West African Polyrhythm: culture, theory, and representation1

In this paper I explicate polyrhythm in the context of traditional West African music, framing it within a more general theory and polymeter, then compare three approaches for visual representation both. contrast to their analytical separation Western practice, music features integral connections among all expressive arts (music, poetry, dance, drama), unity rhythm melody (what Nzewi calls “melo-rhythm”). Focusing on Ewe people south-eastern Ghana, introduce multi-art performance type called Agbekor, highlighting its poly-melo-rhythms, representing them notational systems: well-known but culturally biased notation; neutral tabular notation, widely used ethnomusicology limited structure; context-free recursive grammar my own devising, which concisely summarizes structure, at possible cost readability. Examples are presented, strengths drawbacks each system assessed. While undoubtedly useful, representations cannot replace audio-visual recordings, much less experience participation live performance.