" 'Gi Dunu,' 'Nyekpadudo,' and the Study of West African Rhythm"

Abstract

This premise informs almost all writing about West African music as can be observed in recent studies by Koetting (1970), Pantaleoni (1970, 1972a, 1972b, 1972c), Ekwueme (1975-6), Chernoff (1979), Locke (1978, 1982) and Arom (1984a, 1984b), to name only the most important ones. Although these studies show differences in notation and methodology, they leave unchallenged the basic assumption regarding the paramountcy of rhythm (Mensah 1980:176-80, Kauffman 1980:394-400 and Merriam 1982:76-89, 443-461 are recent evaluations of the study of African rhythm). In reviewing these studies, however, it becomes clear that, with a few exceptions (see Jones 1959, Locke 1978 and Pantaleoni 1972c), few authors present transcriptions in extenso of either instrumental or vocal music. And even where such transcriptions are presented, they are generally used to illustrate either a single rhythmic device, or a small group of related devices (see, for example, the discussion of off-beat timing and cross-rhythm in Locke 1982). There are, of course, practical limitations on the printing of extended transcriptions of what would seem to be a largely repetitive musical surface; but there is a need, I believe, for such transcriptions, for they can serve as points of departure for studying not just one, but several of the core characteristics of West African rhythm. This essay offers two such