HUMA1100 Fall_14 - Lecture 6 - SEPT 25, 2014.pdf

7/13/2019 HUMA1100 Fall_14 - Lecture 6 - SEPT 25, 2014.pdf

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Music of Black America

September 25 - 2014


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Introductions This music, while owing many of its traits to other genres and origins, is a

wholly unique music born of Black America and that experience, and

therefore belongs to its own unique culture It might be said to be closely connected to secular and popular styles of

North America as well as a desire to capture the essence of ordinary talkand a natural way of singing, traits inherited from traditional AfricanCulture

Historical context

Africans were brought to the Americas around 1619, though the accounts oftheir music are varied and incomplete, until much later in the century

Early accounts form the West Indies around the same time document thestrong presence of rhythm and the construction of instruments form naturalmaterials. Europeans found the melodies of these pieces to lack muchsubstance

We also have records of the suppression of these African traditions as early as

1659 As a result Africans simply employed less threating instrumentation to

preserve some of these traditions; for example dances were played on banjoand guitar as accompanying instruments or on the bodythe patting juba

Patting Juba is a kind of rhythmic slap-dance created by alternating hands to playrhythms on the body namely on the knees and chest, historically while continuing todance (documented in 1621 by Richard Johnson). Here is a contemporary example of this

style of playing. Start at 00:50 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BCzIjY-taY


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Distinctive characteristics of early black

secular music Whistling, improvisation, repetition of an indefinite

amount, satire Satire provides an important example of how enslaved

Africans gave voice to their protests that would otherwisehave met with disapproval and potential consequences.

Consider the anecdote of the minster and his slaves and theirsong:Leader: twas on a blessed Sabbath day.

Chorus: It rain, boys, it rain.

Leader: The parson say his prayers in church. Chorus

Leader:He cut the matter short, my friends. ChorusLeader:Nows the time for planting bacco. Chorus

Leader: Come my Negroes get you home. Chorus

Leader: Go draw your plants and set them out. Chorus

Leader: Twas on a blessed Sabbath Day. Chorus

Leader: Heres a pretty preacher for you. Chorus


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Initially, this sort of secular music and dancing was approvedand religious music and gatherings by Slaves were discouraged Overtime this attitude was reversed, largely through the work of

evangelical ministers attempting to convert the slaves and

discourage what they found to be immoral behaviors. They hadhoped they the slaves would take up traditional Anglican Hymns

The result was something quite different, in which Black religiousmusic adopted many of the traits of secular music: rhythmiccomplexity, gapped scales, overlapping leader and chorus, bodilymovement, extended repetition of short melodic phrasesall nowrecognized as characteristics of African music. (Epstein, 210)

These Spiritualseventually came to contain codes and metaphorsintended to provide hope and encouragement to those wishing toescape slavery, as well as coded instructions on escape.

Follow the drinking gourd!Follow the drinking gourd.For the old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedomIf you follow the drinking gourd.

When the sun comes back and the first quail calls,Follow the drinking gourd.For the old man is awaiting for to carry you to freedom

If you follow the drinking gourd.


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Music of Worship The origins of black worship music

Spiritualsthese songs were original black religious songs based on

the traditions of hymnody and combined with African-Americansecular music

at times these spirituals were sung inring shouts, a gathering of BlackAmericans, traditionally slaves, where they sang and danced for hours

These songs lent themselves to groups of singers, where the lead singer wouldbe responded to by basers, singers who would accompany the lead singer.

The intonation of this music was difficult for early scholars to recordtraditionally because of the distinctive pitches that seemed too subtle to fitwithin the traditional European system, some pitches being slightly lowered attimes and others incorporating slides

These characteristics can be traced back to traditional West African music, andas a result of which these practices were often discouraged by whites, evenpunishable. Gatherings were even forbidden or suppressed, as well certainpractices like drumming

The result was the transference and intermingling of traditional Africanelements with European traditions and instruments

Black religious music was pervasive and eventually influential oncontemporary pop music Common and familiar sounds include

Gospel choirs, solo virtuosity motivated by religious fervor, smaller gospel

ensembles, congregational singing


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Hymn Singing Hymn style singing

Hymna song of praise, originally based on biblical psalms How is this different than what you are familiar with?

Recording of amazing grace The hymn is led by a deacon, who begins the hymn with the first line

amazing Grace, how sweet the sound

The congregation joins by repeating the line, sliding around the melody notentirely together

This is repeated for the duration of the verse, which finishes theperformance, all accomplished without the use of physical copies of themusic

The congregations performance is characterized by a hetrophonictexture,where the melody is sung by the group but ornamented and embellished

individually and at slightly different phases of time This practice of call-and-responsestyle singing is sometimes referred to in

this tradition as lining outthe singing out of the melody one line at atime after which the group responds by repeating that line

Lining outis a tradition that actually originated in colonialist worship andwas adopted by the black church in combination with the traditions of their

African roots


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Amazing Grace Typical African American traits that can be observed in this recording

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h8koTbNu_U Two stanzasgroupings of text or strophescommon to English folk song

Movement: swaying and dancing with the music

Organization of the singing: leader-chorus-call-and-response

Timbre: an alternation between smooth tones and raspy tones, open throat

Pitch: there exists variability around the 3rd, 5th, and 7thscale degrees Here is another example of this practice

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oh1eAJi8z4

Compare this performance with a British American performance of theHymn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYzXPkU5DA

Recording provided comes from North West Virginia

Differences include the rhythmic style, the martial nature of the rhythm, a

sense of decorum, unisonsinging, homophonic textures These two performances reveal a difference of approach to the music of

worship One culture may find the others sense of worship to be totally antithetical to

their concept of praise and worship
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h8koTbNu_Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oh1eAJi8z4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYzXPkU5DAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYzXPkU5DAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsYzXPkU5DAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oh1eAJi8z4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oh1eAJi8z4http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h8koTbNu_Uhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3h8koTbNu_U


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Visual Comparison


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Other aspects to the culture of Black

Church There is a sense of vitality, energy, play, and ecstasy in Black

religious services

The sanctuaries are often large (the preceding example wasrecorded in a room accommodating 1500)

Men are well dressed in three piece suits, while women wear either

dark suits or dresses often with eye catching hats Choir members wear robes

The heat of the south requires the constant waiving of handheldfans

This piece comes from the portion of the service call the devotional

hymn singing, readings, and prayer that takes place over hummedhymn tunes. Prayers and preaching flow in and out of music freely,starting with chant and developing into song, which thecongregation affirms with shouts

As the service continues traditional elements of a protestant churchservice are interspersed with gospel songs


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Continued The sermon is delivered as speech until reaching a point of intensity where a style

of whooping or chantnatural develops, a musical iteration of the speech oftenrepeatingparticular points deserving emphasis on clearly discernable pitches. Avariety of timbres are used in symbolizing the text and the inherent emotion

After the Sermon there is what is sometimes referred to as an alter callwherepeople are invited to come forward, confess, and join the church

Music acts a conduit for the Holy Spirit, sending some people into fits of religious

fervor and trance. It is the connective tissue of the entire service. Here is a video montage of reverend C.L. Franklin.

He was Pentecostal minister, based in Detroit, who was known for his passionatesermons.

Many of his sermons were recorded and sold.

He is the father of famous soul singer, Aretha Franklin, who often toured with him tochurches, singing solos

Listen for the style of preaching that boarders on becoming song as well as the otheraspects described above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqKzjasokSI

Here is an even clearer example by another, more contemporary preacher. Listento the chant like qualities of his speech-singing as well as melodies and text thatis repeated. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6QGRxjrgj0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqKzjasokSIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6QGRxjrgj0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6QGRxjrgj0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqKzjasokSI


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Music for Work

A work songis song that assists in the completion of labor both in making

the experience more pleasant and helping unify and organize the workersin their task This helps establish both a rhythm and pace for the task

Work songs certainly have their origins as far back as the eighteenthcentury in the West Indies and the nineteenth century in the UnitedStates, but of course reach back much earlier to many cultures of Africa,

as well as other cultures form around the world The activities that served as occasions for work songs are now largely

accomplished by machines and industrial equipment As a result many of these songs are in danger of disappearing

They are now often performed at folk festivals and other gatherings oftraditional music by amateur singing groups who learned the songs from theirfathers and mothers

In some cases, as documented by the abolitionist leader FrederickDouglass in My Bondage and My Freedom, slaves were even expected tosing as part of their labor

Another term applied to these sorts of work songs is field holler this term might be used to distinguish the songs that are more rhythmically

free and possess a sense of anguished emotionality


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An example of work song

Rosie used to regulate axe blows when the workers were felling (cutting)

trees. As many as ten men could circle a tree, alternating in groups of five, onechopping as the other pulled out their axes.

This is dangerous work, where timing has serious consequences

This particular recording features inmates of the Mississippi State Prison (therecording was made by Alan Lomax, 1947).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjv0MYIFYsg&list=PLahcs8ujfzqd787i_0Z1gPinaTQCmhlGu

Improvisations were often added both in the melody (tune)but also in thetextwhen they ran out of verses new ones were invented

Here are a few more examples of work songs and how they are used toorganize work

The first example is form short documentary on Texas prison work songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFSlw8LlIw0

These next two examples show Gandy Dancers, men who help install, repair,and straighten railroad track. As the video explains the name of these menitself comes from the music these man sang and danced while they worked,while Gandy was the name of the manufacturer of tools

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1O2X890tig
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjv0MYIFYsg&list=PLahcs8ujfzqd787i_0Z1gPinaTQCmhlGuhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFSlw8LlIw0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1O2X890tighttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1O2X890tighttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1O2X890tighttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=025QQwTwzdUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFSlw8LlIw0https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFSlw8LlIw0http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjv0MYIFYsg&list=PLahcs8ujfzqd787i_0Z1gPinaTQCmhlGuhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjv0MYIFYsg&list=PLahcs8ujfzqd787i_0Z1gPinaTQCmhlGu


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Common aspects of the works songs

Two types

Those for rhythmic labor These, of course, employ a steady beat to organize the work and timing of

certain procedures; examplemen laying railroad track would need to line upthe spike and then have multiple hammer swingers pound the spike in withouthitting each other.

Those for individuals or slow paced activities These songs are often more flexible having a sense of free rhythm where a

clear beat is difficult to define. They function more to pass the time but alsofor the workers to share in a sense of labor; a sense of community and bondresulted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vryztcneg0M

The words often reflect this sense of longing for liberation from their labor.This is both symbolic of their bondage in slavery and also in their earthly life

A good work song and good leader for work song require both a senseof time and sense of the people doing the labor, an understanding ofwhat to sing and when
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vryztcneg0Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vryztcneg0Mhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vryztcneg0M


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The Evolution of a Song

Michael, Row the Boat Ashore is an example of work song

that was recorded by white Americans in the 1960s and sold

commercially, now it has become a popular campfire song

known by many children and the origin has been completely

forgotten, along with possible meanings for the text. Michael row the boat ashore, Hallelujah

Michael row the boat ashore, Hallelujah

Sister help to trim the sails, Hallelujah

Sister help to trim the sails, Hallelujah

Jordan's river is deep and wide, HallelujahAnd I've got a home on the other side, Hallelujah

Michael row the boat ashore, Hallelujah

Michael row the boat ashore, Hallelujah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31unLK8_n4Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfaehFF4To

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8gq5mIGPZc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31unLK8_n4Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfaehFF4Tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8gq5mIGPZchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8gq5mIGPZchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8gq5mIGPZchttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfaehFF4Tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfaehFF4Tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGfaehFF4Tohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31unLK8_n4Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31unLK8_n4Qhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd_5-2kCzfs


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Assignment

Review the Recordings from todays lecture

Continue reading chapter 4

Read the short excerpt on blues form theoxford companion to music, via the library

website http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-

e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8
http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199579037.001.0001/acref-9780199579037-e-845?rskey=bdJpUe&result=8

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HUMA1100 Fall_14 - Lecture 6 - SEPT 25, 2014.pdf