CONTEMPORARY ART SONGS FOR SELECTED GHANAIAN LANGUAGES: COMPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Abstract

One of the significant musical artefacts that emerged from Ghanaian–European socio-cultural encounters in the nineteenth century was the art song; a composition for solo voice and piano typically set to poetry or narrative text. Art songs provide a platform for individual performers to demonstrate vocal artistry and interpretive skill. In contemporary Ghana, however, art song composition and performance have received limited attention, overshadowed by the proliferation of choral music. Existing scholarship suggests that, apart from the pioneering works of Ephraim Amu and J.H. Kwabena Nketia, relatively few Ghanaian composers have created contemporary art songs suited to the audiences of the twenty-first century. This article presents new art song compositions in different Ghanaian languages and for varied vocal ranges, with the aim of fostering accessibility and appreciation within the Ghanaian context. The study further provides formal analyses of the works to illuminate the compositional techniques and stylistic approaches employed. Using purposive sampling and document analysis of the compositions and related texts, the study highlights creative possibilities in Ghanaian art music. In this regard, it seeks to encourage solo vocal performance, stimulate compositional exploration, and expand research into art song as a vital dimension of Ghana’s contemporary art music practice.