American Folk & Gospel

	The earliest American settlers fled from Britain to escape religious persecution. They brought their English hymns with them. In fact, the first book printed in America in 1650 was a songbook, the Bay Pslam Book and contained versified psalms like those written by Isaac Watts. British colonists brought many tunes from the British Isles with them, and many continued to be in use though sometimes modified. In time, Americans began to write their own texts and compose their own melodies, and a rich repertory of Christian songs emerged from those efforts. Some songs were written by trained musicians, others were created by talented lay people. Additionally, African slaves brought their own musical talents to America and created a unique body of songs with uniquely African musical features.
Folk Hymns White Spirituals. Anglo-Americans came to America with versified psalms texts, often set to folk tunes from the British Isles. However, they soon began to compose melodies based on other folk styles. We often refer to these as “White Spirituals.” Several of these melodies continue to be used today in American worship. A unique method of notation also emerged during the same time period. This method is similar to the African system of Tonic Solfa. However, while Tonic Solfa uses numbers, the American system used shapes to indicate pitch degrees. Hence, the system is called the “shape note tradition.” o “Amazing Grace.” This song is a good example of the blend of European and American. The text was written by British slave trader, John Newton. The melody, however, is an American folk tune by an anonymous composer. It is perhaps the most beloved Christian song ever written. > o “How Can I Keep From Singing.” Although this text and tune are attributed to 19^th century hymnist, Robert Lowry, the melody seems to be heavily indebted to American folk tunes such as “The Water Is Wide.” > o Blow Ye the Trumpet Blow (LENOX). The text for this song was written by Charles Wesley, one of the two famous British hymn writers mentioned earlier in this class. The melody was written by an American musician, Lewis Edson in 1782. Edson was a music teacher, conductor and composer. Because he taught in singing schools, this song made its way into many shape note songbooks and is still sung today by shape note singing groups. Simplified versions of the tune appear in many hymnals. The tune name comes from Edson’s hometown, Lenox. The same tune is often used with the Isaac Watts text, “Arise My Soul, Arise.” American singing schools developed a unique notation method called “shape notes.” This, in turn, led to publications of music in oblong books and continues today in what is called the “Sacred Harp” tradition or “fasola” tradition. In the Sacred Harp versions below, note that the chorus has staggered entrances. This is part of the charm of these versions. If you want to know more about the tradition, the last video link gives a brief description of one Sacred Harp group in Hoboken, Georgia. > LENOX (piano only) > Choir version (acapella) > Sacred Harp Rendition #1 > Sacred Harp Rendition #2 > Georgia Sacred Harp Description Black Spirituals. As noted above, slaves came to the Americas with their musical talents and styles. As they embraced Christianity, they applied their musical abilities to their new context. The result is a large body of songs created by American slaves, which have become standard repertory for many choirs. The Fisk Jubilee Singers became famous for their renditions of black spirituals. Fifty years later, Mahalia Jackson toured all over the world singing her versions of the spirituals. o Roll, Jordan, Roll. The earliest recording of this song is much slower than this 1980 version, but the beauty of the song is still evident. o “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” This recording of the Fisk Jubilee Singers Men is from 1909. The style might seem old-fashioned to our ears, but the foundations of 20^th male quartets can easily be heard in the recording. o “Wade in the Water.” Some black spirituals were intimately connected to slavery and to escaping America’s southern slave plantations. “Wade in the Water” is believed to have been a way to tell slaves how to escape the blood hounds who were chasing them as they tried to escape from the south to the north. This rendition is by a well-known female group, Sweet Honey in the Rock. o “Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho.” This well-known black spiritual is in a minor (like many others). The energy of the rhythm and the possibilities of improvisation have made it a favorite in many different forms. o Mahalia Jackson o Sister Rosetta Tharpe o Coleman Hawkins Fisk Jubilee Singers Sweet Honey in Rock
Gospel Songs Ira D. Sankey and Others. During the 19^th century (1800s), several revivals swept North America. In response, Christian poets wrote song texts and musicians composed melodies for use in revival meetings. Many of these songs made their way into regular church worship and continue to be used today. Relatedly, missionaries took many of these same songs to Africa during the 19^th century and introduced them to new African converts. A high percentage of songs in Inyimbo Zyabakristo come from the repertory of white gospel songs written during the 19^th century. You can find more information about the songs below by going to the following website: www.hymnary.org This website includes detailed information about texts, tunes, poets, and composers. o “Shall We Gather at the River” () > Piano with Music Score > Country/Celtic style (Buddy Greene) o “Blessed Assurance” (Jesu Nguwangu) > Piano with Music Score > 4-part choir with organ > Black Gospel (Cece Winans) > Sounds Like Reign o “Trust and Obey” (Syoma Akuswilila) > Piano with Music Score > Acapella Choir > David Wesley (vocal beat) > Chelsea Moon o “It Is Well With My Soul” > Piano with Music Score > Acapeldridge o “In the Sweet By and By” > Piano with Music Score > Bird Youmans o “Bringing in the Sheaves” (Leta Maila) > Piano and Music Score > Choir > Choir and Orchestra o “I Am So Glad That Jesus Loved Me” (Ndilakondwa) > Piano and Music Score > Vocal and Guitar > Piano version o “More About Jesus” (Alimwi aa-Jesu) > Piano and Music Score > Blackwood Brothers Quartet > Voice and Guitar (Really good guitarist!) > African choir > African-American Choir o “What A Fellowship” (Yama Kumaanza) > Piano with Music > Black Gospel Choir > Chicago Mass Choir (new tune) > Ira D. Sankey Fanny Crosby 20^th Century Gospel. The early twentieth century saw a continuation of the style of the late 19^th century, but the advent of radio and recorded music expanded things beyond the church to other styles. So-called “Southern Gospel” and “Bluegrass Gospel” were outgrowths of this development. Southern Gospel male quartets grew out of this combination of 19^th century gospel style with extremely low-voiced basses and high-voiced tenors. Zambia’s “quartets” of men and village Kalindula bands draw on this tradition for some of their musical style. Moreover, it is not an accident that the small string instrument found in village bands is called a “bahnjo”; this clearly comes directly from the American banjo. It is likely that mid-20^th century gospel bluegrass groups and Southern Gospel quartet music had a strong effect on the musical style of such village ensembles. Recordings of the Blackwood Brothers Quartet, the Lewis Family, and other similar groups were brought to Zambia during the mid-20^th century and played by missionaries (Frank Kipe, for example). o Blackwood Brothers: “Swing Down Chariot” o Ransomed Bluegrass: “I Saw the Light” o Statler Brothers Quartet: “Have a Little Talk With Jesus” o Bluegrass Trio: “I’ll Fly Away” Blackwood Brothers Black Gospel. The music of black American Christians also began to change during the 20^th century. Thomas A. Dorsey began composing songs in a distinctive rhythmic style in the early 20^th century. Moreover, he created choirs which sang his songs and the movement expanded. Today’s “black gospel” style is a direct descendant of Dorsey’s work. Contemporary artist have pushed the boundaries far beyond the gospel choirs of the mid-20^th century, but many of the musical features developed by Dorsey and his age mates can be heard in today’s gospel music. o Thomas A. Dorsey: “Take My Hand, Precious Lord” o James Cleveland: “Something’s Got A Hold on Me” (Cleveland with his signature 3-part choir) o Hezekiah Walker: “Jesus Is My Help” o Kirk Franklin: o “Now Behold the Lamb” o “He Reigns” o North Carolina University Gospel Choir: Set 2 o Tye Tribbet: o Smallwood: “Total Praise” o Brooklyn Tabernacle: “Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory” o Isaiah Houghton: “God Is Good” o Yolanda Adams: “Victory” o Cece Winans: Thomas A. Dorsey Clara Ward & Her Gospel Singers Kirk Franklin