Skip to product information
1 of 4

Rebecca Sacks

Agbadza Dance

Agbadza Dance

String Quartet

Composer's Note:

Agbadza is the most popular genre of music of the Ewe tribe of Ghana and Togo. I studied Ewe music from 2005--2009 with David Locke (Tufts University professor), and during this time I performed with the Agbekor Society, Locke's West African music ensemble. I have been inspired to incorporate aspects of Ewe music in some of my compositions since then. The Agbadza ensemble includes an iron double bell (the central instrument of the ensemble), a gourd rattle, and several barrel-shaped drums in addition to singing, hand clapping and dancing. The polyrhythm of 6/4 and 12/8 is central to Ewe music, and it is remarkable to me that Ewe musicians can feel both pulses simultaneously. The first part of this piece alternates between these two time feels. Later, the rhythm of the melody is the rhythm of the double bell. In the second half of the piece, the original melody returns while the viola plays the rhythm of the kagan, the smallest drum in the ensemble.
Agbadza songs have a "call and response" form, and the violins begin the piece with a popular Agbadza melody, with the first violin playing the "call" and the second violin playing the "response." I then recompose the melody until it is unrecognizable. The unusual lyrics of the song are translated as: "Big carnivore eats forbidden meat and says, "My liver is burning.' He eats forbidden meat." Agbadza songs are open to interpretation: different Ewe scholars explain that this song is about biting off more than one can chew, or it is about plotting the downfall of a powerful person through food.


Authored (or revised): 2020

Duration (minutes): 4

First performance: 2/6/2020

Book format: score + 4 parts


SKU

ACA-SACR-002
Regular price $19.00
Sale price $19.00 Regular price
Sale Sold out
Format
View full details

Composer's Note:

Agbadza is the most popular genre of music of the Ewe tribe of Ghana and Togo. I studied Ewe music from 2005--2009 with David Locke (Tufts University professor), and during this time I performed with the Agbekor Society, Locke's West African music ensemble. I have been inspired to incorporate aspects of Ewe music in some of my compositions since then. The Agbadza ensemble includes an iron double bell (the central instrument of the ensemble), a gourd rattle, and several barrel-shaped drums in addition to singing, hand clapping and dancing. The polyrhythm of 6/4 and 12/8 is central to Ewe music, and it is remarkable to me that Ewe musicians can feel both pulses simultaneously. The first part of this piece alternates between these two time feels. Later, the rhythm of the melody is the rhythm of the double bell. In the second half of the piece, the original melody returns while the viola plays the rhythm of the kagan, the smallest drum in the ensemble.
Agbadza songs have a "call and response" form, and the violins begin the piece with a popular Agbadza melody, with the first violin playing the "call" and the second violin playing the "response." I then recompose the melody until it is unrecognizable. The unusual lyrics of the song are translated as: "Big carnivore eats forbidden meat and says, "My liver is burning.' He eats forbidden meat." Agbadza songs are open to interpretation: different Ewe scholars explain that this song is about biting off more than one can chew, or it is about plotting the downfall of a powerful person through food.

Shipping

We ship world-wide using US International Postal Mail - Priority, First Class International Mail, or UPS Global. In the US, we usually use US Priority Mail or Media Mail or UPS Ground services.

Return Policy

Orders received damaged will be replaced immediately at no additional charge. Refunds requested will be issued back to the original payment
method. 

PDF files are not refundable and are considered permanent loan rentals licensed to the customer who purchased.

Purchasing any digital PDFs from American Composers Alliance grants you an unlimited license for your personal use only. ACA grants permission for you to duplicate the score and files as needed for performance.

Any other use of the PDF files may require additional permission from ACA. Purchase and download of PDFs does not automatically include performing and recording rights.

PDF files are not refundable and are considered permanent loan rentals licensed to the customer who purchased.

Contact us / inquire about this work