Music Paper 2 (Essay) WASSCE (SC), 2020

Question 5

 

Give any three characteristics of each of the following musical genres:

i. Blues;

ii. Calypso;

iii. Jazz;

iv. Afrobeat;

v. Negro Spiritual.

 

 

 

Observation

 

 

  • Characteristics of Blues
  • It is in both vocal and instrumental forms.
  • It grew out of Negro’s work songs.
  • It contains rhythmic cries.
  • It has three line poetic stanzas.
  • It is usually a twelve-bar musical structure.
  • It usually has lowered thirds and sevenths.
  • It has melancholic and soulful feeling.
  • The theme is basically on love.
  • It has the instruments of jazz with violin in addition.
  • Characteristics of Calypso
  • It is normally in  time.
  • It contains syncopated notes.
  • It uses instruments such as acoustic and bass guitar, trumpets, saxophones, electric guitars, drum kit and Latin American percussion.
  • It often uses three-beat rhythms: two long beats followed by a short beat.
  • It often uses call and responses pattern.
  • It uses simple harmonic progression (primary chords: I, IV and V).
  • Calypso songs consists of verse and chorus.                                                                                                 
  • Characteristics of Jazz
  • It uses of syncopated rhythms.
  • It uses blue notes that is lowered 3rds and 7ths.
  • It uses short themes which are expanded through improvisation and extemporization.
  • It is essentially an instrumental music.
  • It uses chord substitution to create and resolve tensions.

 

  • Characteristics of Afrobeat
  • It developed from highlife and American Jazz
  • It uses of few and occasionally static chords.
  • It involves chants, call and response vocals.
  • It is made up of complex, interacting rhythms.
  • It involves wide use of instruments: Rhythm and Bass guitars, Drum set, Saxophones, Trumpets, Trombones, Organ/keyboards, Congas.
  • The texts are essentially in Pidgin English.
  • It was creadted by Fela Anikulapo Kuti.
  • Characteristics of Negro Spirituals
  • They are mostly religious.
  • Composers of Negro Spirituals were African slaves in North America.
  • The texts are mostly based on biblical stories.
  • The themes of spirituals are mostly on “hope for freedom”.
  • They use call and response pattern.
  • Their performance is associated with extensive use of hand claps and foot stamping.
  • They are mostly based on pentatonic scale.