Fela Sowande (1905 - 1987) was a Nigerian musician and composer. 1905 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A musician is a person who plays or composes music. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ...

Sowande was born in the Nigerian state of Oyo. His father, Emanuel Sowande, was an Anglican priest, musician and music professor. His family was part of the Egba ethnic group. Fela moved with his father to Lagos as a child, and began studying music there. His main instrument was the organ and he gave many popular recitals on that instrument throughout his life. He lived much of his adult life in the United Kingdom and the United States serving as a music director and teacher. He died in Ravenna, Ohio in the United States. Oyo is the name for a Yoruba city in modern-day Nigeria and also the loose empire which that city controlled in the 17th and 18th centuries. ... The Anglican Communion is a world-wide organisation of Anglican Churches. ... Map of Nigeria showing Lagos on the lower left Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria. ... The Casavant pipe organ at Notre-Dame de Montréal Basilica, Montreal The organ is a keyboard musical instrument with a distinctive sound, nowadays produced in several ways but originally produced by pipes. ... Ravenna is a city located in Portage County, Ohio. ...

Felá Sówándé is considered as the father of modern Nigerian Art Music and is perhaps the most internationally known African composer of works in the European 'classical' idiom. He was born in Lagos and son of a priest and pioneer of Nigerian church music. The influence of his father and Dr T.K. Ekundayo Phillips (composer, organist and choirmaster) was an important factor in his early years. At that time, he was a chorister and was introduced to new Yorùbá works being introduced into the churches. During that period, he studied organ under Phillips; this included works by Bach and European classical masters. At that time, he was also a bandleader, playing jazz and popular - 'highlife’ music. All of these had considerable influence on his work.

In 1934 he went to London to study European classical and popular music. In 1936, he was solo pianist in a performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. He also played as duo-pianist with Fats Waller, and was theatre organist for the BBC as organist and Choirmaster at Kingsway Hall (unfortunately recently demolished) London and as pianist in the 1936 production of Blackbirds. He also played organ in some recordings by Dame Vera Lyn. Later, he studied organ under George Oldroyd and George Cunningham and became a fellow of the Royal College of Organists (with credit) in 1943.

He also won several prizes and obtained his degree at the University of London and became a fellow of Trinity College of Music. He also worked as musical advisor for the Colonial film Unit of the Ministry of Information during the Second World War, providing background music for educational films.

From 1945, he was a renowned organist and choirmaster at the West London Mission of the Methodist Church until 1952, and a considerable amount of organ music dates from this period. These are based on Nigerian melodies that gave a special appeal to the Black members of his congregation in the early years of migration from Africa and the Caribbean.

Western and African ideas prevail in his music which included organ works such as Yorùbá Lament, Obangiji, Kyrie, Gloria, Jesu Olugbala, Oba Aba Ke Pe. Most of these, including the work in this program show quite a strong influence of Anglican Church music combined with Yoruba pentatonic melodies.

His orchestral works include Six Sketches for Full Orchestra, A Folk Symphony, and African Suite for Strings and show African rhythmic and harmonic characteristics. He has also written a significant number of secular and sacred choral music, mainly a cappella. Some of these were composed during his period with the BBC Africa Service. He went back to Africa to scholarly work with the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation and later Ibadan University. From there, he moved to Howard University, Washington then the University of Pittsburgh. There is currently a move to set up a centre to research and promote Felá Sówándé works, many remain unpublished or out of print.

Felá Sówándé’s works known to exist: (those underlined are available on commercial recordings)

ORGAN

Ø Kyrie, 1955 Chappell, London Ø Oyigiyigi, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Gloria, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Ka Mura, 1945, Chappell, London Ø Prayer, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Obangiji, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Yorùbá Lament, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Jesu Olugbala, 1955, Chappell, London Ø KÕa Mo Rokoso Ø Oba Aba Ke Pe Ø Responses in ‘A’ 1959

CHORAL

Ø The Wedding Day for S.S.A. with piano, 1957, RDH Ø Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child for S.A.T.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London Ø My WayÕs Cloudy for S.A.T.B. with piano, 1955, Chappell, London Ø De Ol’ ArkÕs a-Moverin for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella with tenor solo, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Same Train for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London Steal Away for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Roll de Ol' Chariot for S.A.T.B.B. with piano and rhythm combo, 1955, Chappell, London Ø All I do for S.A.T.B.B. with piano and rhythm combo, 1961, Ricordi, New York Ø Goin’ to Set Down for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano solo, 1961, Ricordi, New York Ø Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano solo, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø De Angels Are Watchin’ for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano and tenor solo, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Nobody Knows de Trouble I See for S.A.TB. acappella, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Wheel, Oh Wheel for S.A.T.B. a cappella, 1961, Ricordi, New York Ø Wid a Sword in Ma Hand for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1958, Ricordi, New York Ø Sit Down Servant for T.T.B.B. a cappella and tenor solo, 1961, Ricordi, New York Ø Out of Zion for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1955 Ø St. Jude’s Response for S.A.T.B. with organ Ø Oh Render Thanks (hymn-anthem) for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1960 Ø Nigerian National Anthem (an arrangement) for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1960

SOLO SONGS

Ø Three Songs of Contemplation for tenor and piano, 1950, Chappell, London Ø Because of You for voice and piano, 1950, Chappell, London Ø Three Yoruba Songs for voice and piano, 1954, Ibadan

ORCHESTRAL

Ø Four Sketches for full orchestra, 1953 Ø African Suite for string orchestra, 1955, Chappell, London Ø Folk Symphony for full orchestra, 1960

External links

• A more detailed account of his life