I had the honour of interviewing uMthunzi Matyila, Archibald’s son in his home in Middledrift. He shared how his father had bought a car and as he was driving it home as a surprise to his wife, it was raining heavily and as we know the terrible dirt roads in the rural areas make it difficult to manoeuvre your way up. He got home and set on his keyboard and started composing ‘Nomvula’. He’d use them as guinea pigs to try the piece out, putting in parts as he goes along. Fascinating stories.
On the recording of our music, I think we are not well trained in recording and filing our own work as black people. We used note books which would get old and be thrown away. I encountered so many stories like that from the late Prof Nokuzola Mpola. Another thing we work in silos and we don’t support each other. I love this conversation because I’ve done a lot of research on it. Wow!!!
There’s a song that I’ve long been looking for which my late sister (RIP) brought from Ohlange when she was a student there. I know the tune and the tonic sol-fa notes but not the lyrics. I don’t even recall who she said the composer was but she was so fascinated by that man. Like I said, we did not keep those records properly.
Njeza Sbu produced or composed "Umthetho" a very nice song worse rendered by Eastern Cape Police Choir under the hand of Kholekile Nonkewuse...4/4/2024
With the new dispensation we were so quick to throw away everything about the past regime to our detriment in fact. The absence of music in schools today is very disturbing. I agree fully with Mhlekazi Sibisi. Choral music is my passion. I even attempted a Masters degree on this topic. I was stopped by Covid now the drive to move on is still on hold. 😂😂😂
