Mathematical music theory and the representation of Igbo music

Abstract

The purpose of our paper is to introduce African mathematical music theory: to analyze and represent African (Nigerian) music through visualizations and sonifications of beat-class theory. Many of the current analytical methods to study African (Nigerian) music lack the qualities necessary to recognize the intricate imbibements from music. Western music theory has evolved largely as a result of non-Western influences and beat-class theory provides a viable solution for the lapses in analytical work which have led to the superimposition of Western ideas of Nigerian music. Musical set theory uses the universal language of mathematics to explore the complexity, beauty and cultural significance of Nigerian music. In our paper, we will provide a discussion of meter in Ikpirikpi Ogu, the Ohafia War Dance of Igboland of Nigeria, to explore how Igbo music from Nigeria can be analyzed through the narrative of mathematical music theory using visualizations and sonifications of beat-class theory in circular cyclic graphs and ski-hill graphs to represent and acknowledge the listener’s psychoacoustic experience of music.