FANY MPFUMO’S NYOXANINI: a meditation on a Mozambican musical style

Abstract

This paper reflects historically and musicologically on the Nyoxanini Album by Fany Mpfumo. Historically, it discusses the main musical style of the album, the composer's social, and artistic environments, and the subjects of his songs. Musicologically, it describes his assembly, the basic principles of his orchestration, and musical structuring. The methodological procedure consisted of documental research aided by bibliographical research, and my artistic performance experiences, as well as the aural technique. Theoretical assumptions included subjects of social, and human sciences with a focus on Musicology, Social Communication, Language, History, Performance, and related areas. The results show that Fany Mpfumo: (i) dedicated his life to produce and create foundations that have been defining the Mozambican musical dynamics through Nyoxanini; (ii) deals with educational, critical, patriotic, and moralistic themes, which were stylized mainly in Marrabenta; (iii) had unique orchestration, and parameterization skills that qualify his contrapuntal aesthetics using few instruments, and chords heard in Nyoxanini. It is concluded that the raw material, techniques of production, instrumentation, and musical orchestration of Fany were influenced by the musical instruments available in his time, as well as the social, and cultural environments of the composer's time.