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Njengebhadi libhadula is a Xhosa version of Psalm 42. As one might expect, South African settings of biblical texts tend to have more of a western musical feel than traditional folk songs. In Njengebhadi libhadula, however, we encounter a distinctly South African call-and-response structure infused with the strong parallel fourths and fifths that occur frequently in traditional South African music. The song is accompanied by powerful dance movements that add a complex metrical layer to the song. In the A section, these parallel fourths and fifths are punctuated by stomps.

We recommend practicing the dance movements separately from the song when first learning Njengebhadi libhadula.

When we teach this song we usually start by having everyone speak the text of the lower three parts in the rhythm, making sure they are really comfortable with the words before adding the notes. We teach the sopranos last, and never tire of seeing the amazed faces of our singers in that magical moment when they finally hear how all the parts fit together.

lyrics

As the antelope longs for the spring
it longs also
my heart

credits

from Raising the Bar: Traditional South African Choral Music I, released April 15, 2015

license

all rights reserved

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