Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs

Figure C: Phrase cloud of judgements about songs, from memory and in real time.¹Survey 1987.

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. What do people in Chibale care for most in music and dance?

In this article, we discuss the judgements about songs and song types in the 1980s and the 2000s. That is, the reasons for the preferences for songs presented in the article on musical preferences. First, we need to go through some necessary introductory information. Then, we will treat the judgements made in the 1980s and in the 2000s. Finally, we will compare the two.

Collecting the judgements about songs

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. The data on musical judgements about songs have been collected in three surveys held in 1985/86, 1987 and 2004.

In Survey 1985/86, the respondents were asked for their favourite song to sing and their favourite song to listen to, and the reason why each of them was the favourite. All reasons were to explain a very high ‘score’: the all-time favourite song (at that moment). They represent musical judgements given from memory. In Survey 1987, nine songs were played. After each song, the respondent was asked for a value score for that song and the reason for that score. These reasons, therefore, explain high, middle, and low scores. They represent musical judgements given in real time. In the 2004 survey, both forms were used. This section presents and compares the two sets of judgements used in evaluation from memory and in real time.

The method of musical evaluation used in the survey in 1985/86 was not too far removed from one of the forms of musical evaluation used in Chibale: discussion after a performance or music gathering. Of course, discussing or eliciting criticism by means of some sort of formal interview (as was done in the surveys) was not practised. The method used in the 1987 survey was rather close to forms of evaluation in real time used in Chibale.

Dividing the reasons to prefer a song into judgement groups

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. We will group the many reasons to prefer a song -and later a dance and a performer- according to a number of criteria used in Chibale that are treated at various places on this site.

1. In Chibale, some things are considered worth evaluating. That is some things can be done right or wrong, good or bad. And other things can be done better than others. Therefore, we expect that people will give reasons to prefer a song (type) that stress its ‘goodness’ or its appropriateness (Properness group). And reasons that emphasise that or why the song is better than other songs (Excellence group). 
2. Both the local and possession cults and the christian cults consider the effectiveness of music central. Therefore, we expect to find reasons referring to the effect of the song (Effect group). 
3. Feelings experienced while hearing music are considered important; see the article on sorrow and joy. So, we expect that there will be reasons that refer to the feelings of joy or sorrow the song evokes (Feeling group).
4. A distinction is made between structural features and changeable (performative) features, see The representation of individual features of music. So, we expect that there will be reasons that refer to structural features and to changeable (performative) features of the preferred song or song type (Structural features group and Changeable features group). 

Six groups of judgements about songs, dances and performers

We will place the reasons to prefer a song (type) in these six groups. Properness, Excellence, Effect, Feelings, Structural features, and Changeable features. A few reasons will be placed in two groups. In the concluding article of this series on music evaluation, the usefulness of and the relations between the six judgement groups (groups of reasons to prefer a song) will be assessed.

In List 10a and List 10b²To keep the article clear, the lists are provided on linked pages. It may be a good idea to open the linked page in another tab for easy reference., we see that there are many reasons for preferring a certain song or song type.

In the 1980s, reasons related to the song’s Effect and Properness were the most common.
Properness: 25% – Excellence: 6% – Effect: 31% – Feeling: 20% – Structural features: 11% – Changeable features: 7%.

Groups of judgements about songs from memory

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. Correspondence analysis of preferred song (types) and judgement groups³The judgement groups spread rather well over the plot which suggests that the categories discriminate rather well. in the 1980s contrasts:
a. songs sung at gatherings where performance evaluation is important with songs at other gatherings; and
b. endogenous Chibale songs with exogenous songs.

This means that judgements about a. differ from those about songs at other gatherings. They are more based on changeable features, feeling, and excellence, the others more on properness and effect. Secondly, it means that exogenous songs are judged with different criteria than endogenous songs. They are judged more on properness and changeable features, respectively. A possible interpretation of this is that properness is much more a condition for songs to have effect or be hot. Its place near the exogenous types could indicate that properness is the first criterion being used for exogenous songs. ‘Improper’ features then would be Chibalised. Changeable features are mostly used for endogenous and Chibalised songs and then especially at gatherings where evaluation is important.

We want to arrive at a better understanding of the relations of the six judgement groups. Therefore, we will examine what their relations are in the case of the other preferences: songs evaluated in real time (instead of from memory), dances, dancers, singers, bringers of (new) songs, and drummers.
We will start with the first in this article and treat the others in two articles on judgements about dances and on judgements about performers. Conclusions will be drawn in the concluding article.

Evaluating songs from memory: comparing the 1980s with the 2000s

Table K: Groups of judgements when evaluating songs from memory in 1985/86 and 2004.

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. The main changes are the following. In the 2000s, the percentage of judgements (reasons to prefer a song from memory) referring to the effect of the song has increased. There are also fewer judgements referring to structural features and, to a lesser extent, to properness.
As more christian songs and more cisungu and connected women’s songs are favoured, the increase of Effect is not surprising as both types aim to provide direction to, and possibly change, the lives of those involved.
In the 2000s, there were fewer large-scale gatherings with music in which evaluation played a role. Therefore, people were less trained to recognise Structural features and they had less idea of how certain song types should sound (Properness).
This change in attitude also explains why the differences between the judgement groups of songs preferred from memory and in real time have nearly disappeared in the 2000s, see below.

Groups of judgements about songs in real time

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. In Survey 1987 and Survey 2004, people were asked for their value score for the song they had just heard, and why they scored that way. This is why negative and neutral judgements were also given; see List 11a and List 11b.

Table G: Groups of judgements when evaluating songs, from memory or in real time. Surveys 1985/86 and 1987.

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. In the 1980s, the judgements about songs given from memory and those given in real time differed. In real-time evaluation, Changeable features were much more important while Effect and the Structural features were less so.

This may indicate that, in the 1980s, real-time judgements did not simply transform into judgements from memory over time within a person. For the evaluation of songs, the transformation may occur as follows.

• Judgements referring to Properness, Feeling and Excellence were stable.
• Judgements referring to the Effect of the song were partly stable. They partly emerged from judgements referring to Changeable features of the song’s performance.
• Judgements referring to Structural features of the song largely emerged from judgements referring to Changeable features of the song’s performance.
• Judgements referring to Changeable features of the song’s performance were largely transient and prone to change into Effect and Structural features judgements.

Evaluating songs in real time: comparing the 1980s with the 2000s

Table L: Groups of judgements when preferring songs in real time in 1987 and 2004.

Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about songs. The main changes are that in the 2000s, the percentage of judgements referring to the effect of the song has increased enormously, and there are far fewer judgements referring to changeable features and, to a lesser extent, properness.
The reason for the increase in Effect judgements is discussed above. The drop in judgements referring to Properness and Changeable features seems to be related to a different conception of what a song is. It has a predefined effect and evokes feelings. There is less interest in how this is achieved (Structural, Changeable) or what the standards of the different song types are (Properness).

Read further: Evaluation of music in Zambia: judgements about dances.