Molelekeng

Mohapeloa published ‘Molelekeng’ in 1951 as the first of 5 songs in a new album: Khalima-Nosi tsa ’Mino Oa Kajeno: Harnessing Salient Features of Modern African Music. Mohapeloa proudly referred to the music of this album as “written in the idiom of the time … reflecting the feelings of the people who are actively alive today”. One new feature is detailed dynamics on the score, another is the fact that the songs are clearly geared towards adults rather than school children. Molelekeng is scored for SATB with an additional Tenor, which Mohapeloa writes above the Soprano. The theme only emerges at the end: the brother of beautiful Molelekeng, much as he loves her and misses her when she is away, knows that he will soon get a lot of trouble from a prospective suitor who will nevertheless have to pay the traditional ‘bride price’ to the family, in the form of a cow. The style is lyrically syncopated, and the song has become very popular.