Compositional Style and African Identity: A Study of Modern Nigerian Art Music

The introduction of European culture and Christianity to Nigeria in the second half of the nineteenth century was to lead to changes in the socio-political, economic and religious features of Nigerian society. Since traditional, pre-colonial, Nigerian music was strongly tied to these features, the introduction of European culture and Christianity also had significant effects on Nigerian musical culture. One important result of the contact between European and Nigerian cultures is the growth of the European-derived idiom of written compositions conceived for presentation on a concert platform. In this thesis, such works which have been written by Nigerian composers (from 1940 onwards) are studied with a view to assessing how the composers have sought to meet the artistic demands of contemporary Nigeria by integrating European and Nigerian elements. The thesis provides discussions on historical developments in nineteenth century Nigeria, musical activities in the Church, and the characteristic features of Nigerian music. These discussions constitute the necessary historical, cultural and musical background to the study of the lives and works of six of the major composers of Modern Nigerian Art music in Chapters 5-11. The last chapter summarises the major findings of the study and assesses the problems and the prospects which the growth of this new idiom faces in Nigeria. The chapter identifies the need for a greater emphasis on the teaching of traditional Nigerian music in secondary and tertiary institutions as an important condition for the propagation and the appreciation of the works of modern Nigerian composers.