Gazankulu Suite (Piano Trio: Piano, Clarinet and Violin)

Abstract

Gazankulu Suite by Bernett Nkwayi Mulungo The writing of this composition, similarly, to the Ndabe-Zitha String Quartet No: 1 written in the same year, was inspired by compositional questions I had during my teaching of the module African Composition at the university. The questions ranged from what is at the essence of African music in the modern compositional space to how an African composer (should) engage with his/her African music traditions and to reconcile their training in western ideology and their African heritage. Particularly, in relation to the active and ongoing discourse on Africanization, Decoloniality and Transformation. Furthermore, South African institutions of higher learning, at large, often encounter significant challenges in the process of acquiring African music scores to facilitate the teaching and learning key area. The challenges range from a limited number of notated African music to copyright matters around the existing music scores. These challenges often lead to restrictions and constrains on the level of creativity in engaging students with African works at large. Therefore, the acknowledgement and inclusion of such creative outputs can begin the process of bridging the gap that is left by challenges mentioned here. In this composition, I try to interrogate (for myself) what is at the essence of African music in the modern compositional space and rhythm still came (comes) to the forefront. Hence, the composition is mostly rhythmically driven. The rhythmic design is influenced by some rhythms that are located within music of the Tsonga people in the Limpopo Province (in the formerly Gazankulu region. Hence, the title). This is not, in any way, a direct translation or transferal of Tsonga music into my composition. In addition, there are influences of Jazz. Particularly, in the harmonic language and the use of form. Part I – Muchongolo on a Limp (a Xitsonga Dance) aims to stray away from the understanding that African music almost always uses simpler harmonic structures. The clarinet carries a melodic phrase that is ascending and descending scalarly on a whole-tone scale. This clarinet phrase is performed alongside the piano part which plays an almost hard to discern melodic (and rhythmic) phrase based on six pitches: F, G, B, C, Db and Eb. The idea here was to create an illusion of an “ostinato” pattern only in rhythm. But making the “melodic” aspect of this rhythmic ostinato pattern not as obvious as would be expected in an African composition. Part III – Ntlango waxi Gaza is based on the rhythmic design that was utilised by popular Kwaito artist, William Bongani Makhubela known as Mawillies. He had taken a Tsonga children song and presented it in a kwaito aesthetic. My approach was to use the rhythmic design of his, “Mawillies”, main vocal part to create an original interlocking melodic phrase between the clarinet and violin to create the imagery of children playing. Overall, this work is made of five different parts, as follows: • Part I – Muchongolo on a Limp (a Xitsonga Dance), • Part II – Vahloti (Hunters), • Part III – Ntlango waxi Gaza (A Children’s Game from Gazankulu, • Part IV – Ndzhuti (A Shade), • Part V – Mbotela (a Xitsonga Dance). Additional comments: • Part II – Vahloti (Hunters) • Part III – Ntlango waxi Gaza • Part IV – Ndzhuti (Shade) (Part I and V were omitted for this performance). • Part I – Muchongolo on a Limp • Part V – Mbotela