Atenteben
Encyclopedia
The atenteben is a bamboo
flute from Ghana
. It is played vertically, like the European recorder
, and, like the recorder, can be played diatonically as well as chromatically. Although originally used as a traditional instrument (most often in funeral processions), beginning in the 20th century it has also been used in contemporary and classical music. Several players have attained high levels of virtuosity and are able to play Western as well as African music on the instrument.
The instrument originated with the Akan
ethnic group of south-central Ghana, particularly in the region of the Kwahu Plateau
. It was first popularized throughout the nation by the Ghanaian musicologist Dr. Ephraim Amu
(1899–1995). It was also featured in the Pan African Orchestra, led by Nana Danso Abiam, and Dela Botri, a former member of the Orchestra, is among Ghana's foremost exponents of the instrument. Since 2004, Botri has combined the atenteben with hip life music on his recordings.
The instrument is used in many schools and universities across Ghana, both as a solo and ensemble instrument. An instruction manual for the atenteben has been written by Dr. Kwasi Aduonum (b. 1939), a Ghanaian educator, scholar, and composer from the Kwahu Plateau region.
The Nigerian composer Akin Euba
(b. 1935) featured a children's atenteben ensemble in his opera Chaka: An Opera in Two Chants (1970).
The atenteben flute is one of the most versatile musical instruments found in Ghana.The modern atenteben flute, built in B flat and C, was developed by the Musicologist, Composer and Flautist, Dr. Ephraim Amu (b. 1899-1995), whose pioneering work established a notated musical tradition for the instrument and included the instrument into the curriculum of major educational institutions in Ghana, notably, the Achimota Secondary School and University of Ghana.
The B flat atenteben is a transposing instrument, i.e., its music is written a tone higher than the actual sounds, but written music for the C atenteben (also referred to as atenteben-ba) directly agrees with the sounds on piano.
It is an end-blown instrument with six top holes and one bottom hole. Its embouchure at the mouth of the pipe consists of a piece of wood (fipple) made to fit tightly into the pipe with a narrow slit through which sound is produced by blowing.
The instrument originates from Tweneduruase in the Kwawu Plateau of south-central Ghana. Kwawus are part of the Akan tribes of Ghana, sharing a boundary with the Akyem in the south and east and with the Asante in the north and west.
Atenteben comprises two Akan names, i.e., 'atente' and 'ben'. Atente is a plural word derived from 'otente', the name of an Akan traditional hand drum with two heads covering both ends. Thus, we say 'one otente drum' but 'two atente drums', and; 'ben' means flute or an instrument of the aerophones family. The atente drums were the principal instruments that accompanied this flute, hence the name atenteben (or the flute accompanied by the atente drums).
The early 20TH Century atenteben flute (now obsolete) is five-holed and horizentally-blown with four top holes and one bottom hole. Traditionally, its music was pentatonic or hexatonic and associated with funerals more than with recreational activities. The instrument was popular through the first half of the 20TH Century but declined in the late 1950s in favour of the modern atenteben.
Repertoire for the modern atenteben was usually written in C Diatonic or C Mixolydian. This limitation was due to the absence of a playing technique that could produce the accidental sounds of the flute. Amu wrote extensively for the atenteben choir comprising as large as sixteen to thirty-two players, sometimes in combination with a choir and non-melodic percussion instruments. Professor Emeritus J. H. K. Nketia (b. 1921), Dr. K. Aduonum (b. 1939), Professor A. Euba (b. 1935)etc., also wrote for the atenteben and other African and/or Western instruments.
In 1979, the Neotraditional Art Music Composer and founder of the Pan African Orchestra of Ghana, Nana Danso Abiam (b. 1953) introduced chromaticism and atonality in atenteben music with a new fingering mechanism that he had developed at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. This playing mechanism employed for the first time, cross-fingerings and halving-fingerings among other over-blowing techniques that produced the entire range of chromatic and harmonic sounds of the flute.
Today, atenteben music attracts a large following. Composers of diverse backgrounds have come to recognize the ease with which the instrument can be adapted to different genres of music.
Its tuning, though, is yet to be perfected. Because different sizes of bamboo offshoot are utilized in its construction, microtonal disparities sometimes do occur in the main octaves making ensemble playing difficult. It also requires a fine tuning devise to enable it to accommodate other instruments whose overall tuning may be slightly sharp or flat.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
flute from Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. It is played vertically, like the European recorder
Recorder
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple...
, and, like the recorder, can be played diatonically as well as chromatically. Although originally used as a traditional instrument (most often in funeral processions), beginning in the 20th century it has also been used in contemporary and classical music. Several players have attained high levels of virtuosity and are able to play Western as well as African music on the instrument.
The instrument originated with the Akan
Akan people
The Akan people are an ethnic group found predominately in Ghana and The Ivory Coast. Akans are the majority in both of these countries and overall have a population of over 20 million people.The Akan speak Kwa languages-Origin and ethnogenesis:...
ethnic group of south-central Ghana, particularly in the region of the Kwahu Plateau
Kwahu Plateau
The Kwahu Plateau is a long plateau in Ghana. It forms the country's watershed, separating the two main river networks in the country....
. It was first popularized throughout the nation by the Ghanaian musicologist Dr. Ephraim Amu
Ephraim Amu
Ephraim Kɔku Amu was a Ghanaian composer, musicologist and teacher.-Early life and education:A male child was born on Wednesday 13 September 1899 at Peki-Avetile also called Abenase in the Peki traditional area of the Volta Region . As a Ghanaian born on a Wednesday, he was called...
(1899–1995). It was also featured in the Pan African Orchestra, led by Nana Danso Abiam, and Dela Botri, a former member of the Orchestra, is among Ghana's foremost exponents of the instrument. Since 2004, Botri has combined the atenteben with hip life music on his recordings.
The instrument is used in many schools and universities across Ghana, both as a solo and ensemble instrument. An instruction manual for the atenteben has been written by Dr. Kwasi Aduonum (b. 1939), a Ghanaian educator, scholar, and composer from the Kwahu Plateau region.
The Nigerian composer Akin Euba
Akin Euba
Akin Euba is a Nigerian composer, musicologist, and pianist.Euba studied composition with Arnold Cooke at the Trinity College of Music, London, obtaining the diplomas of Fellow of the Trinity College London and Fellow of the Trinity College London . He received B.A. and M.A...
(b. 1935) featured a children's atenteben ensemble in his opera Chaka: An Opera in Two Chants (1970).
The atenteben flute is one of the most versatile musical instruments found in Ghana.The modern atenteben flute, built in B flat and C, was developed by the Musicologist, Composer and Flautist, Dr. Ephraim Amu (b. 1899-1995), whose pioneering work established a notated musical tradition for the instrument and included the instrument into the curriculum of major educational institutions in Ghana, notably, the Achimota Secondary School and University of Ghana.
The B flat atenteben is a transposing instrument, i.e., its music is written a tone higher than the actual sounds, but written music for the C atenteben (also referred to as atenteben-ba) directly agrees with the sounds on piano.
It is an end-blown instrument with six top holes and one bottom hole. Its embouchure at the mouth of the pipe consists of a piece of wood (fipple) made to fit tightly into the pipe with a narrow slit through which sound is produced by blowing.
The instrument originates from Tweneduruase in the Kwawu Plateau of south-central Ghana. Kwawus are part of the Akan tribes of Ghana, sharing a boundary with the Akyem in the south and east and with the Asante in the north and west.
Atenteben comprises two Akan names, i.e., 'atente' and 'ben'. Atente is a plural word derived from 'otente', the name of an Akan traditional hand drum with two heads covering both ends. Thus, we say 'one otente drum' but 'two atente drums', and; 'ben' means flute or an instrument of the aerophones family. The atente drums were the principal instruments that accompanied this flute, hence the name atenteben (or the flute accompanied by the atente drums).
The early 20TH Century atenteben flute (now obsolete) is five-holed and horizentally-blown with four top holes and one bottom hole. Traditionally, its music was pentatonic or hexatonic and associated with funerals more than with recreational activities. The instrument was popular through the first half of the 20TH Century but declined in the late 1950s in favour of the modern atenteben.
Repertoire for the modern atenteben was usually written in C Diatonic or C Mixolydian. This limitation was due to the absence of a playing technique that could produce the accidental sounds of the flute. Amu wrote extensively for the atenteben choir comprising as large as sixteen to thirty-two players, sometimes in combination with a choir and non-melodic percussion instruments. Professor Emeritus J. H. K. Nketia (b. 1921), Dr. K. Aduonum (b. 1939), Professor A. Euba (b. 1935)etc., also wrote for the atenteben and other African and/or Western instruments.
In 1979, the Neotraditional Art Music Composer and founder of the Pan African Orchestra of Ghana, Nana Danso Abiam (b. 1953) introduced chromaticism and atonality in atenteben music with a new fingering mechanism that he had developed at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. This playing mechanism employed for the first time, cross-fingerings and halving-fingerings among other over-blowing techniques that produced the entire range of chromatic and harmonic sounds of the flute.
Today, atenteben music attracts a large following. Composers of diverse backgrounds have come to recognize the ease with which the instrument can be adapted to different genres of music.
Its tuning, though, is yet to be perfected. Because different sizes of bamboo offshoot are utilized in its construction, microtonal disparities sometimes do occur in the main octaves making ensemble playing difficult. It also requires a fine tuning devise to enable it to accommodate other instruments whose overall tuning may be slightly sharp or flat.