FanyMpfumo in lyrics and sheet music

The icon of Mozambican popular music, FanyMpfumo, has his songs transcribed into sheet music in a groundbreaking initiative that marks a new chapter in culture. For the first time, there is a songbook containing both sheet music and lyrics dedicated to the extensive work of one of the greatest pioneers of Mozambican popular music: FanyMpfumo, the King of Marrabenta.

The work was produced by the TP50 group in partnership with Musicarquivo, a department of the School of Communication and Arts at Eduardo Mondlane University, and is part of the \"Tempo dos Tocadores\" Collection. As readers go through the Songbook, they will observe how the lyrics and melodies of FanyMpfumo were beautiful and simple.

We spoke with Joyce de Cármen Ricardo and Raquel Albino Machachula, who are responsible for transcribing the lyrics and sheet music for the FanyMpfumo Songbook. They shared with us the process behind this Songbook and discussed its future.

When did the idea for this publication come about?

The work was produced by the TP50 group in partnership with Musicarquivo, a department of the School of Communication and Arts at Eduardo Mondlane University, and is integrated into the \"Tempo dos Tocadores\" Collection. With this collection, the aim is not only to record the lyrics and sheet music of national authors but also to provide an opportunity for students, professional musicians, and amateurs to have a tool that allows and encourages this group to play Mozambican music. Furthermore, the Songbook is a bilingual book (Portuguese and English), enabling a variety of audiences, especially abroad, to interpret the works of FanyMpfumo.

This work presents, in the first part, the history of the life and work of FanyMpfumo. Then, in the second part, considered the \"icing on the cake,\" it includes the Musical Transcriptions containing the lyrics and sheet music transcribed by Joyce de Cármen Ricardo and Raquel Albino Machachula, now licensed music teachers. The transcriptions were supervised by Master TimóteoCuche, who was responsible for overseeing the project at that time as part of the Musicarquivo Project.

As readers go through the Songbook, they will observe how the lyrics and melodies of FanyMpfumo were as beautiful as they were simple. FanyMpfumo, the most renowned, beloved, legendary, and revered singer in Mozambique and ever-present in our musical arena.

Why a Songbook? What musical needs do you want to fulfill by publishing the Songbook?

The Songbook aims to provide a record of Mozambican music in a Musical Notation System (sheet music/staff). Our goal arose from the observation of a scarcity of national songs transcribed into sheet music, placing our music in a position of lesser appreciation compared to diaspora music. A significant portion of African culture already has songs registered in musical notation. This record also serves for the documentation and preservation of Mozambican music, ensuring it doesn\'t lose its identity over time, and future generations have access to the music faithfully archived.

Tell us about the process from conception to publication of the Songbook?

It all began with a repository of Mozambican music where the public could access sheet music through a platform. After months of work, years later, the idea of going beyond the digital platform to a printed book emerged. For this purpose, the partnership with the TP50 group, Khuzula, and Musicarquivo, a department of the School of Communication and Arts at Eduardo Mondlane University, was crucial.

This Songbook certainly has an influence on music education. What role can the Songbook play in music education and culture in the country and the world?

Certainly, it has a significant influence in academic, cultural, and social circles since it represents records of our songs, Mozambican music. Besides capturing attention and motivating the writing and musical reading for those who understand this language, it arouses curiosity and challenges the general public to learn to read and play, thereby comprehending this incredible musical language.

Do you think your musical education would have been different if this Songbook had appeared during your years as music students?

Undoubtedly, it would have greatly benefited us at the time as students, and it continues to be valuable for students today. This work is not the end, nor is it the middle, but rather an introduction to what still needs to be done in the field of music – the world of Musical Transcription.

Tell us, what\'s next? Volume 2?

The aim is for us to have a large team working in this area of music, so that the struggle is continuous and the work is of high quality and accessible. Music transcription is not an easy thing to do, bearing in mind the saying \"he who tells a tale always adds a point\". And the process of transcribing music is no exception when it comes to listening to the music, taking into account the following aspects: rhythm, melody (musical notes), tempo, beats per second, tonality, etc.

But if this work is done by a large team, it could be more accessible, easier to hear each person\'s idea, so that we can get as close as possible to the original (transcribed music). And yes, the idea is to have volume two, three, and other musicians who were and are icons in our musical culture, coming from other cultural projects for the good of Mozambican culture.