Ola Ilu for Bassoon Solo

Ola Ilu for Bassoon SoloThis piece was composed on Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is a lively piece based on two Yoruba folksongs, "Baba Alawo Mo Wa Bebe" (Native Doctor, I have Come to Ask for Forgiveness). The song is taken from a folk tale story about a married man whose wife was barren for a protracted period of time. He went to the native doctor to assist his wife to conceive. The native doctor prepared a concoction for him

This piece was composed on Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is a lively piece based on two Yoruba folksongs, "Baba Alawo Mo Wa Bebe" (Native Doctor, I have Come to Ask for Forgiveness). The song is taken from a folk tale story about a married man whose wife was barren for a protracted period of time. He went to the native doctor to assist his wife to conceive. The native doctor prepared a concoction for him to take to his wife with the strong warning that the man must not slip or fall, and he should not touch his mouth with his hands on his way home. Unfortunately, the man went against the native doctor's instructions because he tripped at the root of a tree and touched his mouth with his hands. As commonly practiced in Nigerian traditional culture, the song is normally performed in call-and-response. The second tune from which the title of this piece is derived, "Ola ilu Wa l'awa Ma Nwa" (We Are Seeking the Honor of Our Country), is another Yoruba folksong.