'Ethiopian' melodies ?

[Strumelia]

Pondering the cover from the 1850 violin tutor, where it offers "Ethiopian Melodies" amongst its contents.

I'm curious, since I see "Ethiopian" with some regularity in minstrel tune titles and minstrel show descriptions-

Was the term Ethiopian used by whites to generally encompass anything with real or perceived African origins?  Was it simply used interchangeably with or instead of the term African, and perhaps favored because Ethiopian sounded a bit more 'exotic' as a marketing description?

 

Some of these 'Ethiopian melodies' I've heard so far on minstrel style videos and cds don't seem to have much obvious African music connection.  Are there some minstrel tunes that really do show more noticeable African musical characteristics?   I mean beyond the common banjo stroke foundation that almost goes without saying.

Clark Buehling's "African Medley" on his CD was learned directly from an African musician and is naturally a supreme example.  I hear it in Juba as well.

I suspect maybe my ear has not been developed enough to readily 'hear' the African influences in some of these pieces.  So many sound Irish to me.  I'd love to hear what particular minstrel pieces some of you more experienced players consider to show stronger African musical characteristics.

Thanks for any insight...

[Mike Moss]

From what I know, Ethiopia features prominently in the Bible and was, archaically, sometimes used as a synonym for all of Africa (rather than the modern country of Ethiopia, which was formerly known as Abyssinia) in the 18th and the 19th centuries. The ancient Greeks also used Aethiopia (Αἰθιοπία) as a term to describe the entire African continent. The use of the archaic "Ethiopia", the ancient kingdom mentionned in the Bible, probably felt more romantic than "Africa" to 19th century readers.

[Strumelia]

Thanks Mike.  I did a bit of reading on it and I guess I was kind of naive- indeed it seems Ethiopian was a term commonly used to describe anything African (or imply a relationship to Africa) back then.

I'd still like to know if members have any favorite minstrel pieces, 'Ethiopian' or not,  which actually DO have characteristics that sound related to African music, as opposed to the many Irish or Scottish flavored minstrel pieces.

[Tim Twiss]

I just wonder how African the African-Americans actually sounded by this time. Certainly the cultural separation, mode of just surviving and working, blending with white music, a change of native instruments, and other factors caused even that manifestation of music to be quite unique. I'm sure the earliest white players were copying something that was far from pure.

 

[Strumelia]

Yes, it's safe to assume that any mid-1800's African Americans who were one generation or more removed from Africa were no longer playing 'pure' African music, but it's compelling to note African music characteristics (aside from obviously the banjo stroke itself) occurring in certain minstrel tunes and songs more than in others. 

Paul, I will listen to Newton's Jig.  I think Converse's 'Early Black Banjo Piece' can be contemplated as well- it reminds me of African akonting playing (is it in fact the same tune as Clarke Buehling's "Morceau"?).  Pompey Ran Away is another tune that sounds very African to me, particularly the rhythm. 

I'll mention other tunes here if I stumble across them, but since I'm not a trained music scholar, I rely only on my uneducated ear's impression more than anything else.  I welcome others' input!

[Tim Twiss]

I'm not sure what you are hearing in Newton's that would lead you that way.....is it the syncopation?

[Tim Twiss]

It was called "Billy Day" in an earlier fiddle incarnation.

[Strumelia]

What was, Newton's Jig?

Tim Twiss said:

It was called "Billy Day" in an earlier fiddle incarnation.

[Tim Twiss]

What do you mean?

 

[Strumelia]

You said "It was called "Billy Day" in an earlier fiddle incarnation."... I'm asking what was called Billy Day in an earlier fiddle incarnation?....not sure what tune you are referring to.   :)

[Tim Twiss]

Newton's Jig

[Tim Twiss]

Ha ha ....crazy circle there. Internet talkig is funny sometimes.Sorry.

[Tim Twiss]

I did not see your comma