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Apirede Audio and Video Selections

Audio Selection: 

In the piece captured on the audio clip you will hear that the timeline is a simple steady beat played on the bamboo clappers. For the most part the three drum parts each stick with their short repeated pattern, but every once in awhile one of them throws in a brief variation that alters the composite rhythm. Part way through the excerpt the singers come in in a call-response pattern.

Video Selection:

In the first segment of the video clip we see and hear a staged procession (this footage was shot at an arranged recording session). Nana Baisie and his linguist are seen preceding the singers and drummers. In the second segment of the clip we hear another piece with a different timeline pattern and drum motifs. Nana Baisie’s linguist dances for a period.

Performance Forces:

several abaa a pair of bamboo concussion sticks; time-keeping instrument
kyenkese single-head tubular drum, goblet-shaped, struck with two stick beaters;
egyeguado single-head tubular drum, goblet-shaped, struck with two stick beaters;
ansaba single-headed tubular drum, footed, struck with two straight sticks; support drum
chorus mixed

There was one other small goblet-shaped drum the name of which I was unsuccessful in obtaining. It was not played when the ansaba was in use, and vice versa. It would therefore appear that there are just three drum parts for apirede pieces.

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