“Siyahamba”  “How Great Thou Art” “God and God Alone”

Siyahamba

“Siyahamba” is perhaps best known by its English translation “Marching in the Light of God” to most Caribbean steelband leaders, arrangers, and steelpan players. The tune, though not a traditional hymn in the Christian church, is widely adopted interdenominationally across the globe and it’s ubiquitous familiarity in the Caribbean and North America is longstanding. The tune is easily adapted for the steelpan and, as I noted above, offers a low barrier opportunity for American churches to integrate non-western (in this case African) music into worship service. “Siyahamba” is commonly associated with children or youth in the North American church and, in this regard, the Caribbean is not different. Regardless, the commonality of the tune transcends youth ministries and its popularity among adults and senior church members is equally robust. “Siyahamba” provides the church musician with an opportunity to connect all generations of church membership (youth, adult, senior) in an intergenerational activity.

Attached to this report is an arrangement of “Siyahamba” that I completed following several learning sessions with Deacon Bernard Duplessis, of Holy Family Catholic church. Duplessis has led this particular church steelband for more than twenty years and is himself a veteran of legacy Antiguan steelbands for more than forty years. I presented the tune to Duplessis in two ways: I sung it to him sans sheet music and, additionally, I presented him the sheet music extract from a mid-1990s Methodist hymn book.

The sheet music I presented Duplessis was in the key of G major, but he quickly noted that for the steelpan some keys are good keys for hymn tunes because of the range they encompass in the steelpan family. “Because so much of the hymns are in G, F, D, C, and A the low range of the C lead [steelpan] is best to serve the low tones of the melodies.”  Thus, he suggested that for his steelband or one in North America the key be changed to F major, as this would best fit the steelband range as well as the voice range of the singers singing the hymn. You will note that the attached arrangement of “Siyahamba” is in the key of F major but arrangers should feel free to change the key based on instruments available and singer ability.

Breaking the tune down, then, in a similar fashion as described above in the section on rote teaching and learning, the harmony of the tune is spread out between the alto and tenor voices of the steelband—these are called the double second and cello steelpans respectively. The harmonic rhythm of “Siyahamba” is essentially strait forward with structural progression between I, V, I, V, I, I7, VI, I, V, I, I7 and the arranger should resist (at least initially) the temptation to alter these chords with whatever advances chord substitutions they see fit as unlike the choral preludes of Bach and Buxtehude the harmonic content of some African-based hymn tunes “Siyahamba” for example, retains simple harmonic voices—especially in Caribbean churches.

Rhythmically, the strumming patterns of the double second and cello steelpans are taken from the above noted chart of common steelpan strums common across the Caribbean. If we consider the examples below, we see the double second strum for “Siyahamba” as a completely syncopated pattern whereas the cello strum is syncopated the plays of the downbeat. The two patterns interlock and create a rhythmic layer that, along with its harmonic content, provide a driving rhythmic harmony that is quintessential to the church steelband music of Antigua.

“Siyahamba” Double Second and Cello Strum Patterns (right)

Duplessis suggests using the word phrase “We—are—are-march-ing” as compared to its western notation counting symbols of “(1) E (&) A (2) E & A” as a teaching pedagogy. “I’d never try to show people notation for this pattern. The feel will be wrong. People need to just trust their ears!” notes Duplessis. For the cello strum part he offers the phrase “March-ing-in—the light-of-god—we’re” as compared to its western notation counting symbols of “1  E  (&) A (2) &  3  E  (&) A (4) &.”

The harmony steelpans are aided in this endeavor by the bass ostinato which plays a rhythmic pattern similarly syncopated as their cello steelpan counterparts. This pattern is common among many African and Latin musical genres and is easily teachable for novice students.

Here we see the bass notes tidily outlining chord triads in the key of F major with roots always on the downbeats of beats 1 and 3. The order of arpeggiation can for the third and fifth scale degrees but arrangers should always retain the chord roots on the aforementioned downbeats to ensure stylistic integrity. Also, so bass steelpans in North American do not have diatonic octaves in their range meaning that some octave displacement will have to be performed as a means of performance practice. And, if a bass steelpan is not available, then keyboard or electric bass can play the ostinato in a range complimentary the instrumentation of steepans. “You just adjust to what instruments you have,” notes Duplessis. “The melody and feel of the groove is most important for the worship.”

In terms of the overall arrangement, arrangers will see that the hymn tune is not embellished significantly here—but, it can be as much as the performers and audience members of given congregations see to make it their own. The range of steelpans is generally as follows: “Lead steelpans C4-C6, Double Second steelpans, F#3-B5, Cellos steelpans C3-B4, and bass steelpans from D2-D3, though unlike string instruments of comparative ensemble roles (string quartet, for example) these ranges are fixed and limited, no extra harmonics nor extended notes are achievable. My attached arrangement is only a guide in this sense and Caribbean church musicians, and by extension arrangers, should take the arrangement as an inspiration to begin their exploration of Caribbean in the church worship service knowing their on sound cultural and musical ground. This includes extending the arrangement, providing percussion beyond the suggested percussion provided, changing key, changing key, and beyond.