Matters of notational practice in the works of Ephraim Amu (1899–1995)

Abstract

The music of Ephraim Amu (1899–1995) is a national treasure in his home country of Ghana. As the architect of the Ghanaian choral idiom, and with a considerable influence on music composition in West Africa, it is inexplicable that the bulk of Amu’s music scores are not available for performance or study nearly 30 years after his passing. In collaboration with Misonu Amu and a team of scholars and choral directors, I am developing a scholarly edition of his complete works. This article explores recurring issues experienced with Amu’s music notations in the editorial process. After a brief description of source materials and the manner in which these scores are employed in practice, attention is focused on the project itself. The methodologies used in the production of 215 newly engraved performance-ready scores are outlined, followed by a discussion of four problem areas encountered with music notation and how these challenges are being addressed. The complete edition will have 7 volumes organised according to voicing, with roughly 30 scores each and will be made accessible online.