Black choral music composers in South Africa, inspired by the few opportunities available to them until recent times, have nonetheless attempted to establish, perhaps subconsciously, some choral tradition and, in doing so, incorporate African musical elements in their works. My research traces the foundations and historical development of choral music as an art amongst Vhavenda, and the contributions made thereto by a number of past and present Venda composers that this researcher could manage to identify and trace, to the music of the people. The selected composers are Stephen Maimela Dzivhani, Matthew Ramboho Nemakhavhani, Derrick Victor Nephawe, Joseph Khorommbi Nonge, Israel Thinawanga Ramabannda and Fhatuwani Hamilton Sumbana. Through the application of multiple methodological lenses, the study sets out to analyse, describe, and interpret Venda choral music. Of particular interest is the exploration of the extent to which the ”formal” education that was brought by the Berlin Missionaries influenced Venda choral musicians, particularly the selected Venda choral music composers. Also crucial to this research is the exploration and identification of elements peculiar to indigenous Venda traditional music in the works of these composers. The question is whether it was possible for these composers to realize and utilize their potentials fully in their attempt to evoke traditional Venda music with their works, given the very limiting Western tonic sol-fa notational system they were solely working with. The project also briefly traces the place of Venda choral music within the South African music context and its role within the search for cultural identity. The research has found that the majority of Venda choral music written so far has generally not been capable of evoking indigenous Venda traditional music. Whilst these composers choose themes that are akin to their culture, social settings, legend and general communal life, the majority of the music they set to these themes does not sound African (Venda in particular) in terms of the rhythms and melodies. The majority of the compositions under scrutiny have inappropriate settings of Venda words into the melodies employed. This can be attributed to the limitations imposed by the tonic sol-fa notational system, which was the only system they were taught in the missionary schools established around Venda and which, itself, was flawed as well as the general lack of adequate music education on the part of the composers themselves. Despite these limitations and the very few opportunities available to them, Venda choral music composers nonetheless managed to lay a foundation for choral music as an art amongst their people (Vhavenda). / Art history, Visual Ars and Musicology / D. Mus

Black choral music composers in South Africa, inspired by the few opportunities available to them until recent times, have nonetheless attempted to establish, perhaps subconsciously, some choral tradition and, in doing so, incorporate African musical elements in their works. My research traces the foundations and historical development of choral music as an art amongst Vhavenda, and the contributions made thereto by a number of past and present Venda composers that this researcher could manage to identify and trace, to the music of the people. The selected composers are Stephen Maimela Dzivhani, Matthew Ramboho Nemakhavhani, Derrick Victor Nephawe, Joseph Khorommbi Nonge, Israel Thinawanga Ramabannda and Fhatuwani Hamilton Sumbana. Through the application of multiple methodological lenses, the study sets out to analyse, describe, and interpret Venda choral music. Of particular interest is the exploration of the extent to which the ”formal” education that was brought by the Berlin Missionaries influenced Venda choral musicians, particularly the selected Venda choral music composers. Also crucial to this research is the exploration and identification of elements peculiar to indigenous Venda traditional music in the works of these composers. The question is whether it was possible for these composers to realize and utilize their potentials fully in their attempt to evoke traditional Venda music with their works, given the very limiting Western tonic sol-fa notational system they were solely working with. The project also briefly traces the place of Venda choral music within the South African music context and its role within the search for cultural identity. The research has found that the majority of Venda choral music written so far has generally not been capable of evoking indigenous Venda traditional music. Whilst these composers choose themes that are akin to their culture, social settings, legend and general communal life, the majority of the music they set to these themes does not sound African (Venda in particular) in terms of the rhythms and melodies. The majority of the compositions under scrutiny have inappropriate settings of Venda words into the melodies employed. This can be attributed to the limitations imposed by the tonic sol-fa notational system, which was the only system they were taught in the missionary schools established around Venda and which, itself, was flawed as well as the general lack of adequate music education on the part of the composers themselves. Despite these limitations and the very few opportunities available to them, Venda choral music composers nonetheless managed to lay a foundation for choral music as an art amongst their people (Vhavenda). / Art history, Visual Ars and Musicology / D. Mus

I denna studie undersöks och jämförs hur rytmisk notläsning med barn, 5–8 år, framställs i vetenskapliga texter under 2000-talet. Fokus för studien är vilka strategier som skildras men även forskning om vilka effekter notläsning kan ha på läs- och skrivutveckling refereras. För att besvara studiens syfte och frågeställning används metoden allmän litteraturstudie med systematisk ansats samt en informell intervju med tre forskare inom neurologi. Fyra vetenskapliga artiklar är inkluderade i studien. Alla har granskats kvalitets- och kunskapskritiskt. Den vetenskapsteoretiska ansatsen för studien är kulturhistorisk men min långa bakgrund som rytmikpedagog, skolad och erfaren i Dalcroze-metodik, är den vinkel jag oundvikligen betraktar resultatet ur. Ett av studiens resultat är att ämnet inte ägnats någon större uppmärksamhet från forskare under 2000-talet och det därför finns mycket att göra för att utveckla praxis. De huvudsakliga resultaten i de studerade artiklarna är att a) barn tenderar att prioritera tonhöjd framför rytm i notbilden, b) underliggande puls på rytmens minsta värde, snarare än puls som motsvarar taktens värde, förenklar för notläsningsförmågans utveckling, c) god notläsning kräver tidigt utformade strategier snarare än övning och d) rytmisk notläsning kan utvecklas på ett likartat sätt som läs- och skrivförmåga och bör stödjas ur det perspektivet med aktiviteter som innefattar ljuda, skriva och läsa. I intervjudelen framkommer bland annat att rytmisk träning kan främja tal- och skriftspråklig utveckling men att det inte förekommer några direkta transfereffekter mellan läsning och notläsning. / In this study, the 21st century scientific literature addressing rhythmic music reading in children aged 5–8 is explored and compared. The described strategies are the main focus of the study but research on music reading´s effect on the development of reading and writing skills is also discussed. In order to meet the purpose of this study and answer the scientific question, the methods general literature study with systematic approach together with informal interviews with three neurology-scientists, are applied. Four scientific articles are included in the study. They were all thoroughly reviewed from a quality- and knowledge perspective. The scientific theory used for this study is Vygotskij´s cultural-historical psychology but my own background as a teacher of eurythmics, educated and experienced in Dalcroze´s methodology, is inevitably the light in which I view the results of this study. One of the study´s results, is that this subject did not yet render much attention from researchers during the 21st century, leaving a lot of room for further development of practice. The main results of the studied articles are that a) children tend to prioritize tone before rhythm when reading notated music, b) underlying beat on the shortest note-duration in the rhythm, rather than beat that corresponds to the “worth” of the bar, simplifies the development of music reading skills, c) accomplished music reading demands early developed strategies rather than practice and d) rhythmic music reading may develop in a trajectory similar to that of language and literacy acquisition and should be fostered within that perspective through all of the following: oral and aural exercises, writing and reading. The interview-section shows, amongst other things, that rhythmic training may promote the development of articulation and writing, but there are no direct transfer effects between reading and music reading.

The main purpose of this dissertation is to offer a modern transcription and critical edition of François Campion's Sonatina in D Major, found in his Piéces de Guitare du S.r Campion from 1748. Since it is not a common practice for the modern classical guitarist to study the baroque guitar and all its idiosyncrasies, this transcription from French tablature into modern notation will make this piece accessible to all classical guitar players. Using his sonatina as an example, this dissertation covers the process of transcribing baroque guitar French tablature while emphasizing a practical performance approach that suits the classical guitar. This approach includes examining tuning differences, suggested transposed notes, ornamental interpretation, and the overall differences in performance practice between both instruments. Not much is known about Campion's life (c1685-1747), but his importance as a musician in France during the early eighteenth century is evidenced by his publications and his accounts as a theorbo and baroque guitar player for the orchestra of the opera company L'Académie Royale de Musique, for which he was employed from 1703 until 1719. Unfortunately, while this music is fairly known and usually performed by early music specialists, it is ignored by modern guitarists, mainly because of the lack of modern transcriptions. This sonatina serves as an original critical edition adaptation for the classical guitar.