Forms and Compositional Devices in Nigerian Gospel Music: A Structural and Contextual Analysis

Abstract

Nigerian gospel music has evolved into a distinct genre within the Nigerian music scene, marked by a unique blend of African rhythmic elements, Western harmonic structures, and Christian theological themes. As a dynamic and expressive art form, it employs various musical forms and compositional devices to engage audiences, convey spiritual messages, evoke emotion, and inspire devotion. Although scholarly attention has been given to its historical, sociological, textual, and theological dimensions, its structural and compositional elements remain underexplored. This study applies musical semiotic theory, viewing music as a symbolic language, to identify and analyse musical forms, notate selected examples, and examine compositional techniques in Nigerian gospel music. Using a qualitative methodology, it employs cultural hermeneutics, content and discographical analysis, and musicological approaches. Findings reveal recurring formal structures and distinctive compositional devices employed by gospel musicians, shaped by performance context and socio-cultural realities. The study concludes that Nigerian gospel music continues to grow in influence and calls for greater scholarly attention to its structural and aesthetic dimensions.