Browse Titles - 855 results
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Balihaya huu, welelo yabela twishinye mbina (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR151 (1950) , 1 page(s)
"Waya.waya, Shitende is up on the hill Birds are flying below him. Shitende, waya, waya." Why the lion should have spots like a leopard is not clear, except that a young lion retains for a while the spotted marks with which it is born.
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR151 (1950) , 1 page(s)
Description
"Waya.waya, Shitende is up on the hill Birds are flying below him. Shitende, waya, waya." Why the lion should have spots like a leopard is not clear, except that a young lion retains for a while the spotted marks with which it is born.
Date Written / Recorded
1950
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Bamanglosa bachusuwano (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR014 (1957) , 1 page(s)
A traditional Lala tune from Serenje.
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR014 (1957) , 1 page(s)
Description
A traditional Lala tune from Serenje.
Date Written / Recorded
1957
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Song, Mbira, Mbira, kankowele
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Bamgufya ba kwoti bana pengili amapa (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR053 (1957) , 2 page(s)
There was a man who was walking through the bush when there came a great wind. He thought it was a lion coming and was very frightened. But it was only the grass and trees rustling in the wind.
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR053 (1957) , 2 page(s)
Description
There was a man who was walking through the bush when there came a great wind. He thought it was a lion coming and was very frightened. But it was only the grass and trees rustling in the wind.
Date Written / Recorded
1957
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Bana wane namuhekesha (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR151 (1950) , 1 page(s)
"Let us greet him properly. I have done all my work. But you have still much to do."
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR151 (1950) , 1 page(s)
Description
"Let us greet him properly. I have done all my work. But you have still much to do."
Date Written / Recorded
1950
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Banakashi tabalila = Women’s tears do not mean a thing (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR023 (1957) , 1 page(s)
Here the words are in a mixture of Bemba and Lamba. 'The child grows up but to die. Kazembe, the present chief, has now died; Kabumbo, the chief is also dead.' Kazembe XV who recently became paramount chief of the Luunda died recently after only a short period as head of his tribe. The singer cogitates upon the re...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR023 (1957) , 1 page(s)
Description
Here the words are in a mixture of Bemba and Lamba. 'The child grows up but to die. Kazembe, the present chief, has now died; Kabumbo, the chief is also dead.' Kazembe XV who recently became paramount chief of the Luunda died recently after only a short period as head of his tribe. The singer cogitates upon the responsibilities of a tribal chief which seem to drive him to a premature grave. Women's tears do not mean a thing! Their eyes shed tears...
Here the words are in a mixture of Bemba and Lamba. 'The child grows up but to die. Kazembe, the present chief, has now died; Kabumbo, the chief is also dead.' Kazembe XV who recently became paramount chief of the Luunda died recently after only a short period as head of his tribe. The singer cogitates upon the responsibilities of a tribal chief which seem to drive him to a premature grave. Women's tears do not mean a thing! Their eyes shed tears while they sing with their lips.' The form of this song is typically folk in its continued refrain. The situation to which the singer appears to refer, is the funeral dance in which the women sing lustily for the dance, while artificially inducing tears to fall in respect for the dead.
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Date Written / Recorded
1957
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Song, Guitar, Bottle
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Banana bana Kayata (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR184 (1957) , 2 page(s)
The percussion noise is made by beating two pieces of metal onto the side of the drum. The friction drum is a simple membrane drum with the lower end open. The stick is pierced through a hole in the center of the membrane and hangs inside the body of the drum being suitably attached to the membrane by small cross...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR184 (1957) , 2 page(s)
Description
The percussion noise is made by beating two pieces of metal onto the side of the drum. The friction drum is a simple membrane drum with the lower end open. The stick is pierced through a hole in the center of the membrane and hangs inside the body of the drum being suitably attached to the membrane by small cross pieces pierced through the stick itself. The player usually sits on the ground with the drum resting on his legs, the open end toward h...
The percussion noise is made by beating two pieces of metal onto the side of the drum. The friction drum is a simple membrane drum with the lower end open. The stick is pierced through a hole in the center of the membrane and hangs inside the body of the drum being suitably attached to the membrane by small cross pieces pierced through the stick itself. The player usually sits on the ground with the drum resting on his legs, the open end toward his body. Having moistened his hands or sometimes a cloth) with water he sets the membrane in vibration by the friction of his hands pulling the stick downwards towards him. In this way a roaring sound is made and rhythms produced by alternating the stroke between the two hands. It is essential to keep the two hands wet, having the same effect as resin on a violin bow.
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Date Written / Recorded
1957
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Song, Drum
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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A Banda (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR187 (29 May 1950) , 1 page(s)
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR187 (29 May 1950) , 1 page(s)
Date Written / Recorded
29 May 1950, 1950
Field of Study
Anthropology
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Person Discussed
Lucy Nyamangwe, fl. 1950
Topic / Theme
Folk music, Wedding Music, Drum, Tonga (Malawi)
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright © International Library of African Music.
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Baningba (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR122 (1952) , 2 page(s)
"My wife, you are the only woman in my house." Unlike most harps of this design, this one was held upright with the point of the body on the performers knees, the neck pointing away from him, the strings in a vertical position and not horizontal. They do not hold their tuning for long and must be retuned before ea...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR122 (1952) , 2 page(s)
Description
"My wife, you are the only woman in my house." Unlike most harps of this design, this one was held upright with the point of the body on the performers knees, the neck pointing away from him, the strings in a vertical position and not horizontal. They do not hold their tuning for long and must be retuned before each performance. Tuning. 336. 300. 236. 224. 194. Second Tuning some days later 312. 284. 220. 210. 188. Third Tuning. 320. 284. 224. 21...
"My wife, you are the only woman in my house." Unlike most harps of this design, this one was held upright with the point of the body on the performers knees, the neck pointing away from him, the strings in a vertical position and not horizontal. They do not hold their tuning for long and must be retuned before each performance. Tuning. 336. 300. 236. 224. 194. Second Tuning some days later 312. 284. 220. 210. 188. Third Tuning. 320. 284. 224. 216. 194.
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Date Written / Recorded
1952
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Bemba
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Bantamba fituka = the magician (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR021 (1957) , 2 page(s)
A certain wizard, so the story goes, once caught a secretary bird and brought it into his house alive in order to use it for magical purposes and for killing other people. Now, this man soon died and left this secretary bird behind. So he sings this song to mock those who use magic because they will surely die, ju...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR021 (1957) , 2 page(s)
Description
A certain wizard, so the story goes, once caught a secretary bird and brought it into his house alive in order to use it for magical purposes and for killing other people. Now, this man soon died and left this secretary bird behind. So he sings this song to mock those who use magic because they will surely die, just the same. 'There are foolish men who leave their families unprovided for while they go off with prostitutes.' 'There is sadness whic...
A certain wizard, so the story goes, once caught a secretary bird and brought it into his house alive in order to use it for magical purposes and for killing other people. Now, this man soon died and left this secretary bird behind. So he sings this song to mock those who use magic because they will surely die, just the same. 'There are foolish men who leave their families unprovided for while they go off with prostitutes.' 'There is sadness which envelopes a parent when its child dies.'
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Date Written / Recorded
1957
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Song, Mbira, Mbira, kankowele
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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Baryaningwe wa Ntwali (Field Card)
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR057 (1952) , 2 page(s)
If a man has 2 wives they are jealous of each other; when he goes to see the one, she says: "Go away to your other wife, I don't want you." And when he goes to the other she says "I'm not your wife - go and see the other one." So in the end he has no wife and doesn't know where to go. This composition is not unlik...
Sample
of International Library of African Music (ILAM), in Hugh Tracey Fieldwork Collection and the Sound of Africa Series, TR057 (1952) , 2 page(s)
Description
If a man has 2 wives they are jealous of each other; when he goes to see the one, she says: "Go away to your other wife, I don't want you." And when he goes to the other she says "I'm not your wife - go and see the other one." So in the end he has no wife and doesn't know where to go. This composition is not unlike a Russian folk song. Baryaningwe, son fo Ntwali. "I, professional thief, I went to a place called Ruagi and stole a cow, but the owne...
If a man has 2 wives they are jealous of each other; when he goes to see the one, she says: "Go away to your other wife, I don't want you." And when he goes to the other she says "I'm not your wife - go and see the other one." So in the end he has no wife and doesn't know where to go. This composition is not unlike a Russian folk song. Baryaningwe, son fo Ntwali. "I, professional thief, I went to a place called Ruagi and stole a cow, but the owner saw me just as I was driving it out. So I was caught. I was taken into a hut and tied up. In my misery, I asked for an Inanga zither and began to sing. I sang so well that the women and children begged for my release. I was freed but I did not know that my fellow thieves had gone to tell my family what had happened. So whilst I was singing to all these people my relatives came to my ehlp and my enemies spell-bound by my singing were taken unawares and thus I escaped.
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Date Written / Recorded
1952
Field of Study
World Music
Content Type
Field notes
Contributor
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Author / Creator
Hugh Tracey, 1903-1977
Topic / Theme
Song, Inanga
Copyright Message
Material sourced from the International Library of African Music. Copyright International Library of African Music.
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