Types of Melodic Movement in Central Africa

Nucleus of One or Two Intervals: The compressed, melodic prototype-the nucleus of one or two intervals spanning usually not more than a third-has been found in many cultures throughout the world. Such structurally primal melody appears sporadically in Central Africa. As a chant-like accompaniment (whether as refrain or ostinato) it is more common, but where it comprises the entire or main melodic line it is quite rare. The latter or pure form of this type is illustrated in the following four examples (1-4): a sacred elephant yodel-song of the Babinga Pygmies of the Congo Republic: capital Brazzaville (formerly French); a sacred circumcision-bird song of the Bapere of the Congo Republic: capital Leopoldville (formerly Belgian); a secular song of the N'Gundi of the Congo Republic: Brazzaville; and a social song of the Mangbetu of the Congo Republic: Leopoldville.2 In the last instance, however, the condensed type of motif is only a small section within a more complex song

Aesthetics · Art · Geography · Melody · Movement (music) · Musical · Visual arts · Musicology and Musical Analysis

• Melodic Contour Typology

  Charles R Adams•Ethnomusicology•1976

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