xylophone) and drums. The whole congregation, many of whom would have had to walk ten miles or more to come to Mass, would sing this and dance together. The priest would sing the calls, and the congregation would sing, "Alleluia!" in response.
Here are the lyrics of the call:
I have a voice speaking
A voice speaking in the Temple
A voice gently calling
An angel took hot coal from the fire
And touched my lips
Son of Man, it is all over
Everything of yours is over
Everything, and all your faults
May the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit
Help me to proclaim every day and every where!
Hopefully, this piece will have you singing, clapping, and dancing along! Enjoy this joyful closing to the Dagara Mass Suite!

[@LaHarmonia]

this is so damn good... T_T i really love world music