VOLUME 1: SATB 1926-1933

Purchase the number of copies you need for each member of your chorus. Please do not simply purchase one and photocopy. The Amu Score Project supports activities of the Ephraim Amu Foundation in Ghana.

$25.00

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Volume 1: SATB works (1926-1933)

Abibirimma • Ahobrɛase • Akwaabadwom • Amɛwo dzifɛ yĩgba • Animia • Ɛnnɛ yɛ anigyeda  • Ennyɛ yɛn Nyame • Gbele he dwenmɔ • Kae s owu reba • Meto mani mehwɛ nipa asetra mu • Me werɛ akyekye • Mɛwɔ yaa lɛ • Mí katãe lɛ kpo dzom • Minya zɔzɔ • Momma yɛnkɔ Betlehem  • Mo Amen • Monyi moho adi, mmanin mma • Mmerantɛ ne mmabaa bre • Nkradi • Nɔfɛɛnɔ je Ata Nyɔŋmɔ • Odiewoe! • Ofori nkoa Gyanadu • Onipa da who so • Oseebɔ • Owu •  Ɔdomanka Ɔbɔɔadeɛ bɔɔ ade no, ɔbɔɔ no • Ɔdɔ yɛ wu • Wopɛ Onyame asɛ no  • Yesu awoda yɛ akyɛde • Yesu ne nhɛwso • Yɛn ara asase ni • Yɛn Wura Yesu anim obi nni hɔ

The music in Volume 1 is comprised of songs for mixed chorus that Dr. Amu composed while living in Akropong and working at the Scottish Mission Seminary. As such, many of the lyrics are in the Akuapem Twi language (26 songs). Yet, there are also songs here in Ewe and in Ga.
These songs are Dr. Amu’s first experiments in writing what he called his “African Songs.” Many were included in his first published collection: Twenty-five African Songs, a volume that was conceived to be a collection of songs for worship. These differ significantly from the typical songs for worship that Ghanaians would be used to singing in church at the time. Amu’s compositions are novel in that they follow the tonal contours and speech rhythms of the local languages. The tunes for the hymns brought by the missionaries were retained even after the texts were translated into the local languages, and often the tune and the language tone were mismatched. Amu felt his new compositions would encourage more participation.  He also incorporates rhythmic features typical for traditional song — a rhythm he describes as consisting of “…duple and triple time mixed, occurring either in alternate bars, or in a number of duple time bars followed by one or more triple time bars, or vice versa.” (TFAS, Introduction) Further, limiting voices to two or three at various points in the music, often moving in running thirds or sixths, reflects traditional singing practice as well.

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