Musicians - Fela Sowande

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	Musicians - Fela Sowande

Fela Sowande (1905 - 1987) was a Nigerian musician and composer.

Sowande was born in the Nigerian state of Oyo. His father, Emanuel Sowande, was an Anglican priest, musician and music professor. His family was part of the Egba ethnic group. Fela moved with his father to Lagos as a child, and began studying music there. His main instrument was the organ and he gave many popular recitals on that instrument throughout his life. He lived much of his adult life in the United Kingdom and the United States serving as a music director and teacher. He died in Ravenna, Ohio in the United States and is buried in nearby Randolph.

Felá Sówándé is considered as the father of modern Nigerian Art Music and is perhaps the most internationally known African composer of works in the European 'classical' idiom. He was born in Lagos and son of a priest and pioneer of Nigerian church music. The influence of his father and Dr T.K. Ekundayo Phillips (composer, organist and choirmaster) was an important factor in his early years. At that time, he was a chorister and was introduced to new Yorùbá works being introduced into the churches. During that period, he studied organ under Phillips; this included works by Bach and European classical masters. At that time, he was also a bandleader, playing jazz and popular - 'highlife’ music. All of these had considerable influence on his work.

In 1934 he went to London to study European classical and popular music. In 1936, he was solo pianist in a performance of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. He also played as duo-pianist with Fats Waller, and was theatre organist for the BBC as organist and Choirmaster at Kingsway Hall (unfortunately recently demolished) London and as pianist in the 1936 production of Blackbirds. He also played organ in some recordings by Dame Vera Lyn. Later, he studied organ under George Oldroyd and George Cunningham and became a fellow of the Royal College of Organists (with credit) in 1943.

He also won several prizes and obtained his degree at the University of London and became a fellow of Trinity College of Music. He also worked as musical advisor for the Colonial film Unit of the Ministry of Information during the Second World War, providing background music for educational films.

From 1945, he was a renowned organist and choirmaster at the West London Mission of the Methodist Church until 1952, and a considerable amount of organ music dates from this period. These are based on Nigerian melodies that gave a special appeal to the Black members of his congregation in the early years of migration from Africa and the Caribbean.

Western and African ideas prevail in his music which included organ works such as Yorùbá Lament, Obangiji, Kyrie, Gloria, Jesu Olugbala, Oba Aba Ke Pe. Most of these, including the work in this program show quite a strong influence of Anglican Church music combined with Yoruba pentatonic melodies.

His orchestral works include Six Sketches for Full Orchestra, A Folk Symphony, and African Suite for Strings and show African rhythmic and harmonic characteristics. He has also written a significant number of secular and sacred choral music, mainly a cappella. Some of these were composed during his period with the BBC Africa Service. He went back to Africa to scholarly work with the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation and later Ibadan University. From there, he moved to Howard University, Washington then the University of Pittsburgh. There is currently a move to set up a centre to research and promote Felá Sówándé works, many remain unpublished or out of print.

Felá Sówándé’s works known to exist (those underlined are available on commercial recordings):

ORGAN

Kyrie, 1955 Chappell, London
Oyigiyigi, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Gloria, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Ka Mura, 1945, Chappell, London
Prayer, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Obangiji, 1955, Chappell, London
Joshua Fit de Battle of Jericho, 1955, Chappell, London
Yorùbá Lament, 1955, Chappell, London
Jesu Olugbala, 1955, Chappell, London
KÕa Mo Rokoso
Oba Aba Ke Pe
Responses in ‘A’ 1959

CHORAL

The Wedding Day for S.S.A. with piano, 1957, RDH
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child for S.A.T.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London
My WayÕs Cloudy for S.A.T.B. with piano, 1955, Chappell, London
De Ol’ ArkÕs a-Moverin for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella with tenor solo, 1955, Chappell, London
Same Train for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London Steal Away for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1955, Chappell, London
Roll de Ol' Chariot for S.A.T.B.B. with piano and rhythm combo, 1955, Chappell, London
All I do for S.A.T.B.B. with piano and rhythm combo, 1961, Ricordi, New York
Goin’ to Set Down for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano solo, 1961, Ricordi, New York
Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano solo, 1958, Ricordi, New York
De Angels Are Watchin’ for S.A.T.B. a cappella with soprano and tenor solo, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Nobody Knows de Trouble I See for S.A.TB. acappella, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Wheel, Oh Wheel for S.A.T.B. a cappella, 1961, Ricordi, New York
Wid a Sword in Ma Hand for S.A.T.B.B. a cappella, 1958, Ricordi, New York
Sit Down Servant for T.T.B.B. a cappella and tenor solo, 1961, Ricordi, New York
Out of Zion for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1955
St. Jude’s Response for S.A.T.B. with organ
Oh Render Thanks (hymn-anthem) for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1960
Nigerian National Anthem (an arrangement) for S.A.T.B. with organ, 1960

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