Comparison of Western Music and African Music

Givewell Munyaradzi, Webster Zimidzi

Faculty of Education, Department of Curriculum Zimbabwe, Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.
Great Zimbabwe University, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.

DOI: 10.4236/ce.2012.32030                

Abstract

This article provides a review of Western and African music. The study made a comparison of Western and African music against a biased background towards Western music especially during the nineteenth century when music was interpreted from a Euro-centric perspective. It is important to investigate Africa’s contributions to the music industry. Different interpretations were informed by lack of literature on African music prior to colonization because African music was not recorded in written form. It was en-tirely based on oral tradition. Failure by early European ethnomusicologists to appreciate traditional African music further isolated African music. Areas of differences are seen in the way Africans treat their rhythm. African rhythms are complicated as compared to Western rhythm. Data for the study were col-lected using review of related literature on both Western and African music. Major recommendations from this study are as follows, a cross cultural paradigm is needed to enable researchers related stake holders to understand the significance of both Western and African music.

Keywords

Western Music; African Music; African Rhythms; European Ethnomusicologists; Western Rhythms

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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