Ethiopian Traditional Music

Ethiopian Traditional Music, hagere semen gonder, by Kassahun Taye
ህገሬ ስሜን ጎንድር የአሴ ቴድሮስ ሀገር

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ethiopian
• Traditional
• Music

[selam2507]

i am so proud to be from gonder!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[zerubabel123]

I witness lots of ethnic and traditional songs being revived.This certainly is a positive development. However, I also see much unintended mischief is being done to them in name of increasing their appeal.The concern is that this 'modernization' is compromising the identity and integrity of our traditional songs.Firstly, I do not think that the modern instrumentation ( using Western musical instruments) accompanying these songs is necessary.

[wwwangel28]

I LOOVEE this song!!!!

[yaddiskonjo]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW beyond beautiful!!!!

[zioband]

GREATTTTT...GREETINGS FROM MILANO..

[zerubabel123]

....And it was about this trend that I was earlier expressing my misgivings about. I am however not dogmatic about them.

Please do not hesitate to comment more about this if you still have a different take on the issue. By acting as a sounding board to my ideas, you would help me crystallize my thinking.Thanks again.

[zerubabel123]

....Now, it is ‘believed’ that these musical instruments are not able to stand on their own. At best they are supplemented by Western musical instruments or at worst they are supplanted by them. Sadly, this relegation to second class position has also compromised their identity. This, I am afraid, is the new trend in the 'development ‘of our traditional and ethnic songs.....

[zerubabel123]

....But, you also hear, a keyboard, I think, with the percussive and brass sections blended with the Masinko sound with a view to enhance the beauty and appeal of the song.

You see, this was not so in the past. Our traditional music has had a self contained grandeur of its own. Our traditional musical instruments, of which there are great varieties and of wide musical powers, were wholly used to enhance the beauty, emotional and expressive range of our songs.....

[zerubabel123]

Dear MsHAHAgaga,

Thanks for taking the trouble to read my comments and respond. You are in fact right this is not Western or modern music. It is a typical traditional and regional piece, which I must add, is of great loveliness and charm. In the musical accompaniment, you hear the MASINKO, as you correctly identified it, having a prominent part....

[MsHAHAgaga]

@zerubabel123 its not western music or modernization. and its definatly not piano or anything. i forgot what it was called but it is made out of dried skin of cows and with strings attached. my family used to play this song when i was in ethiopia and trust me it is not modern musical instruments. although it might have some included

[MsHAHAgaga]

@DIKRIDIKRIARTAN55 no that is just the way that we dance. its really different i know but every culture has its own unique styles and for some it could be strange but still its just different. and please dont call us crazy ppl. kk