Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Volumes I and II.

[??] Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Volumes I and II, Compiled and Edited by William H. Chapman Nyaho. Oxford University Press (www.us.oup.com; [phone]), 2007. Volume I: 35pp., $14.95, Early Intermediate. Volume II: 53 pp. $19.95, Intermediate.

Concert pianist William Chapman Nyaho successfully edited a wide selection of piano compositions by Black composers residing in Africa (Republic of Congo, Ghana, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa) and elsewhere in the world, including Brazil, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Jamaica and the United States. This piano anthology shows a range of musical styles and genres, from lullabies to spirituals, jazz and ragtime, filling a needed gap in the piano literature repertoire, of inserting new life alongside the "cherished patriarchs."

The inclusion of brief explanations and stylistic suggestions for each piano piece provides meaningful context and aids students in their interpretation. Short bibliographical notes allow students the opportunity to get to know the life and works of each composer. Of particular note in these piano pieces are rhythmic and melodic features that allow for the expansion of new knowledge, of elements that are prominent and characteristic of particular musical cultures. Some of these include the use of call-and-response, polyrhythm, "Arabic" scales and melodic elements of African folk/game songs and drumming rhythms.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Nyaho suggests that students using this graded series approach the pieces through "singing the rhythmic and melodic passages, repeatedly clapping or drumming rhythms, dancing and moving to embody musical gestures" so as to embrace the African oral, aural and corporal learning techniques. Some of the piano pieces can prove challenging for early-intermediate and intermediate students for its "exciting" melodic and rhythmic elements. However, it is well worth the exploratory efforts to improve upon technical skills and expressions. The series should be of interest to teachers and students looking to expand their piano repertoire and to any music educator and researcher keen to explore styles of musical fusion that grow out of the continent of Africa and the African Diaspora.--Reviewed by Chee-Hoo Lure, National Institute of Education, Singapore

[??] The items marked with this symbol can be ordered via the MTNA website through our affiliation with Amazon.com. Go to www.mma.org and choose Member Services from the Membership option in the main menu bar for more information.