REVIEWS 119
REVIEWS
A S E L E C T IO N O F A F R IC A N P R O S E . 1. T ra d itio n a l O ra l Texts,
compiled by
W . II. W H I T E L E Y . 'The O x fo rd L ib r a r y o f A fric a n L ite ra tu re . O x fo rd U n iv e rs ity P re ss, p p . 20 0 . 1964. 21/-.M em b ers o f th e A fric a n M u s ic S o c ie ty w ill u n d o u b te d ly w e lc o m e th e a p p e a ra n c e o f th is s cries o f b oo ks on A fric a n lite r a tu r e , h a v in g c o n c e n tra te d fo r so lo n g on th e o ra l tr a d itio n s w h ic h a rc re v e a le d in th e ir ly ric s a n d th e m u s ic w h ic h a cc o m p a n ie s th e m . T h is is a ll to th e g o o d , a n d it is in te r e s tin g to learn fro m th e p u b lis h e r ’s in tro d u c tio n th a t “ th e ta sk o f r e c o rd in g o ra l c o m p o sitio n s b efo re th e y a re lost to m e m o ry , a n d o f p r o v id in g a b asis fo r fu tu re lite r a r y s tu d ie s o f A fric a , is a s p e c ia lly u r g e n t o n e fo r s ch o la rs o f the p resen t g e n e r a tio n , fo r A fric a n lite ra tu re w h ich h as a p p ea re d in p rin t is o n ly a tin y frag m e n t o f th e w h o le .”
T h e w h o le o b je c tiv e o f o u r S o c ie ty h as b een to w a rd s th is en d a n d w e a rc , a fte r six tee n y e a rs o f ex isten ce, in a p o s itio n to a p p re c ia te b o th th e u rg e n c y o f th e s itu a tio n a n d the p itfa lls w h ic h a c c o m p a n y the w o rk o f c o lle c tio n a n d tra n s la tio n o f o ra l tex ts.
In th e first p la c e th e m a jo r ity o f tra n s c rip tio n s o f A fric a n o ra l tex ts a rc a b s tra c ts o f th e o r ig in a l and b y th e tim e th e y h a v e b een c o m m itte d to p a p e r a re a lre a d y d is to rte d . C o ld p rin t can o n ly s u g g e s t the w o rd s a n d p h ra ses a n d d o es n o t
c o n v e y
th e a n im a tio n a n d e m o tio n b eh in d th e tex t ex c ep t b y in g e n io u s m a n ip u la tio n . T h is a p p lie s p r im a r ily to th e v e rn a c u la r tex t, a n d in s till la r g e r d e g re e to th e su b se q u en t tra n s la tio n in to E n g lis h o r o th e r w o r ld la n g u a g e . A lth o u g h th e p u b lis h e rs use th e w o rd“ r e c o rd in g ” in its n o n -m e c h a n ic a l sen se , it is p re c is e ly h ere th at th e b est g u a ra n te e o f a u th e n tic ity can be m ad e, b y th e so u n d re c o r d in g te c h n iq u e s w h ic h sh o u ld in e v e ry case be m ad e i f th e o ra l tex t is to c a rry its d u e w e ig h t a n d th e e le m e n t o f o r a to r y g iv e n its tru e p e rs p e c tiv e . T h is d o cs n o t m ean th a t e v e ry t e lle r o f ta les sh o u ld be re co rd ed b u t th a t a n u m b e r o f th e a c k n o w le d g e d a u th o rs a n d ex p erts w ith a k n o w n g e n iu s fo r s to r y te llin g s h o u ld be s o u g h t o u t an d p la ce d b efo re a m ic ro p h o n e . T h e in a d e q u a c ie s o f th e tra n s c rip tio n c o u ld th en b e la r g e ly o v e rc o m e as s e v e ra l p ers o n s w o u ld be a b le to ju d g e fo r th e m s e lv e s, d ir e c tly fro m th e so u n d re c o r d in g , an d e s p e c ia lly th e n ex t a n d s u b se q u e n t g e n e ra tio n s o f A fric a n w r ite r s fo r w h o m th e w h o le e x e rc ise is p rim a r ily u n d e r ta k e n .
It is in th is d ire c tio n th a t a n y o n e w ith e x te n s iv e first-h an d k n o w le d g e a n d e x p e rie n c e o f A fric a n o ral lite ra tu re w ill a p p re c ia te th e p re d ic a m e n t o f th e c o m p ile r o f th is p resen t v o lu m e . H e h as been fo rced to re ly up o n in te rp re ta tio n s w h ic h re v e a l c ith e r in a d e q u a te k n o w le d g e o f th e v e rn a c u la rs o r e q u a lly in a d e q u a te co m m a n d o f la n g u a g e to c o n v e y th e e s s e n tia l, a r tis tr y o f th e o r ig in a l m a tte r. F a ilu r e in e ith e r d e p a rtm e n t d o es less th an ju s tic e to th e A fric a n s to r y te lle r o r ra c o n te u r. S o m u ch is a d m itte d , an d in p u b lis h in g th is first w o rk o n o ra l tex ts o n e b eco m es m o re k e e n ly a w a re o f th e p itfa lls w h ich m u st be a v o id e d in fu tu re .
L ittle a tte m p t at e d itin g th e v a rio u s c o n trib u tio n s to th is c o lle c tio n a p p e a rs to h av e b een m ad e, an d the q u a lity o f th e
stories
v a riesfrom
b r illia n t to c o m m o n p la c e.In a d d itio n th e v e r y w o rd “ A fric a ” , u n q u a lifie d , h as lo n g sin c e b eco m e an in c u b u s an d w ill n eed m o re c a re fu l d iffe ren tia tio n if th e p u b lic a tio n o f o ra l tex ts is n o t to b eco m e a m o rp h o u s . T h e q u a lify o f the tra n s la to r s a n d th e ir a b ility to c o n v e y an
artistic
re p re se n ta tio n o f th e o r ig in a l w ill h av e to be b o rn e in m in d i f th e d e p re d a tio n s o f the “ T h o u , O C h ie f” a n d s im ila r s c h o o ls o f w r ite r s a re n ot to d e s tro y the w h o le ch a rm a n d s ty le o f th e o r ig in a l c r e a to rs o f th e o ra l a rt. T h e u se o f E n g lis h s la n g term s is a lw a y s d a n g e ro u s in w o r k s o f th is k in d a n d o n p a g e 67 w e a re p re sen te d w ith “ b eaten u p ” a n d “ d re s s in g d o w n ” in c o n s e c u tiv e lin es.S u c h ex p re s s io n s as “ b lew . . . th
e following
a ir ” (p . 23) a n d “ to s in g th efollonin"
v e rs e s ” (p. 180), w o u ld n e v e r b e u tte re d b y th e t r u ly illite r a te . T h e y a re w r it e r s ’ c lic h e s.T h e p rin te rs a ls o h a v e an o b lig a tio n to th e w r ite r o r te lle r to sp ac e th e ir p a r a g ra p h s an d lin e s in su ch a w a y as to s u g g e s t th e t e llin g o f a ta le . T h is fa u lt is p a r tic u la r ly n o tic e a b le in s e v e ra l o f th e e x a m p les g iv e n w h ic h d o n o t s u g g e s t to th e e y e an o ra l o r ig in .
A n o th e r tra p fo r th e u n w a r y is th e co m m o n fa u lt o f u s in g a rc h a ic E n g lis h to s u g g e s t p rim itiv e n e s s o n th e p art o f th e A fric a n s to r y te lle r , a n d an e q u a lly fa m ilia r b le m ish is th e e m p lo y m e n t o f s u p e rla tiv e s a n d u n n e c e s sa ry a d je c tiv e s w h ic h d o n o t o c c u r in th e o r ig in a l v e rn a c u la r.
F in a lly , fo r th is s eries to be u se fu l to s c h o la rs (as th e p u b lis h e rs c la im ), it s h o u ld s u re ly h av e h ad an in d e x o f th e s u b je c t m a tte r. A ls o , it is c le a r th at th e p u b lis h e rs m a y k n o w th e c o m p ile r, w h o he is , a n d w h a t h is q u a lific a tio n s fo r th e w o rk . T h e g e n e r a l p u b lic a n d the n e w stu d e n ts w h o w ill w a n t to c o n s u lt th is s eries a re le ft e n tir e ly in th e d a rk .
T h e s e p e rh a p s a re te c h n ic a l m a tte rs w h ic h w ill be iro n e d o u t as th e s cries p ro c ee d s. H o w e v e r, the n e c e s sity fo r m e c h a n ica l s o u n d re c o rd in g s fro m w h ic h to tra n s c rib e o ra l tex ts re m a in s fu n d a m en ta l to th e su c ce ss o f th e w h o le sch em e a n d is ev en m o re u rg e n t th an th e ir p u b lic a tio n w h ic h can then be ta c k le d as a n d w h en th e o p p o r tu n ity a n d th e lite r a r y a b ility o f th e co la b o ra to rs p resen t th e m s e lv e s.
11. T .
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“ S IN C E S IN G IN G IS S O G O O D A T H IN G ” . H an d b o o k fo r M u s ic T e a c h e rs a n d C h o ir M aste rs.
by
G R A H A M H Y S L O P . O x fo rd U n iv e rs ity P ress, N a iro b i, 1964. p p. 127.T h is h an d b o o k is th e w o r k o f a d e d ic a te d m an . It is , in b rie f, a r e w r it in g o f e v e r y sch o o l te x tb o o k o n th e s u b je c t, b u t g iv e n a N a iro b i s e ttin g , w h e re th e p resen ce o f A fric a n p u p ils an d te a c h e rs d em a n d s
1 2 0 AFRICAN MUSIC SOCIETY JOURNAL
o c c a s io n a l a s id e s in o r d e r to e x p la in a fo re ig n p h ra s e o r to g iv e c r e d it to th e s im p le r a n d p o s s ib ly m o re
“ a c c e p ta b le ” A fric a n m e lo d ie s . T h is is d o n e w ith a c le a r s en se o f th e s ta tu s o f A fric a n m u s ic a l id io m w h ic h th e a u th o r c o n sid e rs m a y h a v e a c e rta in p r im a l m e rit b u t can o n ly be tre a te d as a s te p p in g s to n e to h ig h e r th in g s .
T h e te n o r o f th e b o o k can be a p p re c ia te d in th e w r it e r ’s o w n w o r d s w h e re h e d is c u s se s M u s ic F e s tiv a ls (p . 2 5 ):
“ M u c h can b e d o n e th r o u g h th e w is e c h o ic e o f E u ro p e a n m u s ic to b e s u n g a t fe s tiv a ls
to establish good taste.
T h is d o es n o t m ean th a t th e m u s ic h as to b e d ifficu lt. T h e r e is a g r e a t d e a l o f v e r y g o o d m u s icw h ic h is
quite easy
to s in g .”E a s y E u ro p e a n m u s ic , in g o o d ta ste , a n d a lw a y s w ith o n e en d in v ie w , th a t th e r iv e r d iv id in g b la c k fro m w h ite m u s t b e c r o s se d , s o o n e r o r la te r — b y th e m .
T h is is a p ity as th e re is m u c h g o o d m a te ria l in th e b o o k w h ic h w o u ld b e n e c e s sa ry in s tr u c tio n in a n y m u s ic a l m a n u a l. A s it is th e re is a c o n s ta n t fe e lin g in e v e r y c h a p te r, in s p ite o f s e v e r a l e x c e lle n t a d m o n itio n s to im p r o v e th e p e rfo rm a n c e a n d q u a lity o f th e in d ig e n o u s id io m , th a t th e o n ly s ta n d a rd o f m u s ic a l m e rit m u s t b e E u ro p e a n in its o r ie n ta tio n , th a t th e d e v e lo p m e n t o f A fric a n m u s ic m u s t u l t i
m a te ly in c lu d e W e s te rn h a r m o n ie s , a n d th a t A fric a n m o d a lity w ill so m e d a y g iv e p la c e to th e m o re
“ c iv ilis e d ” te m p e re d sca le . T h is h y b r id d e s tin y m a y be o n its w a y fo r so m e o f A f r ic a ’s m u s ic . W h o can s a y h o w m u c h w ill be affected b y E a s t o r W e s t ?
T h e re a re so m e s tr a n g e la c u n a e in th e w o r k . N o m e n tio n is m ad e o f A fric a n cro s se d rh y th m s w h ic h a re b a s ic to m o st A fric a n c o m p o s id o n s o f m e rit a n d to m u c h A fric a n en s e m b le p la y in g ; a n d o n ly s lig h t re fere n c e is g iv e n to th e p o s s ib ility o f th e re b e in g c o m p le x fo rm s o f A fric a n c o u n te rp o in t a n d p o ly p h o n y ; a n d th e fe w e x a m p le s o f in d ig e n o u s m u s ic a l in s tru m e n ts h e g iv e s a re o f th e s im p le s t, a n d ig n o r e th e w id e ra n g e o f x y lo p h o n e s , m b ira s, tu n e d d ru m s a n d h o rn b an d s, ex a m p le s o f a ll o f w h ic h can b e h e a rd w ith in a s h o r t d is ta n c e fro m , i f n o t w it h in , th e b o rd e rs o f K e n y a its e lf.
T h e a u th o r d o e s , in fa c t, a d v o c a te re se a rc h in to th e c o m p le x itie s o f th e w h o le ra n g e o f A fric a n m u sic s:
“ T h e re can b e fe w m o re u r g e n t n eed s in th e m u s ic a l w o r ld in A fric a to d a y , th a n fo r as m a n y m u s ic ia n s as p o s s ib le to g iv e th e ir m in d s to d is c o v e r in g a ll th e y can a b o u t th e tra d itio n a l m u s ic o f th e c o u n tr y , its s o n g s , m u s ic a l in s tru m e n ts , s y s te m s o f to n a lity , r h y th m ic p a tte rn s a n d its fo r m .”
H e c o n c lu d e s th a t:
“ so m e o f th is m u s ic is lik e ly to d is a p p e a r w ith o u t tra c e in a g e n e ra tio n o r tw o , o r b eco m e so in flu e n c e d b y m u s ic fro m o th e r p arts o f th e w o r ld , th a t it w ill b e d iffic u lt to re -d is c o v e r th e o r ig in a l id io m in a ll its s tr e n g th ” .
A p a rt fro m th e fa c t th a t m o st E u ro p e a n m u s ic a ls o d is a p p e a r s w ith o u t tra c e in a g e n e r a tio n o r tw o , th is s m a ll b o o k w ill u n d o u b te d ly fill a g a p in th e s h e lv e s o f u s e fu l h a n d b o o k s a n d , w e h o p e , w il l b e th e fo r e r u n n e r o f s e v e ra l m o re .
H . T .
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“ A F R IC A N S C U L P T U R E ” ,
by
W illia m F a g g a n d M a r g a r e t P lass. 160 p p ., f u lly illu s t r a t e d w ith p h o to g ra p h s . S tu d io V is ta . L o n d o n . 18/-.H e re is a m o d e st litt le v o lu m e , o n ly 5" b y 7 wh i c h te lls m o re a b o u t A fric a n s c u lp tu r e in a co m p re h e n s iv e a n d u n d e r s ta n d a b le w a y th a n a n y p re v io u s a r t w o r k o n th e s u b je c t w h ic h h as co m e o u r w a y .
T h e s c rip t is c o n tin u o u s a n d th e e x a m p le s o f c a r v in g o r b ro n z es a re illu s tr a te d o n th e sa m e p ag e as th e d e s c r ip tiv e te x t in e v e r y case. T h r o u g h o u t th e w h o le a n th o lo g y th e jo in t a u th o rs g iv e o n e co m p le te c o n fid e n c e in th e in t e g r ity o f th e ir ju d g e m e n t, th e ir w id e e x p e rie n c e a n d th e ir e x te n s iv e b a c k g r o u n d k n o w le d g e o f b o th th e B ritish M u s e u m a n d th e U n iv e r s ity M u s e u m , P h ila d e lp h ia .
It is a g r e a t r e lie f to find th a t a ll th e e x a m p le s p re s e n te d a re fe a tu re d fo r th e first tim e a n d th a t the a u th o rs h a v e a v o id e d w h a t th e y c a ll th e u s u a l “ c a n n ib a liz in g ” o f e a r lie r illu s tr a te d w o r k s o n th e su b ject.
T h e ir in tro d u c tio n is a s m a ll m a ste rp ie c e o f co m m o n s en se in a field w h ic h h as lo n g b een m u d d ie d b y th e ro m a n tic ism o f fa lse im a g in a tio n a n d th e c u r io tra d e . O n e w o u ld lik e to q u o te w h o le p arag ra p h s as th e w o r k h as so la r g e a b e a r in g u p o n its s is te r s tu d y , th a t o f in d ig e n o u s m u sic . I f o n ly m u s ic c o u ld be illu s tr a te d b y p h o to g ra p h s it w o u ld be g r a n d ; as it is , m u s ic ia n s w ill e n v y th e ease w ith w h ic h th e jo in t a u th o rs m a k e th e ir p o in ts a n d d e m o n s tra te th e ir c o n c lu s io n s . T h e re a re n a tu r a lly a fe w d ire c tio n s in w h ic h th is b o o k m ig h t h a v e b een im p ro v e d b u t o n ly fe w . T h e m a in d iffic u lty I th in k , is in o b ta in in g p h o to g ra p h s o f s u ffic ie n tly h ig h q u a lity to b r in g o u t th e fu ll g e n iu s o f th e s c u lp to rs a n d c a rv e rs .
In m o st cases I find th a t p h o to g ra p h s ta k e n o n th e sp o t a re b e tte r a n d m o re r e v e a lin g th a n those ta k e n in an a lie n la n d o r a p h o to g r a p h e r ’s s tu d io w h e r e th e lig h t in g h as in d ic a te d th e ta ste o f a tech n ician ra th e r th a n th e h o m e ly lig h t u n d e r w h ic h th e w o r k s w e re c re a te d . In th is th e a u th o rs suffer th e sam e lim ita tio n s as th e m u s ic re se a rc h w o r k e r w ith a n in a d e q u a te re c o r d in g a p p a ra tu s o r th e a fte r effects of p o o r a c c o u s tic re p ro d u c tio n b y th e m o n o -a u ra l d e v ic e o f g ra m o p h o n e o r ra d io . In eac h ca se th e object o f s tu d y c a n n o t b e fu lly a p p re c ia te d in th e ro u n d . T h is h o w e v e r d o es n o t d e tra c t fro m th e co m p reh en s iv e n e s s o f th e b o o k w h ic h is w e ll d e m o n s tra te d in th e fin al p a r a g ra p h o f th e ir in tro d u c tio n w h ic h reads:
“ R a r e ly in h u m a n h is to r y ca n a p e o p le h a v e b een c o n fro n te d w ith a n o v e r t a n d co n scio us ch o ic e b e tw e e n h a v in g an a r t o f th e ir o w n — th e ir g r e a te s t c o n trib u tio n to th e ric h n e s s o f hum an c u ltu r e — a n d a d o p tin g o n e fro m a b r o a d , fro m a s u p p o s e d ly ‘h ig h e r ’ c iv ilis a tio n . Y e t th is choice
