Ethiopian Nostalgic Collection 2: Commentary onTizita by Michael Belayneh

Here's why this song and video get my vote for Best of 2011:

Nostalgia probably best captures the word "Tizita" in Amharic. Tizita, as a composition, is one of the four basic modal systems in Ethiopian highland music. There are countless versions of Tizita and Michael Belayneh's is closer to the classic. It's back to basics here; almost complete reliance on vocals, Michael can even pull off an a-cappella version. The music arrangement is nevertheless meticulous; the guitar work is awesome, the acoustic guitar accompaniment beautiful, and electric guitar riffs simply fantastic (e.g., 1:46' and 5:23'). It's unfortunate the song does not have an extended electric guitar solo especially at 4:06'. But I concede this is just a personal preference.

The video is equally sublime - minimalist and artistic. Toward the end, it captures the diverse faces of Ethiopian love and the essence of this classic piece, nostalgia. The story line is not over-dramatized and the painter's canvass is metaphoric for the tableau feel and look of the studio scene. The story line, shot in black-and-white, also blends flawlessly with the grey studio shots.

And all of you Addis Ababa University students and grads will recognize your beautiful campus (the portrait scene, first shot at 3:26'), the institution that holds so much memory for Ethiopian students. The front entrance of what used to be the Emperor's palace also houses the Green Room where the 1960 Coup d'Etat led by the Neway brothers came to a sad and horrific end. Emperor Haile Selassie built the Jubilee Palace after the palace shoot-out. Today, it houses the AAU president's and other administrative offices.

As far as the faces of love (and Tizita) - notice the age progression. The characters depicted in the video become younger. This is how the video ties it all together: nostalgia for youth, for a time gone, for innocence.

But the video doesn't end there: the musicians, at the end of the song, turn their attention to the painting - to a sunrise or a sunset - it's hard to tell. However, the distinction is not important. It draws the curtains on the story yet offers us, the viewers, an option: to decide whether nostalgia is a setting sun - a memory of time gone by - or the hopes of a new day coming. Or both.

Dawit Tesfaye has created an excellent video for an equally superb song by Michael Belayneh.

The memorable lines come in the intro and outro:
Quine new tizita, Zema new Tizita
Tibeb new tizita, Hiwet new Tizita
Together: Tizita is poetry, it is music, a craft; it is life.

Favorite shots:
The portrait scenes: 3:44', 4:45', and 5:34'
The childhood scenes: 6:19' and 6:23'

Huge, huge kuddos to the Director, Dawit Tesfaye. Other credits go to Assistant Directors Michael Tamre and Aklilu Gebre-Medhin, to Kibralem Fanta and Mozart Tigistu (camera), and to editor Billy Mekonnen.

Look forward to seeing more of this ensemble's work. Always great to see young Ethiopian talent.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Ethiopians
• Tizita
• Nostalgia

[YaredEthiopian]

@zerai56 I couldn't agree more, Zerai.  Thank you.

[zerai56]

Michael I couldn't shut it off, You have such a beautiful voice, please keep on singing! It it Lovely!