An introduction to John Miller Chernoff's book on Africa Rhythm , Essay

An introduction to John Miller Chernoff's book on Africa Rhythm , discuss the Dundun ' hour glass' or 'tension' drum - Essay Example The book talks about varied aspects of African music are it political, spiritual or social. In the book Chernoff tries to convey a sense of the African music from an exclusively African point of view. In that sense the writer had been extremely successful in conveying to the Western readers the varied unfamiliar concepts of the African music by using the terms that aptly facilitate understanding without giving up or losing anything pertaining to the distinct uniqueness and individuality of the African music. Chernoff delves on this both personal and universal dilemma by saying that â€Å"How can we bring something of a different order into our world of understanding and at the same time recognize and appreciate it on its own terms (3).† The writer not only tries to communicate to its readers what the West African music is, but also tries to elaborately and in and interesting way explain to them as to why it is so. Chernoff successfully relates the varied and multifarious inter actions and trends in the African music to the essential multiplicity and diversity of the social forces pervading the African cultural landscape. The beauty of Chernoff’s approach is that it explains the African music as it is, without trying to correlate or link it to the similar trends existing in the Western music.