Beating time, gesticulating and dancing
This article examines how Western-style choir conducting was introduced in Cameroon by the Basel Mission. In analyzing different conducting techniques within a Presbyterian choir organisation in southwest Cameroon, we observe a new take on the function of the choir director, modelled after several a...
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| Argitaratua izan da: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/transposition, |
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| Egile nagusia: | |
| Formatua: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Hizkuntza: | Anglais |
| Argitaratua: |
Transposition
2015
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| Gaiak: | |
| Sarrera elektronikoa: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:transposition_1283 |
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openedition |
| spelling |
openedition-oai:revues.org:transposition_1283 https://doi.org/10.4000/transposition.1283 urn:doi:10.4000/transposition.1283 en https://journals.openedition.org/transposition/1283 2015-12-17T01:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/lmau https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ Beating time, gesticulating and dancing Transposition Éditions de l’EHESS info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2110-6134 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/transposition Riva, Nepomuk Choir director Iconic gestures Chironomic gestures Traditional music Precolonial music Church music BAPRESCA choirs (Cameroon) Choir competitions Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Basel Mission This article examines how Western-style choir conducting was introduced in Cameroon by the Basel Mission. In analyzing different conducting techniques within a Presbyterian choir organisation in southwest Cameroon, we observe a new take on the function of the choir director, modelled after several aspects of the precolonial musical culture. Moreover, it becomes apparent that the missionaries introduced the role of the choir director only summarily, as Cameroonians have developed their own distinct conducting techniques and gestures. This can be explained by the difference in expectations between a choir director operating in a musical culture characterised by oral tradition and one operating in Western culture. For example, the former uses chironomic gestures to indicate pitch or iconic gestures to remind singers of the words of the song while keeping the rhythm. This study shows that choir conducting styles depend not only on the music, but also on the musical practice within a specific cultural context. |
| collection |
OpenEdition Journal |
| language |
Anglais |
| format |
Article ou chapitre numérique |
| building |
0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
Choir director Iconic gestures Chironomic gestures Traditional music Precolonial music Church music BAPRESCA choirs (Cameroon) Choir competitions Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Basel Mission |
| spellingShingle |
Choir director Iconic gestures Chironomic gestures Traditional music Precolonial music Church music BAPRESCA choirs (Cameroon) Choir competitions Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) Basel Mission Riva, Nepomuk Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| description |
This article examines how Western-style choir conducting was introduced in Cameroon by the Basel Mission. In analyzing different conducting techniques within a Presbyterian choir organisation in southwest Cameroon, we observe a new take on the function of the choir director, modelled after several aspects of the precolonial musical culture. Moreover, it becomes apparent that the missionaries introduced the role of the choir director only summarily, as Cameroonians have developed their own distinct conducting techniques and gestures. This can be explained by the difference in expectations between a choir director operating in a musical culture characterised by oral tradition and one operating in Western culture. For example, the former uses chironomic gestures to indicate pitch or iconic gestures to remind singers of the words of the song while keeping the rhythm. This study shows that choir conducting styles depend not only on the music, but also on the musical practice within a specific cultural context. |
| author |
Riva, Nepomuk |
| author_facet |
Riva, Nepomuk |
| author_sort |
Riva, Nepomuk |
| title |
Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| title_short |
Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| title_full |
Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| title_fullStr |
Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| title_sort |
beating time, gesticulating and dancing |
| publisher |
Transposition |
| publishDate |
2015 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/transposition |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/transposition.1283 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/transposition/1283 |
| _version_ |
1877242732680839168 |