African American Spirituals Notes

Notes taken from Dr. Benita Wolters-Fredlunds Music History II PowerPoint Presentation on
American Vernacular Music at the turn of the 20th century
Slaves harshly discouraged from continuing African religious and cultural practices (considered
savage and heathen); at the same time they were not allowed to join whites in European
cultural practices. African cultural practices continue despite oppression, often in secret.
Exception: White slave owners actually encouraged singing of work songs to help slaves work
quickly and efficiently.
Still managed to entertain themselves and their owners with singing, dancing, and instrumental
music (sometimes price of slave went up if he/she were musically gifted.)
While slaves came from different countries and spoke different languages, some common
African musical traits were common among them all and made a lasting impact on American
musical life (see list).
Many aspects of language and culture difficult for slaves to hold on to, and owners prevented
them from doing so, but music was easier to preserve
Many African musical traits used in African-American music:
Call and response format
Improvisation
Syncopation
Multiple layers of rhythm
Repetition of short rhythmic or melodic patterns
Bending of pitches or sliding between notes
Moans, shouts, and other vocalizations
Instruments like banjo, based on W. African string instruments.
Much religious music in African American churches was a variant of practices in EuropeanAmerican churches, but others were more distinctive, including the spirituals and shouts.
Spiritual = a religious song of southern slaves, passed down through oral (folk) tradition.
African-American form with the greatest impact in the 19th C
Texts: images / stories from Bible, but often with hidden or double meanings related to their own
yearning for freedom
Eg. Go Down, Moses first spiritual to appear in print. Spirituals first published in forms
close to what was actually sung; later straightened in versions for piano and choir that were
easier to learn and play
Layers of meaning both spiritual and political in the texts of spirituals
1. Identification w/ suffering of the Jews or Jesus.
Where you there when they crucified my Lord?
Nobody Knows the Trouble Ive Seen
2. Imagining a brighter future

 E.g. Get on board little children

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
3. Looking for freedom and victory.
Go Down Moses -- let my people go!
Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho
Didnt My Lord Deliver Daniel?
Although initially an oral tradition, it became known in (white) American culture in printed
books and in arrangements done for choir (Fisk Singers) and later soloists. These arrangements
often smoothed out the melodies and rhythms to make them more accessible to white audiences.
Note the text for Swing Low has the repeated text for a refrains.
Some believe that this song had political connotations re: the underground railway, while other
dispute this claim.
Fisk Jubilee Singers:
Bought Black Spirituals to the concert stage in America and Europe (1871 onwards).
Mixed reception with white audiences initially, who expected to hear minstrel songs (!).
Raised significant funds for their university (Nashville).
In June 1872 the singers were invited to appear at Patrick S. Gilmores Second World
Peace Jubilee in Boston, which brought them national recognition; a New England tour
and an invitation to sing at the White House for President Ulysses S. Grant followed. As a
reorganized group of four men and seven women, they toured the British Isles in 18734
under the patronage of the Earl of Shaftesbury, and the money raised on that tour made
possible the construction of Jubilee Hall (dedicated January 1876), the universitys first
permanent building. A second European tour (18758) took in Scotland, the Netherlands,
France, Sweden and Germany, The $150,000 raised by the group up to that time ensured
the continuation and growth of the university. The singers made several appearances at
the Chautauqua Assembly in New York and in 1884 began a six-year world tour.
Their spirituals were published in two contemporary editions, one compiled by Seward
(with the help of Sheppard) as Jubilee Songs as Sung by the Jubilee Singers of Fisk
University (1872), the other by Seward and White as Jubilee Songs (1884); in 1913 a
recording of the group was issued by Victor under the title Fisk University Jubilee
Quartet.
Spirituals Influence
Many stylistic elements of spirituals carried over into other musical genres:
Call and response format
o Blues: often repeats a line, then adds a new line. Or singer sings a line,
instruments respond with a rift.
Improvisation
o Common in jazz
Syncopation
o Especially prevalent in popular music of all kinds. Has also carried over into
classical music.

Multiple layers of rhythm

o Seen in ragtime, which later became the basis for jazz
Repetition of short rhythmic or melodic patterns
o In popular music terms, this could be a rift (instrumental) or a hook (vocal).
Bending of pitches or sliding between notes
o Common in most types of popular music, especially blues, jazz, and R & B.
Moans, shouts, and other vocalizations
o Also, commonly used in many types of popular music for emphasis