Sacred choral music from the Afro-American tradition
In the past thirty years, particularly since Vatican II in the Roman Catholic Church, there has been a continuing growth of interest in non-Western sacred choral music. Every denomination has diligently sought to assimilate this music into their worship services. Many have been unsuccessful because of a lack of performance-practice knowledge of the material and the sheer frustration of acquiring the music in written form.
One area of this vast repertoire that has interested many Christians is the sacred choral music of the Afro-American tradition. Since most of this music is steeped in the oral tradition, it is sometimes difficult to find good written arrangements, particularly of the gospel and contemporary gospel selections.
The list on these pages is not intended to be comprehensive; it offers only a small representation of each type of Afro-American music, but it should give music leaders a place to begin in introducing the richness of this choral tradition to their congregations.
TRADITIONAL SPIRITUALS
Spirituals are folk compositions that evolved from the slavery experience in the rural South. These choral pieces are by composers who took the preexisting melodies and arranged them, sometimes in simple and straightforward fashion and sometimes more elaborately.
| Go, Tell It on the Mountain Psalter Hymnal #356, CRC Publications |
arr. Hale Smith | Easy |
| In Dat Great Gittin' Up Mornin' Schumann Music Company |
arr. Jester Hairston | Medium |
| Poor Man Lazarus Schumann Music Company |
arr. Jester Hairston | Easy |
| Elijah Rock Schumann Music Company |
arr. Jester Hairston | Medium |
| Hush Somebody's Callin My Name Shawnee Press |
arr. Brazeal Dennard | Medium |
| The Blind Man Gemini Press |
arr. William Grant Still | Easy |
| Balm in Gilead Kjos, Neil Music Co., San Diego, CA 92117 |
arr. William Dawson | Medium |
| Keep Your Lamps Hinshaw, P.O. Box 470, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 |
arr. Andre Thomas | Easy |
TRADITIONAL GOSPEL
In contrast to the rural folk origin of spirituals, Black gospel music is composed and urban in origin. And whereas spirituals were for voices only (though hand clapping persisted even after the outlawing of drums), the piano has always been part of Black gospel music.
Black gospel music, which evolved out of the blues and has been influenced by jazz and even ragtime, has a vibrant, rhythmic beat. Most songs in this genre have personal texts that often reflect needs and experiences. The compositions listed here were composed between 1950 and 1960.
| Lord, Keep Me Day by Day Martin Morris Music, Inc. 4312 S. Indiana Ave., Chicago, IL 60653 |
arr. Kenneth Morris | Medium |
| He Is Always Right By My Side S.R. Music Publishing Company, P.O. Box 6343, Hayward, CA 94544 |
Steven Roberts | Medium |
| The Lord's Expecting Me Savgos Music, Inc-Bmi, P.O. Box 279, Elizabeth, NJ 07207 |
James Cleveland | Medium |
| Since He Died For Me Rev. Earl A. Pleasant, Publishing, P.O. Box 3247, Thousand Oaks, CA 91357 |
Margaret Douroux | Medium |
| Songs Recorded by Mattie Moss Clark Bridgeport Music, Inc., 19631 West Eight Mile Road, Detroit, MI 48219 |
Mattie Moss Clark | Medium |
| Lead Me, Guide Me Psalter Hymnal #544, CRC Publications |
Doria Akers; Smallwood | Easy |
| The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power Psalter Hymnal #552, CRC Publications |
Andrae Crouch | Easy |
| Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow Psalter Hymnal #637, CRC Publications |
Easy | |
| We've Come This Far by Faith Psalter Hymnal #567, CRC Publications |
Albert Goodson | Easy |
GOSPEL ANTHEM
Only one composition is listed here, representative of a hybrid form combining the Black gospel song with the type of traditional anthem that was popular among church choirs a generation ago (and is still found in many older choir libraries). This kind of attempt at a "classical gospel" church anthem remained popular for a long time. The result was a traditional church anthem that used the gospel piano sound and the personal text typical of Black gospel music.
| One Church; One Faith; One Lord! Virgie C. DeWitty, 1106 E. 10th St., Austin, TX |
Virgie DeWitty | Medium |
CONTEMPORARY GOSPEL
These compositions have a broader harmonic vocabulary than those in the previous categories. Jazz influences are apparent in many of them.
| Love Alive Lexicon Music, Inc. Distributed by World, Inc., Waco, TX 76703) |
Walter Hawkins | Medium |
| Love Alive II Lexicon Music, Inc. Distributed by Word, Inc., Waco, TX 76703) |
Walter Hawkins | Medium |
| Love Alive III Lexicon Music, Inc. Distributed by Word, Inc., Waco, TX 76703 |
Walter Hawkins | Medium |
| Danniebelle This Moment Lexicon Music, Inc. Distributed by Word, Inc., Waco, TX 76703 |
Danniebelle Hall | Medium |
| Bless His Holy Name Psalter Hymnal #627, CRC Publications |
Andrae Crouch | Easy |
| The Songs of Walter Hawkins as recorded by Tramaine Lexicon Music, Inc. Distributed by Word, Inc., Waco, TX 76703 |
Walter Hawkins | Medium |
| Spread Love, by Take 6 (heavy jazz influences) Warner Bros. Publications Inc. |
M. Warren, C.McKnight and M. Kibble |
Difficult |
| Gold Mine, by Take 6 (heavy jazz influences) Warner Bros. Publications Inc. |
M. Warren, C.McKnight and M. Kibble |
Difficult |
| Through it All Lorenz Publishing Co., 501 E. Third St., P.O. Box 802, Dayton, OH 4540 |
Andrae Crouch arr. Robert Hughes |
Easy |
CONTEMPORARY SPIRITUALS
Like contemporary gospel, these arrangements of spirituals make use of
a wider harmonic vocabulary, with both jazz and gospel influences.
| My Lord, What a Mornin' Gentry Publications, Box 333, CA 91356 |
Tarzana, arr. Larry Farrow | Medium |
| Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Gentry Publications, Box 333, CA 91356 |
Tarzana, arr. Larry Farrow | Medium |
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