Author: Kayode Morohunfola, PhD
Journal of Music Composition
Vol. 2 No. 4, pp. 80-92, Oct. 2026
Received: 12 August 2026 |
Accepted: 15 Sept. 2026 |
Published: 24 Oct. 2026
Abstract
Kabiyesi Hossana is a Yoruba nationalistic art composition for solo piano, derived from a 1972 liturgical chorus by the hymnologist Dapo Taiwo. The work exemplifies the hybridised aesthetics characteristic of Nigerian art music, where African identity is foregrounded through the creative transformation of pre-existing indigenous musical materials. The composition employs metric variation, modal change, modulation, thematic and rhythmic variation, register shifts, and improvisatory digressions to achieve its expressive aims. This article analyses the structural logic of the work and situates it within the broader discourse of African compositional musicology. It recommends further scholarly engagement with African art music practices and the publication of such works.
Keywords: African Identity, Kabiyesi Hossana, Nigerian Art Music, Solo Piano Composition
Copyright © 2026. The author retains the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.
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Author
Kayode Morohunfola, PhD