AG on Music Theory Print

Agbadza

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Origin#

Agbadza finds its origin in the times of war. The Ewe people went through various times of war and oppression before settling down in the Volta Region of Ghana and in Southern Togo. Through Agbadza, at the time known as Atrikpui, Ewe singers and poets sang about battles, life and death, heroism, cowardice, migration, conquest, imperialism, and a warrior ethos. The move towards Agbadza was done due to a period of peace that was enjoyed by the Ewes around the 1920s, and so instead they decided to use some of their old songs as entertainment. Today, Agbadza is the most famous and widely played Ewe dance.

Agra gharana

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Etymology#

The Agra gharana takes its name from the city of Agra, which was the ancestral home of Vilayat Hussain Khan’s family. Many musical families resided in Agra ancestrally, such as the Mewati and Etawah traditions, but Vilayat Hussain Khan’s ancestors were more associated with the region amongst musicians.

Classical era#

Musicians of the Agra gharana claim descendence from the Nauharbani tradition of Dhrupad and legendary musician Nayak Gopal, a contemporary of Amir Khusrau. Nayak Gopal was acquired by Alauddin Khalji (1296 - 1316) as a court musician after the sack of Devgiri, around 1300 CE.

Aguinaldo (music)

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Venezuelan aguinaldo#

In Venezuela, aguinaldo is a genre of Christmas music and generally have six verses. It is played by “parranderos” or “aguinalderos” that announce their arrival in song and seek to gain entry to the community houses to relate the story of the birth of Christ, and to share in the joy of the message of Peace on Earth and to all People of Good Will. Aguinaldos are played with typical instruments such as the cuatro (a small, four-string guitar), furruco, and maracas. Other instruments often used are violin, guitar, tambourine, mandolin, bandol, caja (a percussive box instrument), and marímbula (an Afro-Venezuelan instrument). In exchange for the entertainment, “parranderos” are traditionally given food and drink: hallacas, panettone, rum and “Ponche Crema” (a form of alcoholic eggnog). Aguinaldos are also played at Christmas church celebrations. The composer Vicente Emilio Sojo compiled and harmonized more than 100 anonimous agunaldos and other folk songs, achieving a significant preservation of the country’s musical traditions.