fontomfrom suite from time changes by royal hartigan

10 fɔntɔmfrɔm suite 7:41 © 2014 royal hartigan; rhythmic structure based on the fɔntɔmfrɔm court music of the asante people of ghana, west africa, © the asante people

this suite for drum set includes rhythms inspired by the fɔntɔmfrɔm styles known as atopiretia, naawia, and akantam. the dawuro bell timelines are taken by cymbal, high hat plays a contrasting layer of time, and the conversation between the huge deep-toned bomaa drums and the atumpan drums are outlined on bass drum and toms, respectively. following the first three sections, akantam is repeated with the drum patterns reflecting the proverb asuo twa ɔkwan, ’(the) river along (crosses the) path’; ɔkwan twa asuo ‘(the) path along (crosses the) river,’ ɔpanini nehwan, ‘which is (the) elder?’; yɛ bo kwan no koto asuo no, ‘they made (the) path to the river’; asuo no firi tete, ‘(the) river exists since long ago’; asuo no firi tete (a) doman (koma), ‘(the) river exists since the creator (made it).’