Speaking African Rhythm at the Piano

This post shares content from the Listening Around the World class and also a piece included on the Piano Exams repertoire list. After listening to the bell rhythm and feeling that rhythm in both duple and triple groupings, we also listened to this piano piece by Joseph Uzoigwe from the set "Talking Drums":

The piece was performed live in the class, which enabled me to demonstrate some patterns in a variety of tempos. But we appreciate the ability to share Kevin Madison's performance here! Like so much of the music included in the list for the piano exams, it doesn't look technically challenging when considering aspects such as scalar and melodic patterns or thick chordal textures, but executing the rhythm is much more challenging than it first appears. In a similar way that slow, lyrical pieces require a certain understand of phrasing and pedaling, so too does this piece require a dexterity for rhythmic pulse and a stamina to maintain one's focus on the rhythmic repetitions and sudden shifts in subdivisions. 

~KW

 

Leave a comment