Ghanaian Choral Music Compositional Styles: An Appraisal of The Approach of Jacob Paulinus Johnson

The paper sought to present a compositional style of J. P. Johnson emanating from a consensus of three of his choral art compositions. The paper also presented a background of J.P. Johnson tracing his musical background, influences and development as an astute Ghanaian art music composer. Data was collected through interviews and music score analysis. The selected songs were analysed to bring to the fore techniques of traditional indigenous Ghanaian music idioms employed in J. P. Johnson’s Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made). The analytical parameters adopted for the study included melody, harmony, rhythm, and form. The paper examined J. P. Johnson’s exploration of traditional idioms such as call-and-response phrasings, repetition, text-tune relationships, and parallel thirds in his creativity. These compositional techniques depict his cultural belief as an African composer with knowledge of Western music tradition.

Catholic choirs within the Fante areas of Ghana such as Cape Coast and Takoradi.The selected songs have a strong sense of Jacob Paulinus Johnson's styles, and its examination will bring to the fore the styles that are peculiar to him that form his identity as a composer.Invariably, Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) has the touch of a large work that comprises Soprano, Alto, Tenor & Bass (SATB) and piano accompaniment compared to other works by J.P. Johnson whiles Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God), and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) do not have a separate piano accompaniment.

METHODOLOGY
The selected songs which were a hard copy retrieved from a compiled book titled Ndamirifa due (a compilation of songs by J. P. Johnson), were scored on a computer with Finale 2014 Music Software to enhance portions of the score to buttress the researcher's arguments.Analytical parameters for this paper include melody, harmony, rhythm, and form in the examination of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God), and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made).Amuah's delineation of Ghanaian choral art music composers into four generations is based on factors such as the teacher-student relationship, age-wise of composers, and the period of compositions.11According to Emielu "The concept of generation is visible in the areas of musical creativity and performance.12Each generation is defined and constrained by available opportunities such as the level of technological development, which determines what musical instruments are available, as well as the creative and performance possibilities for musicians".
It is very intriguing to see the performances of Ghanaian choral art music of the pilot period at competitions, state functions and other events that are an embodiment of the Ghanaian musical space due to the prevalent scores of modern choral art compositions.This is not to degrade nor lower the work of older Ghanaian choral artworks to contemporary ones but to showcase styles that are unique to this era.Moreover, it is important to study the 'old' and apply the findings in the creation of the 'new' for the sustainability of this art form.
'Generation' is used to determine that each of these categories belongs to a period that had something peculiar to the development of Ghanaian art music.For this paper, the author's focus is on the first generation of Ghanaian choral art music composers which Twum-Barimah has relabeled as the Pilot period (1850 -1940) per the map created for Ghanaian choral art composers by Amuah. 13 Consequently, Jacob Paulinus Johnson is captured among the pilot period composers.However, Twum-Barimah has also relabeled the second generation as the Development period (1940 -1970), the third generation as the period of Institutionalisation (1970Institutionalisation ( -2000) ) and the fourth generation as the Adventure period (2000till date). 14welling on the theoretical principles of LaRue (1981), that is the Stylistic Analytical Approach which advocates a sectional analysis of art music with musical elements (such as melody, harmony, rhythm, and form) to bring out the true meaning, style and techniques employed by a composer.These characteristics define a composer after a careful examination of his or her composition(s).To place this analytical discussion within the context of Ghanaian choral art music, a background has been provided about the composer, to have an overview of who he is, his musical development, advancement, growth and what has inspired him to produce works such as Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory).Hereafter, more importantly, the paper presents the Fante translation of the song text to English for readers to appreciate and understand with the help of a linguistic expert who understands the Fante language.Since the composer in question is deceased, personal communication with his son (James Paulinus Johnson) enabled the researcher to get his profile and to trace his musical development into becoming a composer.

Profile of J.P. Johnson
Born on the 26 th day of July 1897 to Joseph Kwame Gyaakwa and Araba Kokuena at Anomabo (a town in the Cape Coast municipalityin the Central Region of Ghana), Jacob Paulinus Johnson enrolled at the Anomabo Catholic Primary and Middle School passed all required examinations with distinction and completed on the 12 th day of December 1912.Nevertheless, he did not attend Secondary School or what is referred to currently as High School nor attended any tertiary institution after completing Middle School.
Johnson is described as a "self-taught musician" by his family due to his constant practice on the keyboard and his creative works (compositions) coupled with lots of observation from other experienced musicians.His son, James Paulinus Johnson (JPJ), opines that "most of his father's skills were developed due to his fast way of learning.Also, the constant playing of the harmonium together with his command over the Fante language were key factors that made him successful in his career as a musician and composer.Johnson composed songs for mixed choruses Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (SATB) with his native Fante language which is a clear indication of his pride in his culture and serves as a preservation of his ethos and an important indicator that describes his identity as a Ghanaian choral art composer, except for about two of them which he translated to the English language.
As a staunch Catholic, Johnson exhibited his musical skills in promoting church music during his time.Thus, he composed liturgical songs to promote Catholic worship which was eminent at the time due to the dominant Latin setting which deprived the natives from participating actively and consciously.Therefore, his compositions promoted congregational participation at Holy Masses and other liturgical celebrations.Additionally, Johnson took a bold initiative by being selfless in promoting church growth and not being self-centred by translating existing songs in Latin to Fante which made the services organised by the clergy have a grounding with the indigenes.All choral compositional works of Johnson are set for sacred and liturgical celebrations.Some of his notable choral works are Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made).

Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory)
Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) is one of Johnson's compositions that bore his dexterity, features and signature as a composer.This song is captured in both English and Fante as song text by the composer.The Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass (SATB) and piano accompaniment score are evident due to the composer's association with choirs that have SATB as their setup which are mostly mixed voices.The piano also signifies the presence of Europeans, art music and the use of piano within the Christian Religious milieu of the Gold Coast and the early post-colonial period of Ghana.In the author's encounter with JPJ, he stated that his father sought to bring the indigenes closer to God with his music by breaking the monotonic nature of Catholic worship that was introduced by the early missionaries with songs such as Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), which was predominantly said and sung in Latin.This development brought a sense of belonging, appreciation, true worship, and a binding spirit among congregants who identified closeness via music in a local dialect.Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) reflects how glorious, majestic, and powerful God almighty is.The second selected choral artwork of Johnson for this paper is Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).This song employs only the Fante language as text and promotes collectivity just like the above.Thus, the composer calls on all Christians to praise God.This plural call of the composer makes him preach by saying the praise of God is a collective nature and not to be left to a few but rather take on the duty of praising God in His holiness with musical instruments.

Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made)
The third selected song composed by Johnson for this paper is Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made).Indeed, as the composer postulates, the favour and mercy of God almighty are always available.This song is based on the theme of the resurrection of Jesus Christ after being condemned and crucified.The composer portrays God as a dependable Supreme Being and that he is capable of everything and anything.That His grace and mercy resuscitated Jesus Christ on the resurrection day and that it was a day that the lord God made.This is to call on worshippers to have a strong hold on God and not to give up in their various struggles in this life for there comes a day that God will vindicate, release, heal and provide all the needs of those that diligently serve Him.The three selected choral art songs of Johnson do not exhibit the year or place of composition and have been analysed with parameters such as melody organisation, harmony, rhythm, form and texture.The three selected works bear the Fante language as text except for Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam which exhibits both Fante and English texts.Twum-Barimah (2021, p.37), postulates that "Johnson's category of songs found in his hymn book "Ahemfo-Hen Ndamirifa", two out of the three songs fall under 'Ayeyi na Ndaase' (Praise and Thanksgiving).15These two songs are Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us praise God) and Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory).These two songs are centred on gratitude to God Almighty and hence express joy and a majestic mood.However, Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) falls under the category of Wusoɛr (Resurrection)."Having given a simple overview of what the three selected songs mean in English language, the paper now delves into the analysis of the paper to execute the objective set out in revealing the compositional style of Johnson.
J.P. Johnson's Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) have been subjected to analysis with the following parameters -Melody, Harmony, Rhythm and Form to establish his compositional style.

Analysis of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) Melody Organisation
The first theme of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) is established in the Bass after a four (4) bar piano introduction, the first theme starts with the tonic (C).The first note of the first theme starts on C1 evident in bar 1, which doubles as the climax of the piece due to its nature as the highest note and with E1 as the lowest note of the first theme in bar 6, ending with G1 in bar 7 of the Bass.
Fig. 1 The First Theme of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) The melody travels to the Soprano from the third beat of bar 7 on C2 to the second beat of bar 11 at G2.This then becomes the second theme of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory).Carefully examining the intervals of the second theme, showcases major 2nds and 3rds, and perfect 4ths with D2 as the highest note and E1 as the lowest note.Johnson does a varied repetition, thus the third beat of bar 11 to the second beat of bar 14 is a varied repetition of the third beat of bar 7 to the second beat of bar 11.The movements of both melodies are simple and not difficult to sing and are smooth in their conjunct setup employing a text-tune structure that vividly indicates or strongly suggests that Johnson had the song text before setting it to music.This merger of a traditional Ghanaian tonal language is bare in the sense that the composer employs high pitches to high notes and vice-versa on the low notes.For instance, in the second theme, the composer assigns 'Twer' to a high note and 'ampɔn' to a low note.

Harmonic Organisation
Harmony is a key component of music and is a binding force of a musical work that serves as a cemented force of individual lines and voices.Very significant to the harmony implored by Johnson is the merging of traditional Ghanaian and Western art music harmonic resources to create an identity.Amuah opines that "Harmonic vocabulary constitutes a determining factor in a composer's work." 16he harmonic densities of Johnson's work are based on his melodies; thus, the harmony is composed not in a vacuum but grounded and constructed on the melodic structures created by the composer.First, chromatics is a compositional device implored by Johnson in Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory).
According to Apel, chromatics is the "use of at least some pitches of the chromatic scale in addition to or instead of those of the diatonic scale of some particular key." 17 In other words, the chromatics notes are altered notes of the diatonic scale.The craft of Johnson, in combination with his knowledge of Western and traditional Ghanaian musical idioms, employs chromatic notes for decorative reasons which neither portray a sense of modulation nor transposition to related keys.This art of employing chromatic notes is a bold step that showcases his creative nature despite the challenge of its application using the Fante text in his song despite the tonal nature of the language of the song text.The chromatic notes showcased in Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) are F sharp, B flat, and G sharp.The B flat which also doubles as the lowered 7 th of the Akan of Ghana is evident in bars 3, 18, 26, 27, 32, 50, 58, 59, 109, 117, 118, 121, and 124 of the piano accompaniment.The F sharp is also evident in bars 19,28,51,60 and 110 in the Bass and in bars 19,22,34,40,41,51,53,110 and 112 of the Alto.The G sharp is evident in bars 30, 64, 66, 74, 76, 78, 80, 82, and 112 of the piano accompaniment and in bars 39, 44, and 78 of the Bass.D sharp is also found in bars 34 of the piano accompaniment and bar 35 of the Alto.The art of unison is evident in Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) and his approach to the use of this idiom which is found in both traditional Ghanaian and Western musical practices is unique in the sense that both piano and voices are found displaying this idiom at the same time.Twum-Barimah writes that "unison encompasses the song leader and the chorus of a traditional music vocal setting, usually with the exact song text."18In support of the argument made by Twum-Barimah with regards to unison in the traditional choral music which also extends to the audience participating in the performance contributes immensely to the success of the act.Nonetheless, Johnson employs this device by assigning the same notes to both the voice and the piano accompaniment that suggest a heavy, altogether, unified, and plural nature to glorify God.This is evident in bars 5-7, 96-98 of both Bass and the piano accompaniment.It is important to note that the Bass is positioned in key with a prior piano introduction before the unison.

Form
The structure of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) is designed with the piano accompaniment serving a pivotal role in its pattern.The presence of the piano accompaniment on the musical score serves three main functions in the entire piece as an introduction, interlude, and postlude.Each of the three functions of the piano accompaniment outlined above serves not only as the composer's choice but also importantly bores an African twist and significance that portrays the dual musical sensibility of the composer.The piano accompaniment can be linked to a traditional African vocal ensemble where traditional musical instruments are played before the start of the performance, within the performance and at the end of the performance such as the Apatampa and Nnwonkorɔ of the Akans of Ghana.Additionally, the piano introductory section serves as a preparatory session of the performers within a traditional African vocal context which also aids as a cue to singers and choristers under the direction of a conductor.This further implies that the singers might have mastered the introduction of the piano to be acquainted with it at their rehearsal sessions to be able to sing on time per the score.The piano introduction in Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) affirms two important things musically.The first has to do with the establishment of the key of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) which is a guide to singers to pitch their voices to the established concert key to produce a harmonious sound.Secondly, the piano introduction gives a gist of the second melody sung by the soprano evident in bars 7-11.The closing section of the piano accompaniment is an extension of the entire choral artwork.This derives inspiration and influence from Ghanaian traditional choral settings where the voices or performers cease as the musical instruments are played and based on the communication among the musicians end the performance in a grand style.Note that this type of style is not exhibited in all indigenous choral performances but forms part of the aesthetic appreciation of Ghanaian traditional musical practices.Johnson creates this style of extension with the presence of some crushing notes and resolves to chord I in the root position at bar 142.In sum, the piano accompaniment is transmitted in three main sections that form the backbone of Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory) creating mood swings, tension, climax, and resolution.The presence of the piano accompaniment, though known as a Western musical instrument, fused with Traditional Fante text, signifies the choral art nature of the piece.This acts as an example of Akin Euba's propounded theory of Interculturalism, with a focus on Western and Ghanaian musical idioms at play.Johnson utilises the call-and-response phrasing, which is prominent in traditional African vocal music, that promotes integral collectivity of both performers and audience participation.Twum-Barimah opines that "the call and the response are of great importance within the traditional vocal performance arena. 19These two characters are key in the performance showcasing a blend of roles in creating a sensibility that adds to the aesthetics of the presentation".For clarity's sake, call and response is also used in Western art music, for the purposes of this paper, it dwells on the imitation of the traditional African vocal ensemble that has a lead singer and a chorus.Agawu asserts that "both Call and Response are vitally involved with harmony, the one implicitly, the other explicitly.Every Call has several obligations, including a voice-leading one that ensures continuity between it and the Response." 20The African perspective of this compositional device has a deep sentiment that falls within the African paradigm in function and aesthetics.The role of the cantor or song leader can be compared to the role and function of a conductor in Western art music performance.Thus, much is expected from the cantor in terms of continuity, smooth performance, knowledge of the culture, being well-versed with the repertoire for the performance for smooth transitions from one song to the other, and his or her ability to attract audience participation.The call made by the cantor is answered by the chorus or together with the cantor.Johnson cites this African perspective of call-and-response phrasing

Harmonic Organisation
Johnson understands Western harmonic ties and practices and has a clear understanding of his use of these practices in his compositions.Johnson's Western harmonic practices especially his usage of primary chords such as chords I, IV, and V and their inversions are evident in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).The presence of secondary chords is found in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) such as the first inversion of chord ii in bar 60, and the second inversion of chord vii at bar 66.Nonetheless, the admittance of dominant 7 th chords is evident in bar 94 and its second inversion at bar 24.Johnson produces a diminished chord which resolves to chord I at bar 93.Johnson's pragmatic use of primary and secondary and diminished chords suggests a strong sense of union or globality that portrays Euba's interculturalism.This is a strong philosophical phenomenon of creativity and leads to a much wider audience in both cultures portraying our reliance on each other and that none is greater than the other.
Dor postulates that "The intervals of thirds and sixth are best harmonic consonances associated with Akans and Northern Eʋes." 21It is with this notion and sentiment that Johnson introduces the idiom of parallel thirds in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).Parallel thirds employed by Johnson are an influence from his Akan ancestry and he used them as major and minor thirds.These parallel thirds are present in the female voice (Soprano & Alto) and in the male voice (Tenor & Bass).Surprisingly these thirds are not seen functioning in both male and female voices at the same time.The parallel thirds present in the female voice signify its use in an all-female ensemble or two-part singing of females usually women.That of the male voice is a representation of an all-male ensemble such as the Asafo company of the Akan of Ghana.Parallel thirds in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) are found in bars 2-3, 5-7, 9-10, 12-13, 15, 17-18, 25, 31, 32, 36, 39-40, 43-52, 66-68, 82-84, 90-91, 94.Augmented thirds are also present in bars 65, 77, 81, 89, 93 of the female voice (Soprano & Alto), while they also appear in the male voice (Tenor & Bass) in bars 1, 3, 5, 8, 11-12, 14, 16-17, 20-21, 23, 25-27, 29, 31 33, 35, 37, 39, 42, 47, 69-70, 82, 85, and 88.The presence of non-chord tones such as passing notes adds some spice especially when it is placed in an active sequential manner within the full beat of a bar in Johnson's Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).The use of passing notes in the colouring suggests a fill-in within block chords bearing the same time frame, displaying short durations either twice or four times the note value of the basic beat specified by the time signature of the bar.The presence of passing notes is evident among the Bass and are presented a second or a third from each other.The composer's use of this device at the Bass makes it easier for this part and its strong semblance portrays a heavy feel of the passing notes in its aesthetic sound production and excitement during a performance.It further becomes simple for this part to learn faster because a chord or chords are established before the movement of the passing notes either ascending or descending showcasing in most instances an interval of a second with a displayed occasional leap evident in bar 24 of the Bass.These passing notes are also apparent vividly in bars 21, 23-27 and 29.
Johnson introduces a (modulation) shift in tonality in the Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) as part of his harmonic identity.This device of composition dwells in both the African and Western vocal music.Vehemently, Western music per its systems and structure encompasses this device cautiously in both choral and instrumental music with a calculated procedure of lowering or raising notes or its restoration to achieve their sense of craftsmanship.In the traditional African vocal setting, modulation, which the researcher prefers to describe as a shift in tonality is an integral part of the performance.There is no clear distinction between the song being performed in key and its sudden change in tonality because the performance is one important unbreakable facet appreciated within the traditional African space.Hence, the shift in tonality is not a planned ordeal, it is from within the performers mostly by the song leader which connotes his or her mood swing.It is in this perspective that Johnson utilises this device in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).Johnson's approach in the use of this device is orchestrated suddenly from one key to the other, making a swift movement suggesting that performers (choristers) should be attentive and in tune to remain in the right pitch when the shift in tonality occurs and not be in out of key.Interestingly, Johnson captures these shifts in tonalities in a manner that musicians can conform and identify these developments by placing the key signatures of the new keys at the very bars where the shift occurs.
Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) begins with the home key of E flat major and shifts to the dominant (B flat major) at bar 9, then shifts the tonality back to the original key (E flat major) at bar 35.Furthermore, there is a shift in tonality to (sub-dominant key) A flat major present at the last beat of bar 75 to the first beat of bar 77, tailed by another short shift in tonality to B flat major evident in the last beat of bar 77-78 transcending to E flat major.Another shift also occurs from the home key to the sub-dominant (A flat major) from the last beat of bar 93 and then returns to the home key (E flat major).The role of unisons at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a musical work suggests an identity of purpose or representation or a collective idea in the central message of the musical work.Nketia asserts that unison is an important musical form and idiom is appreciated in African societies and it forms part of an integral traditional vocal ideological setting and is accepted and valued within a performance. 22Johnson's Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) exhibits this device of unison in three distinct ways.First, Johnson showcases unison among all four parts (SATB) an octave apart in the pickup beat of bars 1 and 34.This suggests a chorus within the traditional indigenous vocal setting singing the same note together with the song leader.Secondly, the composer exhibits this device in the female voice (Soprano and Alto) at bars 8, 14, 33, 42, 64, 69-70.Johnson's third approach to the use of unison in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) is found in the male voice (Tenor and Bass) present in bars 2, 4, 36, 38, 49-51, 73, 85.The second approach suggests unison among a female ensemble and the third approach also suggests an all-male ensemble which falls within the traditional African vocal setting.The composer's approach to unison in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) confirms and upholds the participatory structure of African traditional music in connection with the Fante text 'Won' (let us), suggesting togetherness and a collective decision by the composer to glorify God.

Fig. 17 Unison in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God)
Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) ends with a perfect cadence (chord V-I) evident in bars 94-95.Similarly, it is also evident at the last beat of bar 68 to bar 70.A careful study also exhibits another perfect cadence at the last beat of bar 41 to bar 42 and at the beat of bar 7 to bar 8.The signature of perfect cadence is an identifiable way of ending phrasal sections and the entire choral artwork as well in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God).Johnson has in mind the range of the various vocal parts and has stretched each part to suit his idea of this choral artwork.Thus, all four parts (SATB) have a length that has pitches per the prerogative of the composer in his creation of this choral artwork, bearing in mind the maximum and minimum range that suit each part to create a much more harmonious sound that can be performed effectively by singers.It is important to note that despite the continuous flow of this choral artwork, the time signatures affect and alter the rhythmic pattern and sensibilities since it is shaped in an orderly and organised manner.The rhythmic patterns constructed by the composer are straightforward suggesting an easy interpretation and appreciation that aids learning by singers.Additionally, the rhythms created by the composer are in direct contact hence fused with the syllables of the song text and these run through the four parts at the same time evident in bars 3,5,6-8,45-49.Inadvertently, the rhythmic sensibilities endowed in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) are mostly parallel and move in the same direction with the same note values assigned to the parts.These parallel rhythmic sensibilities signify the plural nature and collectivity of Johnson leading the people 'Christians' to praise God devoid of excuses, shortcomings and interpersonal differences, race, and tribe.The rhythms imbibed in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) will occasionally showcase long notes present at bars 13, 21, 23, and 25 even though they are short-notes dominated.The presence of long notes is not just meant to be decorative but of significance in relation to the song text attached to it.For instance, the long notes are assigned to the text 'krɔnkrɔn do' (The lord's Holiness) which suggests a deep veneration of God.There are some repeated rhythmic passages evident in this choral artwork.Thus, there is a varied repetition of rhythmic structures of bars 12-13 evident in bars 17-18.In a close examination of Johnson's Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God), repetitions are showcased.Once again, its traditional perspective deals with it as being part of the performance and not carefully drafted to fit the composition.According to Twum-Barimah, "Repetition re-echoes the message of the songs, and it also allows one to imbibe what has been sung already, especially when learning the song." 23The African traditional perspective of repetition in music is not only for its beautification and the prolonging of the piece, but the emphasis placed on the message, the ability for participants to learn and join in the performance and in some cases allow for extemporization and improvisation by the cantor (song leader).Johnson applies this traditional idiom in two ways.First as a varied repetition and second as a direct repetition.The presence of a direct repetition of both notes and text of bars 1-8 is evident in bars 35-42.Varied repetitions of bars 71 to the first beat of bar 83 are evident in the last beat of bar 83 to bar 95 with the difference situated at the last two bars of varied repetition though both bear the same text.Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) is divided into five distinct segments.The first 'A' is from bar 1 to bar 8, and the second section 'B' is from bars 9-34, tailed by a repeat of the first section 'A' (bars 35-42).The next is the fourth section 'C' spans bars 43-70 and the final section 'D' spans bars 71-95.This gives Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) the form A, B, A, C, and D. Just as has been enumerated above the repetition of section 'A' after the second section 'B' is a representation of the emphasis placed on the message, the re-echo of the message and its invitation for the participant to join the performance.It is also notable of Johnson in Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God) that sections A, B, and C are performed in a parallel manner collectively in their respective parts or domains whilst section D starts with two-part singing among the female voice (Soprano and Alto).

Analysis of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) Melodic Organisation
The melodic language of the third selected choral artwork of J. P. Johnson for this paper has its outlined features that form the backbone of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made).The melody of this choral work begins on the tonic of C major evident in bar 1 and comes to an end in bar 8 with the leading note (B).Johnson employs a direct repetition of the melody from bar 2 up to the third beat of bar 10.Additionally, the entire melody from bars 1-8 is also directly repeated in bars 35-47.The melodic intervallic sensibilities have to do mostly with major seconds and a major 6 th evident in bar 3. The repeated melodic phrases which are mostly direct connote the traditional African perspective of being part by being able to learn both tune and text and join in the performance.Furthermore, Sopranos would be able to recognise that passage and easily retain it in their memories at their rehearsal and flow easily in the performance since they can identify that it has been sung already and they may have committed these passages to memory unknowingly.The climax which also doubles as the highest note of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) is F2 located at the 5 th bar while the lowest note (G1) is evident in bar 3. Johnson incorporates and accommodates all seven (7) notes of the scale of C major in this choral artwork without any alteration.A careful examination of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) showcases that Johnson composed the melody of this choral artwork the text to the melody.Consequently, the melody does not have any relation to the song text, which therefore shows a clear distinction between the pitch level of the Fante song text and the constructed notes of the melody.Invariably, the text-tune relationship is absent in the melody and the melodic notes are likely to change the meaning of the text with the traditional Akan setting of Ghana.Johnson knowing the clash of Western style of composition against the traditional African tonal languages such as the Fante, does this merger carefully based on his knowledge of both cultures and may have had a forecast on how his audience would accept it and may test the adds to see the outcome of events.Evidence of this shift which Johnson has established is a signature and is located at the last beat of bar 3 to bar 4, Johnson employs the same note for the text 'da yi na' despite the text 'yi' that has a high pitch level.

Harmonic Organisation
Johnson's choice of chords which predominantly are primary in nature is of the essence in this choral work.The existence of primary chords I, IV, and V together with their inversions have a significant touch in this choral artwork.In addition to the use of primary chords, secondary chords such as chord ii in root position are evident in the last beat of 9. Likewise in bars 7 and 41, its second inversion is showcased as a way of demonstrating the composer's touch and affiliation and understanding of Western music ideologies.However, Johnson uses the elements of the rests in three main ways different from one another that are captivating.In the first way, the provision of rests in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) allows the female voice (Soprano and Alto) to perform alone.This type is evident in bars 14-19, 30-34 and 48-50.In the second, the rests are employed to accommodate the male voice only evident at the fourth beat of bar 19 to the third beat of bar 23.Similarly, another of this kind is also showcased at bars 26-29 and from the fourth beat of bar 50 to the second beat of bar 53.In the third segment, rests allow only the performers (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) to perform without the piano accompaniment.This Capella is found at bars 44-47 and 57-59.The composer's use of rests by allowing some voices to sing whilst others go on break is a mirroring of the traditional African vocal setting where at a point in time the cantor and the chorus move in turns within the cultural milieu.
The presence of chromatic notes in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) still advocates a sense of Johnson's Western music principles in his choral artworks.It is important to note that most of the chromatic notes in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) are mainly for embellishments and decoration apart from one chromatic note that suggests a shift) modulation and transposition to the sub-dominant key.This chromatic note is the lowered 7 th (B flat) which is a prominent feature of the vocal musical sensibilities of the Akan of Ghana.This chromatic note (lowered 7th) is evident in bars 12,24,46,61,64  Johnson shifts tonality in two instances in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) to the subdominant key of F major and transposes to F major itself before the end of this choral artwork.These shifts in tonality both in the form of modulation and transposition are executed with the placement of pivot chords that serve a common purpose in both the old and new keys.Johnson modulates to the subdominant of C major evident at bars 12,24,46, with the presence of the lowered 7 th at the Tenor thereby becoming a pivot chord leading to the key of F major.This pivot chord is captured in its first inversion of chord V 7 .Also, the transposition effected getting to the end of the piece to F major with the continuous presence of B flat is evident at bars 57-65.Moreover, Johnson employs repetition as a compositional device based on the traditional African perspective mainly from his culture.Aside from its use in extending the length of this choral artwork, it is meant to emphasise the theme.In Johnson's harmonic nuances, there is a direct repetition of bars 1-13 found at bars 35-47.This repeated sentence structure not only makes it easy for singers to learn but also for audience participation mirroring a traditional dance form where the audience participates by clapping, singing, and other body gestures.Within Johnson's Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made), the traditional African vocal music idiom (call-and-response phrasing) is well featured and conceptualised by the composer.Its inclusion in this choral artwork is appealing thus making a twist from the parallel harmonic principle where all singers perform at the same time for variety that brings a change in performance.Johnson's approach to the use of call-and-response phrasing can be described as an orderly and consequential system that is easily identifiable and performed.Thus, the call finishes before the response follows suit, showcasing a clear-cut division and the passing of a button in a marathon.This is one of the types of call and response in the traditional setting opined by Nketia, hence, it is a type which the cantor or song leader in a vocal ensemble renders his or her lines before the chorus comes in with the response. 24This scenario of call-and-response-phrasing in the traditional African context also advocates and suggests a two-part singing which often operates in thirds in the Akan culture; thus one party may sing a line before the other responds.The African music idiom of call-and-response phrasing is uniquely identified in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) with the call at bar 14 to the third beat of bar 19 by the female voice thence followed by a response by the male voice at the last beat of bar 19 to the third beat of bar 23.In another instance, Johnson places the call at bar 26 to the third beat of bar 29 followed by a response to the female voice from bars 30-34.Similarly, bar 48 to the third beat of bar 50 in the female voice acts as a call followed by a response from the fourth beat of bar 50 to the second beat of bar 53 in the male voice.
Johnson's captivating skills are displayed in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) hence, a twist within the idiom of call-and-response phrasing in bars 14-23.These bars showcase a difference in the response compared to the above examples mentioned i.e., an exact repetition of the call by the Soprano is captured in the response by the Bass showcasing the dexterity of skills displayed by the composer in weaving his ideas.In addition to the call-and-response phrasing, Johnson employs unison.Though unisons are not only situated in Western musical paradigms, it does certainly take a strong acceptance and recognition in traditional African vocal music suggesting a total involvement and strong collectiveness within the African musical cultural milieu.The presence of unison in Johnson's Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) is a plural sensibility that makes singers perform this piece easily and makes it easy to remember portions of this choral artwork within the performance.The device of unison is employed in two ways.First, it is constructed for the female voice (Soprano and Alto) and secondly, for the male voice (Tenor and Bass).Nonetheless, some portions of the unison in Johnson's Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) emulate a call-and-response character bearing the same note values but with a variation in the song text and the notes.Unisons evident in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) are found in bar 26 to the third beat of bar 29 and that of bars 30-34.Unisons are evident in bar 26 starting on the tonic at the male and female voices in bar 30.Subsequently, it appears again at the commencement of bar 48 at the female voice through to the third beat of bar 50 starting on the dominant of the home key (G major).That of the unison exhibited in the male voice at the last beat of bar 50 starting on the mediant of C major (E).Johnson's Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) has a span of notes and intervals for each of the four parts.This suggests careful thought of the composer in the placement of notes to achieve the purpose of transcending his messages via the mixed voices available to him at the time of composition and their strength and weaknesses may also inform his choice of notes that fit into the vocal ranges devoid of screaming and discomfort in the production of sounds within a performance.

Rhythmic Organisation
Johnson does not include or construct a complex rhythmic structure in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made).Rather, he employs simple rhythmic passages within the common time frame of 4 4 times.Misonu Amu asserts that "The rhythm of African songs depends very much on speech." 25Johnson employs rhythmic sensibilities in this choral artwork based on the influence of the syllable of the song text.This approach by Johnson further aids in strengthening and projecting the meaning of the text and its appreciation among native speakers and people who understand the culture.These rhythmic patterns are parallel to each other thus all SATB turn to be on the same rhythmic formula except for the presence of some passing notes toward the end of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made).Consequently, the text correlates with the rhythmic significantly in promoting the meaning of the text, but a text-tune relationship would have promoted the true meaning of the words based on pitches matched with notes.Even though there are no clear set tempo markings to aid in interpretation, leaving it to the interpretation of choir directors in a performance juxtaposing a traditional African vocal ensemble performance that is devoid of tempo markings but works within the spur of the moment.It is also important to note that some of these rhythmic nuances in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) bear a traditional African music idiom of anacrusis aside from the use of dotted minims, crotchets, quavers among others.

Form
Johnson affirms his creativity in weaving out his ideas in the construction of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made).His ability to move or to break away from an existing phenomenon is derived from achieving his objective.A careful examination of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made) shows that Johnson commences the piece in a close score and later in the development section introduces a piano accompaniment to complement the voices.This creative style of Johnson is quite different from other composers who ideally may have an accompaniment section probably with rest signs until the set time for the notes for the piano accompaniment.The piano accompaniment displayed in the development section makes the choral artwork not to be dry but rather enhances a sense of teamwork without it being dry suggesting an appreciation for the use of musical instruments during vocal performances to become richer.Within the constructed piano accompaniment, some notes vary from the SATB except bar 56 which houses the same chord structure for both voices and the piano accompaniment.Johnson has carefully as part of his design divided the entire choral artwork into five (5) distinct parts.Each of these five distinct parts is of equal rank and is associated with each other to make the piece a complete artwork.The first section 'A' spans bars 1-13 followed by section 'B' which also spans bars 14-34.Thence to a repetition of section 'A' from bars 35-47, the next is the fourth section 'C' which spans bars 48-56, after which the final section 'D' follows suit at bars 57-65.This clearly shows that the second section 'B' obviously has the highest number of bars attached to it.Therefore, the entire form of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) spells as A, B, A, C, D suggesting a through-composed structure.As part of Johnson's identity and creative nature, he constructs a misplaced beat at the beginning of all five sections in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the Day the Lord has made).This suggests a reflection of off beats within the traditional African musical aesthetics either consciously or unconsciously when it comes to African rhythmic nuances.Furthermore, Johnson also showcases each division with a double line after each section.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The paper has highlighted the relabeling of the Ghanaian choral art composers' delineation opined by Amuah. 26Johnson creates simple melodic lines that usually conform with the text with conjunct movements that are straightforward.The melodies of the selected works are also centered on the heptatonic scale with the addition of the flattened 7 th which Johnson has introduced based on the influence of his culture.Furthermore, his harmonic sensibilities that showcase traditional African idioms are very important features in his works that stand out and speak volumes about his musical identity and style.With regard to rhythmic patterns and form, Johnson's simple rhythmic sensibilities and the general nature of his compositions are chiefly friendly.It can be interpreted by singers and more importantly by the target singers (indigenes of the Gold Coast during the pre-independence of Ghana) for whom he composed to participate actively in church activities using the local dialect (Fante).The paper also revealed that Johnson's choral works were composed to encourage congregational participation.Johnson did not compose his songs only in his language but also translated other songs into Fante.After a vigilant examination of the three selected choral artworks by Johnson, the paper has been able to identify the compositional styles of Johnson such as repetitions, call-and-response phrasings, unison, parallel rhythmic passages, syllabic rhythmic relationships, texttune relationships, and parallel thirds.The researcher recommends Johnson's style to upcoming composers in music schools, colleges and tertiary institutions to emulate and preserve.'Preservation' in the context of this paper refers to the addition of Johnson's style of composition to that of modern creative styles for the purposes of posterity.All these may add up to the creative nature of this art form that has existed till now and is still exerting changes incorporating, and merging new ideals and sensibilities as part of the aesthetic contemporary musical taste.

CONCLUSION
This paper has drawn from the arguments made above by delving into the style of Johnson, an astute composer of the Pilot period of Ghanaian choral art composers.The paper has touched on his personality, education, musical education, and his work as a composer.More importantly, the researcher has made a firm argument of the styles implored by Johnson during a thorough examination of three selected choral artworks by him namely, Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), Wonyi Ewuradze Ayɛ (Let us Praise God), and Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (This is the day the Lord has made).Additionally, each of the selected choral artworks has been translated into English for the appreciation and understanding of readers and researchers who might be illiterates of the Ghanaian indigenous Fante language.Johnson has indeed contributed to the development and sustenance of Ghanaian choral art music through the composition of his works when this art form was still finding its feet due to the heavy influences of Western nuances in the Gold Coast before Ghana's independence.His efforts need to be commended.

in
Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory).Johnson represents the call with the Tenor and Bass parts and the response with the Soprano and Alto.The Tenor and the Bass later connect in the response as evidenced in bars 71-95.Likewise, Wɔnhyɛ Twerampɔn Enyimnyam (Tell Ye the Glory), exhibits call-and-response-phrasings with the Bass doing the call which is tailed by the response by the Soprano and Alto which is later fused with the Tenor and Bass in the response evident in bars5-8,  and 96-99.

Fig. 23
Fig. 23 The Melody of Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made) of the Tenor and bars 59, 61,62 of the Bass.The Soprano also performs this note in bars 59 and 62 and in bar 57 of the Alto.F sharp (the raised fourth note) in bars 61 of the Soprano and bars 7,41 and 60 in the Bass.G sharp is also treated in bar 15 of the Soprano and featured in bars 21 and 28 of the Bass and Tenor.This G sharp once again is expressed in the piano accompaniment section at bar 52.The lowered 3 rd (E flat) is also showcased in bars 58 and 60 of the Alto.Finally, the presence of D sharp is also visible in the piano accompaniment section at bar 51.

Fig. 24
Fig. 24 Modulation in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made)

Fig. 26
Fig. 26 Vocal Ranges in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made)

Fig. 27
Fig. 27 Parallel Rhythms in Da Yi Na Ewuradze Ahyehyɛ (this is the Day the Lord has made)