Her tersely poetic, mournful songs and easily remembered melodies touched people's emotions.
The first lady of Ethiopian music, Asnaketch's deep, rich voice, with her own Kirar accompaniment, has thrilled audiences for decades. The audience is not supposed to take the lyrics literally - they are challenged to listen carefully to get the "golden" sense. When it comes to Azmari performances, lyrics can be largely improvised or sung with the art of double meaning called Kinie or Semmna Werq. Other instruments include the begena, a huge, multi-stringed lyre often referred to as the Harp of David the tsinatsil or sistrum, which is used in churches the meleket, a long trumpet without fingerholes, and the embilta, a large, one-note flute used on ceremonial occasions.Įthiopian virtuoso vocalist Mahmoud Ahmed, accompanied by the jazzy Ibex Band, penned a form of dance-pop that drew from both African, western and Middle-eastern sources on Ere Mela Mela (1986), that compiled some of his hits from 1975-78. There are three types of drums that are used in different occasions: the negarit (kettledrum), played with sticks, the kebero, played with hands, and the atamo, tapped with the fingers or palm. Traditional Ethiopian music instruments include the masingo, a one-stringed violin like instrument that is played with a bow the krar, a six-stringed lyre, played with fingers or a plectrum the washint, a flute made from bamboo and various drums. The Gurages have an acrobatic dance that requires high level of arm, leg and body coordination.
The Oromos to the center and south have this jumping style and full body dance routine. The Amharas at the center have dance style dominated by upper body and neck movement. The Tigrayans to the north have this smooth, circular dance routine culminated with shoulder and neck movement. The various tribes and ethnic groups of Ethiopia have their own distinct music culture and tradition.
Indeed, the Ethiopian scene of the 1960s was one of the liveliest scenes in the world.Įthiopia has a very rich and diverse music history. The Ethiopian music that was recorded between 19 was unknown in the rest of the world until the late 1990s. Ethiopian Music History,Music History of Ethiopia,History of Ethiopian Music