The Source of Sound involves the material, the movement and the vibration of which music arises.
The Source of Sound 63
The records from the Africa Museum in Tervuren
The Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren in Brussels released in collaboration with the Belgian Radio and Television a series of records with African music in the ’60s. And there wasn’t just music from Congo on those records, which you’d expect due to Belgium’s colonial history and the museum’s name, there was music from all of Africa on those records. Eleven LPs were released, and only five of them were devoted to music from Congo. And the first LP had Swazi music from the south of Africa. The records all had books in which the music culture, the melodies and lyrics were described in Dutch, French, German and English. The books also provided staff notations and pictures or drawings of the musicians and the instruments. Unfortunately, people were still inclined to shorten the songs until they were only a few minutes long, and often the musicians weren’t even named. It was like they felt it was the kind of music audiences would only listen to for educational purposes, and it didn’t matter who played the music. Yet, there were notable recordings on those records. There were field recordings of rituals, initiations, ceremonies, predictions, lamentations and historical stories which often haven’t been written down.
The recordings were made by ethnomusicologist Jos Gansemans, who worked for the museum in Tervuren, and other scientists like Barabara Schmidt-Wrenger and Gerard Ciparisse. But they were also made by other people, Dutch missionary Paul van Thiel, for example. He spent 58 years in West Uganda. He spoke the local languages, knew the traditional musicians, had good connections with the Ankole and Bunyoro court. This could be why the record ‘Ankole’, which features recordings and explanations by Paul van Thiel, is the most exciting release of the series of LPs by The Royal Museum for Central Africa. In this episode of The Source of Sound, you’ll listen to eleven tracks from this LP.
Special thanks to Frank Kouwenhoven and the Stichting Chime.
01 Maye Make 1’37
Agnès Kunene
LP Swazimuziek
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 1, DL111629, B 11
02 Unomagundwame 6’25
LP Zulu, Swazi en Xhosa
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 3, DL111638, A4
03 Solo on the Swazi makhweyane bow 1’41
LP Zulu, Swazi en Xhosa
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 3, DL111638, b 3
04 Ngindzindze 1’29
LP Zulu, Swazi en Xhosa
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 3, DL111638, b 8
05 Tshisaasj 3’58
LP Lunda – Zaire,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 10, 6803054, a 1
06 Mishi-panflute 3’08
LP Lunda – Zaire,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 10, 6803054, a 5
07 Mayenge-klapdans 3’16
LP Tshokwe – Zaire,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 11, 6803073, a 3
08 Miaso ya tshisaji 2’21
LP Tshokwe – Zaire,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 11, 6803073, b 1
09 Miaso ya ndjimba 2’38
LP Tshokwe – Zaire,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 11, 6803073, b 2
10 Nkua tsiungu nlangula sota 1’56
LP Yaka – Muziek,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 8, 6803038, b 4
11 Eh ye ye ye 2’14
LP Yaka – Muziek,
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 8, 6803038, b 6
12 Entooro 2’12
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, a 2
13 Ekyevugo 1’33
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, a 6
14 Reeba mandwa 1’42
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, a 11
15 Ebizooba 2’06
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 1
16 Rukyengyeza rwa Bamano 2’52
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 2
17 Ka hurire 1’40
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 3
Paul van Thiel
18 Sekyihobe 1’31
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, 4
19 Entare 1’48
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 5
20 Maawe orye n’abashaija 2’41
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 6
21 pastoral song 1’58
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 7
22 Kyehungura 1’43
LP Ankole, West-Uganda
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 6, 6803015, b 11
23 Asilim 3’25
LP Teda – Tibesti
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 4, 6803002, a 1
24 teru 1’38
The Royal Museum for Central Africa
and the Belgian Radio and Television No. 4, 6803002, a 6
