Black Spirituals (14)

SKU: PR.140401340

ISBN 9781491134450. UPC: 680160684953.

Best known for his settings of spirituals and influence on Dvorák, Henry T. Burleigh was a celebrated baritone, and a prolific composer of original works. FROM THE SOUTHLAND is a suite of six atmospheric scenes of the American south, inspired by Black musical and cultural traditions. FROM THE SOUTHLAND is within reach of intermediate pianists and artistically suited for professional recitals.
In 1835, Henry T. Burleigh’s maternal grandfather purchased his own release from slavery for the sum of $50, and traveled north out of Maryland to begin a new life as a free man. He established his family in Ithaca, NY, and then moved to the bustling lakefront city of Erie, PA, where three decades later his grandson Henry would be born and raised.For Burleigh, the “Southland” that inspired this collection of piano sketches was a distant place that could not have been more different from the physical world he knew, up there in the northern snowbelt. And yet these southern landscapes and vignettes must have been intensely present in his consciousness, absorbed through the stories and songs he first learned at his grandfather’s knee.The music of the South – the spirituals and work songs he heard as a child –would travel with Burleigh throughout his long and illustrious musical life. Even as he progressed through his early classical training, his career as a baritone soloist in Erie’s churches and synagogue, his move to New York to study at the National Conservatory of Music, and his rise to national prominence as a concert soloist, these ancestral melodies stayed firmly centered in his musical identity.When he wrote From the Southland, his only composition for solo piano, Burleigh was just beginning his career as a composer. The art songs that would establish him as one of America’s best known composers in the genre were still to come. And so were his iconic arrangements of spirituals that would bring the songs of slavery onto concert stages around the world, transformed into timeless and uniquely American music.These little piano sketches bring together all the things that made Burleigh the musician he was – the lush, late-romantic style of his time; a broad vision for American music; and a profound respect for his heritage, a memory of the world his grandfather left behind, and a love of the music he brought with him.

SKU: CF.CM9741

ISBN 9781491161210. UPC: 680160919802. Key: Bb major. English. African American Spiritual.

In 1961, a diverse group of student activists organized a movement called Freedom Riders to challenge racial segregation in Southern states. Their strategy was to ride busses into cities with segregation laws and deliberately break them. For instance, white students would use colored only restrooms, while black students would sit at white only food counters. The hope was that, when confronted by police, the federal government would be forced to step in and defend the students' constitutional rights. On many occasions, these demonstrations were met with violent behavior from locals, including beatings and a firebombing. Ultimately, these Freedom Riders helped lead to the abolishment of segregation by bringing national attention to the injustices of segregation. While touring, the Freedom Riders would collectively perform songs with messages about freedom and justice. One participant, African -American preacher Rev. Robert Wesby, reimagined the lyrics of the hymn Woke Up this Mornin' by replacing the name Jesus with freedom in each refrain. This version of the hymn went on to become a powerful symbol of the American civil rights movement.
In 1961, a diverse group of student activists organized a movement called “Freedom Riders” to challenge racial segregation in Southern states. Their strategy was to ride busses into cities with segregation laws and deliberately break them. For instance, white students would use “colored only” restrooms, while black students would sit at “white only” food counters. The hope was that, when confronted by police, the federal government would be forced to step in and defend the students' constitutional rights. On many occasions, these demonstrations were met with violent behavior from locals, including beatings and a firebombing. Ultimately, these “Freedom Riders” helped lead to the abolishment of segregation by bringing national attention to the injustices of segregation.While touring, the Freedom Riders would collectively perform songs with messages about freedom and justice. One participant, African -American preacher Rev. Robert Wesby, reimagined the lyrics of the hymn “Woke Up this Mornin’” by replacing the name “Jesus” with “freedom” in each refrain. This version of the hymn went on to become a powerful symbol of the American civil rights movement.

SKU: HL.1428120

UPC: 196288202264.

“Oh, It's Gonna Be A Mighty Day” is a new spiritual arrangement with distinctive harmonies, a striking piano accompaniment, and breathtaking vocal lines. The arranger's exceptional skill shines through, ensuring each vocal line remains engaging while paying homage to the soulful roots of the Black American folk-tune. If you're on the lookout for a fresh rendition of a lesser-known spiritual, look no further. Elevate your next choral performance with this perfect addition to your repertoire!

SKU: HL.1436099

UPC: 196288203971.

This arrangement of a moving spiritual includes enhanced original text. The piece utilizes each individual voice part for canonic material in the chorus to create a building foundation towards the cornerstone of the message, supporting the alto soloist as they deliver the melody in a way that hearkens back to how it would have been sung as a field holler during the years of African American slavery. The arrangement is suitable for a mixed collegiate choir, advanced high school choir or large community choir. “Hold On Just a Little While Longer” is a great piece for concerts to feature a strong alto soloist, or themed around hope, perseverance or African American music. This piece conveys a message of hope and endurance for all in the face of life's challenges.

SKU: FG.55011-432-6

ISBN 9790550114326.

According to the composer, the sonata for alto saxophone and piano, which he regards as his first mature composition, takes its title from the astronomical term referring to the spacetime boundary in a black hole beyond which light can no longer escape - a point of no return. Event Horizons is an intensely emotional piece, stemming from reflections on the immensity of the universe and one's own place in it. The title was merely a catalyst, an image that sparked the creative process. Whittall was also greatly affected by the spaciousness and subtle intricacies of Eastern music - the gamelan music of Bali in particularly.

Much of the resulting music is reminiscent of the ringing of bells or gongs, which in so many cultures has great ceremonial and spiritual importance. They can be seen as a symbol of connection between the natural and meta-physical worlds. At its core, Event Horizons is an intense rite of passage, a quest for ultimate understanding, and perhaps reaches it, at least in part.