Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony, and its native folk musics have been highly influenced by Portuguese forms. The most popular style of modern dance music is marrabenta. Mozambican music also influenced another Lusophone music in Brazil, like maxixe (its name derived from Maxixe in Mozambique), and Cuban music like Mozambique. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Marrabenta is a form of Mozambican dance music. ... Portugal and its former colonies are linked musically by the shared influence of fado, a bluesy form of music derived from itinerants in Lisbon. ... The maxixe (pronounced ma-shi-sh), occasionally known as the Brazilian tango, is a dance, with its accompanying music, that originated in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in 1868, at about the same time as the tango was developing in neighbouring Argentina and Uruguay. ... Maxixe (pronounced ma-sheesh) is the largest city and economic capital of the province of Inhambane, Mozambique, with a population of 97,173 (1997 census). ... It has been suggested that Cuban folk music be merged into this article or section. ...

Culture was an integral part of the struggle for independence, which began in 1964. Leaders of the independence movement used cultural solidarity to gain support from the common people, while the Portuguese colonialists promoted their own culture. By the time independence came in 1975, Mozambican bands had abandoned their previous attempts at European-style music, and began forging new forms based out of local folk styles and the new African popular music coming from Zaire, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1978, the Ministry of Education and Culture organized a National Dance Festival that involved more than half a million people, and led to the creation of numerous organizations and festivals promoting Mozambican music. Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

Timbila

The Chopi people of the coastal Inhambane Province are known for a unique kind of xylophone called mbila (pl: timbila) and the style of music played with it, which "is believed to be the most sophisticated method of composition yet found among preliterate peoples." Ensembles consist of around ten xylophones of four sizes and accompany ceremonial dances with long compositions called ngomi which consist of an overture and ten movements of different tempos and styles. The ensemble leader serves as poet, composer, conductor, and performer, creating a text, improvising a melody partially based on the features of the Chopi's tone language, and composing a second countrapuntal line. The musicians of the ensemble partially improvise their parts according to style, instrumental idiom, and the leader's indications. The composer then consults with the choreographer of the ceremony and adjustments are made. (Nettl 1956, p. 18-19) The Chopi are an ethnic group of Mozambique. ... Inhambane is a province of Mozambique located on the coast in the southern part of the country. ... Kulintang a Kayo, a Philippine xylophone The xylophone (from the Greek meaning wooden sound) is a musical instrument in the percussion family which probably originated in Indonesia. ... Mbila is a musical instrument of Mozambique, belonging to the idiophone classification within the percussion family of instruments. ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... Dance (from French danser, perhaps from Frankish) generally refers to movement used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting. ... The first two measures of Mozarts Sonata XI, which indicates the tempo as Andante grazioso and a modern editors metronome marking: = 120. “Andante” redirects here. ... The poor poet A poet is a person who writes poetry. ... A composer is a person who writes music. ... A conductor conducting a band at a ceremony A conductors score and batons Conducting is the act of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. ... The performing arts include theater, motion pictures, drama, comedy, music, dance, opera, magic and the marching arts, such as brass bands, etc. ... Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tone refers to the use of pitch in language to distinguish words. ... In music, counterpoint is the relationship between two or more voices that are independent in contour and rhythm, and interdependent in harmony. ... Improvisation is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of ones immediate environment. ... An idiom is an expression (i. ... Choreography (also known as dance composition) is the art of making structures in which movement occurs, the term composition may also refer to the navigation or connection of these movement structures. ...

The most famous timbila performers are Eduardo Durão and Venancio Mbande.

Marrabenta

Marrabenta is the best-known form of music from Mozambique. It is urban in origin, and meant for dancing. Marrabenta was born as a fusion of imported European music played on improvised materials. The word marrabenta derives from the Portuguese rebentar (arrabentar in the local vernacular), meaning to break, a reference to cheap guitar strings that snapped quickly. Instruments were fashioned out of tin cans and pieces of wood. Lyrics were usually in local languages, and included songs of social criticism as well as love, there are songs which lyrics are in Portuguese, official language of Mozambique, for nationwide and international promotion of the songs to other CPLP nations. The late 1970s saw tremendous innovation in marrabenta, as 1001 Music Productions recorded artists and staged large concerts. The compilation album Amanhecer was released, followed by more such LPs under the title Ngoma. Marrabenta is a form of Mozambican dance music. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Love is any of a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection or profound oneness. ... The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa or CPLP) is a multilateral forum for mutual friendship between the lusophone nations across the world where Portuguese is an official language. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Ngoma is the only settlement in the south of Kafue National Park. ...

The most influential early marrabenta performer was Fany Pfumo, whose fame began after the success of "Loko ni kumbuka Jorgina". He recorded in South Africa on HMV and later incorporated South African kwela into his music. The group Orchestra Marrabenta Star de Moçambique formed in 1979, led by long-time performer Wazimbo. The group toured Europe and other parts of the world, and soon brought international recognition to marrabenta. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Kwela is a happy, often pennywhistle based, street music from southern Africa with jazzy underpinnings. ... Also: 1979 by Smashing Pumpkins. ...

Many of the most popular musicians in modern Mozambique spent time with Orchestra Marrabenta Star de Moçambique, including Stewart Sukuma, Chico António, José Mucavel and Mingas, while other popular bands include Ghorwane. Ghorwane is a Mozambican marrabenta band. ...

References and external links

• Nettl, Bruno (1956). Music in Primitive Culture. Harvard University Press.
• Paco, Celso. "A Luta Continua". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East, pp 579-584. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books. ISBN 1-85828-636-0
• Tracey, Hugh. (1948, reprinted 1970). Chopi Musicians: their Music, Poetry, and Instruments. London: International African Institute and Oxford University Press. SBN 19 724182 4.
• Hallis, Ron and Hallis, Ophera. (1987). Chopi Music of Mozambique. 28 minutes. 16 mm Video.
• The 1973 Mgodo wa Mbanguzi A complete performance of traditional music and dance composed by a Chopi village in southern Mozambique. Produced by Gei Zantzinger and Andrew Tracey.
• Timbila Ta Venancio Venancio Mbande album at Amazon
• Timbila Eduardo Durão album at Amazon.
• Center for Traditional Music and Dance

Hugh Tracey was an important twentieth century ethnomusicologist. ...

See also

• International Library of African Music
• Mbila (musical instrument)
• Music of Africa
• Shona music
• Hugh Tracey
• Zimbabwean Marimba