Namibian art song literature: An exploration
| dc.contributor.advisor | Matiure, P | |
| dc.contributor.author | Unaeb, Engelhardt | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-08-11T13:39:52Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-08-11T13:39:52Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021 | |
| dc.description | A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Performing Arts | |
| dc.description.abstract | Art songs are a genre of music whose style of singing originated from Europe where it was fine tuned by Schubert, an Austrian composer of the Romantic era. These songs are used for concert performances and more importantly, for voice training at music institutions. Art songs involve the elaborate setting of poem text to music, traditionally for the piano and voice. In Namibia, many students prepare for voice exams that are assessed by international institutions such as the Trinity College of London whereby they choose songs from a Western repertory and very few, if not none, are from Namibian/African origin. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the availability and creation ofNamibian art song literature for voice students. The research was aimed at determining whether Namibia has a canon of art songs in general as well as find out the need for Namibian art songs and the creation of it using Namibia proverbs and folksongs as a guide. A qualitative survey together with action research methods were used to collect data, open-ended questionnaires were sent by email to participants as there were travel restrictions due to Covid-19, and artistic research paradigm, art-based research and action based research was also followed as the researcher composed songs as part of initiating song literature for singing in Namibia. The study was conducted against the theoretical framework of cross culturalism, discourse theory, and interpretivism. African pianism, Afro-centricity, Namibian vocal styles and New classicism as Western and African elements of music were combined in composing art songs with Namibian idioms. The participants targeted were voice teachers and voice students in Swakopmund and Windhoek. The data collected from the questionnaires were colour coded and analysed to derive findings. The research showed that the participants have a hunger for Namibian art songs and the creation of such songs will instil National pride, identity and confidence in the songs they study and prepare for exams. Furthermore, the creation of Namibian art songs will preserve Namibian cultures, languages and encourage an appreciation of Namibian musical idioms and aesthetics. Thus, the need to decolonise western art song repertory required to gain an internationally recognised qualification in singing. In response to the lack of art songs from Namibia, the researcher composed and arranged thirty art songs as to head-start an anthology. It is recommended that a Namibian art song anthology be started through seminars with poets and composers from different ethnic backgrounds in order to be inclusive of the Namibian diverse culture | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11070/4057 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | University of Namibia | |
| dc.subject | Art songs | |
| dc.subject | Singing originated from Europe | |
| dc.subject | Schubert | |
| dc.subject | Romantic era | |
| dc.subject | Concert performances | |
| dc.subject | Genre | |
| dc.subject | University of Namibia | |
| dc.subject | Namibia | |
| dc.title | Namibian art song literature: An exploration | |
| dc.type | Thesis |