Àràbàríbítí (The Mighty) is an African art choral composition for SATB voices, divisi, with a performance duration of approximately eleven minutes. The piece is scored for a large SATB choir of 40 or more singers in three movements (with multi-layered subsections), two of which are a cappella and one accompanied movement featuring marimba, woodblock, and shakers (shekere). The piece interplays between three flat major key signatures—B-flat, E-flat, and G-flat—and also between various meters: 4/4, 6/4, 3/4, and 2/4. The composition explores and preserves the linguistic contours of the Yorùbá language, which is rich in tonal inflection, while also engaging Western musical traditions and compositional techniques. Hence, the texts are carefully set to music with consideration to the melodic contour that mirrors the meaning of the texts in the Yorùbá language, with the melody largely adhering to the natural and tonemic speech patterns of the Yorùbá language. The harmonic texture of Àràbàríbítí is generally tonal. However, to avoid monotonous harmonic results, enhance the linguistic contour, and give room for musical creativity, modal mixture and chromaticism were employed. Although the work alternates between major key tonalities, it also engages with frequent modulations and several dissonant harmonic shifts. Rhythmically, the composition employs both simple and complex polyrhythmic layering while also engaging augmentation, diminution, and text painting to accentuate the imagery of nature and the divine. A celebratory middle movement, marked by a dance-like 6/4 meter, introduces the percussive accompaniment, depicting the communal and celebratory Yorùbá musical traditions.Dynamic shaping, expressive markings such as swell, crescendo, decrescendo, and articulation techniques like marcato and staccato are precisely indicated throughout the score. Melismatic passages and metric freedom occasionally suspend the original pulse to enhance flexibility and fluid musical gestures. This music represents a creative fusion of traditional Yorùbá musical idioms with Western choral techniques. The work demonstrates the composer’s engagement with African art music, contributing to the cross-cultural dialogue between African and Western musical practices while advocating for unity and harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
Arabaribiti, Choral Art music, Music composition, Yoruba Art music
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations