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Composed, arranged and performed by Neo Muyanga.
This album is also available to download as one complete track.
visit us at www.neosong.net
DIPALO – the new record out now
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dropping on october 19th 2011 – black wednesday
CHIMURENGA NEWSROOM
A RESEARCH TOOL, MEETING SPACE & PROCESS DOCUMENT FOR THE CHIMURENGA CHRONICLE
DIPALO a audio cd supplement by Neo Muyanga in The Chronic
NEO MUYANGA & CHIMURENGA CHRONICLE present
DIPALO a mixtape for those who practice counting
Composed, arranged and performed by Neo Muyanga, this audio cd supplement is part of the Chimurenga Chronicle, a speculative newspaper which is issue 16 of Chimurenga.
Tracklist:
a) 1+1= (a re-composition of a 5000-year-old offering to Lord Ganesha, the Hindu deity, an opener of sorts)
b) 4:7 (heaven’s on the ocean is a proportional refrain on reaching nirvana, the 7th grade, via the mundane material world)
c) 3sin= rθ (sino projection technology theme)
d) 3(x)n (illegal border crossing and migration theme. composed for dancers)
e) e=mcx rightarrow infinity (a true story about an explosive riot day with SADF soldiers who attacked Soweto on June 16th, 1985. Composed for those who got hurt)
f) ƒ:X→Y (horizon heart aflame. Composed for a lover)
g) (a summing of random themes theme)
h) 4x+2 (the 2 or 4 step theme)
i) y~ 6/8 (a travelling theme in 6 parts over eight. Composed for puppets)
j) yge !, 6/8 (a running theme in 6 parts over 8 )
k) 1/4° (a kota bread theme. Composed for skolies and thieves)
l) (a perpetual circle. Composed for an apartheid-era multi-racial soccer club)
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for more info on the chronic see: http://www.chimurenganewsroom.org.za/
a choir is a city, a country even like a ship of commerce
“my condition when abroad, and even in guinea, might be envied by multitudes who stay at home. i am as absolute in my small dominions (life and death excepted) as any potentate in europe. if i say to one, come, he comes; if to another, go, he flies. if i order one person to do something, perhaps three or four will be ambitious for a share in the service. not a man in the ship must eat his dinner till i please to give him leave; nay, nobody dares to say it is 12 or 8 o’clock, in my hearing, till i think it is proper to say so first. there is a mighty business of attendance when i leave the ship, and strict watch is kept while i am absent, lest i should return unawares, and not be received in due form. and should i stay out till midnight, (which for that reason, i never do without necessity) nobody must presume to shut their eyes, till they have had the honour of seeing me again. i would you judge from my manner of relating these ceremonials, that i do not value them highly for their own sake; but they are old established customs, and necessary to be kept up; for, without a strict discipline, the common sailors would be unmanageable” -
this was part of a letter by 18th century slave-ship captain, john newton (composer of the hymn, “amazing grace”) to his wife, mary, here quoted from marcus rediker’s incisive book, “the slave ship”.
the captain’s intimate description brings to mind the respect de soi obviously held (rightly or wrongly) by many a president, premier, youth brigade leader and even choral conductor!
composer and conductor, piero poclen, was such a champion – a man i would have followed into the abyss.
and yet, while a member in his coro del collegio del mondo unito dell’ adriatico, i served not only as his tenore, but also his impish !kaggen, his jester.
once or twice in a while, piero would throw me a you-are-nearing-the-borders-of-anarchydom look, but generally he let me continue with my silly and harmless prancing. i think this was because he knew i had a deep respect for him and his discipline.
as members of his big choir we performed works from all over the world – china, mexico, the (former) czechoslovakia, russia, germany, the u.s. and everywhere … but nothing from south africa. i hadn’t yet started composing myself then, so i never was able to bring him any works to hear inspired by the sounds of my own backyard.
he had hush-hush invited me to attend the smaller classes with a chamber vocal group he had assembled to read and sing madrigals he himself had composed. it felt like being a part of special hits squad.
and so today, here out to these (you) congregants ‘pon the aether do i cast this clip, inspired by the sounds of my own backyard, performed here with the brilliant joy of africa choir of port elizabeth.
it is a song about working together, submitting to the discipline of listening and communion – a theme, i suspect, the more malleable minions in ol’ john newton’s squad would have practiced heartily during those watchful hours as he gallivanted ashore at nearing midnight.
with love, n
Composer Neo Muyanga on the art of the soundtrack (via The Baxter Blog)
via The Baxter Blog
the “ouroboros” interview with jeremy daniel
die buitestaanders: new works for soprano and piano forte
premiering at the klein karoo nasionale kunstefees this april, this is a presentation of new and courageous works exploring contemporary south africa’s insider/outsider complex as performed by magdalene minaar (soprano) and mareli stolp (pianist). the works are written by contemporary composers who are forging a new musical tradition in south africa and feature texts by leading poets antjie krog, lara foot, nigel gowland, vernie plaatjies and donald rickert.
.org.za
rivista: “memory of how it feels”
rivista da Tina Lorizzo, foto da Marc Wessels
La Catarsi comincia con la melodia di un carion umano che ci riporta indietro nella memoria di eventi passati sentendo ‘How It Feels’, come addormentati in un sogno.
Tre storie fantasticamente connesse in un gioco di parole, segni, movimenti e musica.
E tra una storia e l’altra corriamo, corriamo a recuperare la memoria che abbiamo messo a riparo tra le radici della nostra anima. E quando l’abbiamo ritrovata, eccoci qui a sentirla col cuore.
Neo Muyanga ci conduce li’ a ricordare e a rivivere le sensazioni, i sentimenti e la forza di momenti passati.
E come seduti in un grande teatro dell’Antica Grecia, ci prepariamo alla catarsi; Usciamo da noi stessi e ci posizioniamo nell’anima di un ballerino, di un contastorie, di un musicista, di un suonatore di violino o un pianista di una soprano o di un regista, diventando attori di noi stessi.
Il rumore dei movimenti, il cambiamento perenne del tono delle voci, la docile musica dei violini e il muto linguaggio
dei segni ci riportano a sentire la forza vitale degli eventi.
E’ il passato, il presente e il futuro che e’ oggi.
Per un ‘ora siamo li’, di fronte a quel palco tra contrastanti emozioni di risa, di pianto, di riflessione e di allegria; non sappiamo dove siamo, chi siamo e cosa sia la verita’.
Ma all’improvviso smettiamo di correre, rallentiamo nei movimenti e, mentre il sipario si chiude ritorniamo noi stessi.
La catarsi e’ gia’ avvenuta e alla dolce melodia del carion continuamo a vivere.
Quando ho conosciuto Neo per la prima volta, quasi un anno fa, nell’ Avenida Samora Machel di Maputo in Mozambico non avrei mai immaginato di ritrovarmi qui spettatrice/attrice (nel concetto di catarsi) del suo ultimo lavoro. Un lavoro fantastico dove energie si incontrano in uno spazio che diventa il nostro.
Mi ritrovo al Baxter di Cape Town e mi progetto fuori di me, ritrovandomi metaforicamente sul palco.
Chi sono e qual e’ la verita’?
La verita’ e’ dentro di me. E’ fuori. In quel palco in cui mi progetto cercando di migliorare.
Neo ci e’ riuscito, almeno con me.
E tra le tre storie, ritrovo il momento del nostro incontro in una Maputo diabolicamente attraente dove e’ difficile non sentire l’odore della vita e vivere intensamente ogni suono, ogni colore, ogni odore.
Chuma Sopolela e Andile Vellem hanno riportato sul palco i movimenti della vita maputense tra la sensualita’ di energie che non puoi decidere.
La vita ti si butta addosso e non puoi rifiutarla. Vuoi sfondare le pareti, come Chuma e Andile, e aprirti al mondo, perche’ Maputo ti fa scoprire chi sei. E tra una vita la cui forza la senti sul corpo come andare in bicicletta in una giornata di forte vento, incontri delle persone fantasticamente non umane! Come Chico, come altre!!! una rivista, scritto da Tina Lorizzo
La Catarsi comincia con la melodia di un carion umano che ci riporta indietro nella memoria di eventi passati sentendo ‘How It Feels’, come addormentati in un sogno.
Tre storie fantasticamente connesse in un gioco di parole, segni, movimenti e musica.
E tra una storia e l’altra corriamo, corriamo a recuperare la memoria che abbiamo messo a riparo tra le radici della nostra anima. E quando l’abbiamo ritrovata, eccoci qui a sentirla col cuore.
Neo Muyanga ci conduce li’ a ricordare e a rivivere le sensazioni, i sentimenti e la forza di momenti passati.
E come seduti in un grande teatro dell’Antica Grecia, ci prepariamo alla catarsi; Usciamo da noi stessi e ci posizioniamo nell’anima di un ballerino, di un contastorie, di un musicista, di un suonatore di violino o un pianista di una soprano o di un regista, diventando attori di noi stessi.
Il rumore dei movimenti, il cambiamento perenne del tono delle voci, la docile musica dei violini e il muto linguaggio
dei segni ci riportano a sentire la forza vitale degli eventi.
E’ il passato, il presente e il futuro che e’ oggi.
Per un ‘ora siamo li’, di fronte a quel palco tra contrastanti emozioni di risa, di pianto, di riflessione e di allegria; non sappiamo dove siamo, chi siamo e cosa sia la verita’.
Ma all’improvviso smettiamo di correre, rallentiamo nei movimenti e, mentre il sipario si chiude ritorniamo noi stessi.
La catarsi e’ gia’ avvenuta e alla dolce melodia del carion continuamo a vivere.
Quando ho conosciuto Neo per la prima volta, quasi un anno fa, nell’ Avenida Samora Machel di Maputo in Mozambico non avrei mai immaginato di ritrovarmi qui spettatrice/attrice (nel concetto di catarsi) del suo ultimo lavoro. Un lavoro fantastico dove energie si incontrano in uno spazio che diventa il nostro.
Mi ritrovo al Baxter di Cape Town e mi progetto fuori di me, ritrovandomi metaforicamente sul palco.
Chi sono e qual e’ la verita’?
La verita’ e’ dentro di me. E’ fuori. In quel palco in cui mi progetto cercando di migliorare.
Neo ci e’ riuscito, almeno con me.
E tra le tre storie, ritrovo il momento del nostro incontro in una Maputo diabolicamente attraente dove e’ difficile non sentire l’odore della vita e vivere intensamente ogni suono, ogni colore, ogni odore.
Chuma Sopolela e Andile Vellem hanno riportato sul palco i movimenti della vita maputense tra la sensualita’ di energie che non puoi decidere.
La vita ti si butta addosso e non puoi rifiutarla. Vuoi sfondare le pareti, come Chuma e Andile, e aprirti al mondo, perche’ Maputo ti fa scoprire chi sei. E tra una vita la cui forza la senti sul corpo come andare in bicicletta in una giornata di forte vento, incontri delle persone fantasticamente non umane! Come Chico, come altre!!!
.org.za
chimurenga chronicle call for submissions: back to the future!
Chimurenga Magazine’s next publishing project is The Chimurenga Chronicle – a once-off, one-day-only edition of a speculative, future-forward newspaper that travels back in time to re-imagine the present.
Produced in collaboration with Nigeria’s Cassava Republic Press and Kenya’s Kwani?, it is a multi-section broadsheet with news, long-form journalism, comics, sport, art etc. and 100-page books magazine to be released in September 2011, in numerous African cities.
The current tools we have at our disposal, particularly in the area of knowledge production and dissemination, don’t help much to grasp contemporary reality. What we need is a Time Machine! A device that will allow us to understand the numerous different temporalities, dispersed entanglements and overlapping time-spaces that define today.
The Chimurenga Chronicle is one such machine. Back-dated to the week May 18-24 2008, it’s situated during the first week of the so-called xenophobic violence in South Africa, two years ago – but it focuses outward, covering the events, scenes and situations around the world during this period.
As part of the project we view the newspaper classifieds section as a literary and art platform; a public space that delights in prescience, precision, and provocation and uses wit as a formidable weapon against the tyranny of everyday banality. Yes, it sells out – it sells out big. It sells everything from undying love to first editions of Fanon, from rhetorical job offers to shards of hope.
We therefore invite submission of nano-novels, micro-art works, flash poetry, philosophical aphorism, minima moralia, haikus of the heart, found objects and more, for sections includingsales, wanted, services, jobs, personals and obituaries.
All classifieds submitted should be no longer than 50 words and should relate to the week May 18-24 2008.
Email chimurenga for queries.
.org.za
final prep
we began previewing memory of how it feels on february 17th. tonight we are officially open. thank you to all of you who have joined us on our journey in making this production… your
messages of support and encouragement have buoyed us.
come see the show at the baxter, and let’s talk and have a drink afterwards.
m n m
.org.za
songs for a fighting
benjamin jephta holds down the bass in the second tonal short-story, songs for a fighting, in memory of how it feels. we took time alone away from the rest of the cast to go over his part.
.org.za
