The Negro Spiritual

My first post will deal with one of the most significant forms of American folksong, the Negro Spiritual. Created and developed by the enslaved African people in the United States, spirituals are lullabies and work songs that sought to express religious faith under the iron whip of the South. They are primarily sung a cappella, but it is very common to feature a piano alongside the singers. Spirituals have had a tremendous impact on modern music and they are the primary predecessor to what we call gospel music today. Moreover, spirituals have also influenced classical music. The most famous example of this influence can be found in the second movement of the New World Symphony by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák, written in 1893.

I listened to a collection of spirituals arranged by Moses Hogan, who was an American conductor and composer in the latter half of the 20th century. His most famous work is The Oxford Book of Spirituals, which he created in 2002.

Here is a recording of his arrangement of "My Soul's Been Anchored in the Lord."

What is immediately evident is the jazzy, almost blues influenced language of the harmonies. These harmonies create a powerful, tragic and archaic sound that is pivotal in spiritual and gospel music. One has to remember that this style of music was created under great suffering, pain and anguish. This specific style of harmony is where great enjoyment can be found. 

Those of you interested in the album itself, here is a link to the album on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7yvgxDZfCTNl6LnNfCjKFa

Until next time,

Noah V.M.