Malagasy music is highly melodic and distinguishes itself from many traditions of mainland Africa by the predominance of
chordophone relative to percussion instruments. Musical instruments and vocal styles found in Madagascar represent a blend of widespread commonalities and highly localized traditions. A common vocal style among the
Merina and
Betsileo of the Highlands, for instance, does not preclude differences in the prevalence of particular instrument types (the among the Merina, and the and among the Betsileo). Similarly, the practice of (entering a
trance state, typically induced by music) is present on both the western and eastern coasts of the island but the vocal styles or instruments used in the ceremony will vary regionally. Music in Madagascar tends toward
major keys and
diatonic scales, although coastal music makes frequent use of
minor keys, most likely due to early Arab influences at coastal ports of call. Malagasy music has served a wide range of social, spiritual and mundane functions across the centuries.
Vocal traditions Vocal traditions in Madagascar are most often
polyharmonic; southern vocal styles bear strong resemblance to
South African singing (as exemplified by groups such as Salala or Senge), whereas Highland harmonies, strongly influenced in the past two hundred years by European
church music, are more reminiscent of
Hawaiian or other
Polynesian vocal traditions. Numerous amateur choirs performing Malagasy and Western music can be found in the capital region; the ensemble iCanto is a notable example of a professional choir, with concerts broadcast on national television. In the Highlands, and particularly in the 19th century, vocal performance by large groups called was favored, while in the south and western coastal regions singing was performed with more elaborate ornamentation and in small groups. Over 1500 years ago, the earliest settlers from Indonesia brought the oldest and most emblematic instruments, including the tube zither () which evolved into a box form () distinct to the island. Later settlers from the
Arabian peninsula and the eastern coast of Africa contributed early
lutes,
whistles and other instruments that were incorporated into local musical traditions by the mid-16th century. The influence of instruments and musical styles from France and Great Britain began to have a significant impact on music in Madagascar by the 19th century.
Chordophones The most emblematic instrument of Madagascar, the , is a
bamboo tube
zither very similar in form to those used traditionally in
Indonesia and the
Philippines. It is typically tuned to a
diatonic mode to produce complex music based on
harmonic, parallel
thirds accompanied by a melodic bass line. although a contemporary form also exists that instead uses bicycle brake cables for strings to give the instrument a punchier sound. and are the Antandroy names of a popular Southern
chordophone similar to the but with nylon fishing line for strings and five or seven movable frets that facilitate modification of the instrument's tuning. A maximum of four of these are strung over the
frets, while the rest are strung lengthwise down the sides of the
neck and are strummed with the fingers in accompaniment to the primary melody which is played with a
bow. Today, the compositions of this period by pianist theatrical composers like
Andrianary Ratianarivo (1895–1949) and
Naka Rabemananatsoa (1892–1952) form part of the canon of classical Malagasy music and feature in the repertoire of Malagasy students of piano. When the modern acoustic guitar was first popularized in Madagascar, it was adopted by the lower classes who were inspired by the piano style but for whom the purchase of a costly piano was out of reach. Soon afterward, the guitar was widely disseminated throughout the island, producing an explosion of regionally distinctive Malagasy guitar styles inspired by the music played on local traditional instruments. The Malagasy acoustic guitar style has been internationally promoted by such artists as
Erick Manana and pioneering
Bara artist Ernest Randrianasolo (better known by his stage name
D'Gary), who blends the rhythms of with innovative open tunings to approximate the sounds of the , and . The
conch shell ( or ) is a similarly ancient instrument believed to have been brought over by early Indonesian settlers. Mainly played by men, it features a lateral blow hole in the
Polynesian style and is typically reserved for ritual or spiritual uses rather than to create music for entertainment. The
antsiva has also been recorded to have been used as part of
Merina royal regalia. The
fipple flute is a simple
aerophone brought to Madagascar after 1000 CE by immigrants from Africa. A variety of European
aerophones were introduced in the 19th century under the
Merina monarchy. These most notably include
bugles () and clarinets (), and less frequently the trombone or oboe (). Their use today is largely restricted to the Highlands and the or bands that perform at (reburials),
circumcisions and other traditional celebrations. Metal and wood harmonicas are also played. Early forms of
xylophone such as the are found throughout the island and are believed to have come across with the original Indonesian settlers. == Contemporary music ==