THE NEGRO SPIRITUAL
The Negro Spiritual is the first Indigenous Musical form created by African Slaves upon arriving on these American shores. The spiritual, by definition is a musical utterance, always vocal, by either an individual negro or a group of Negroes which has been inspired by some event or personality in the Bible. The spiritual is categorically a folk song--It sprang from the people --Their trials their woes, their hopes, their fears. Someone has said that when the gift of song met the practice of slavery and the institution of Christianity--the spiritual was born. In Africa, the chief concern of music was to recite the history of the people. Everyday situations usually comprised the subject matter of their songs. When Africans were brought to America, They brought with them fixed songs about life' situations and also the ability to create impromptu ones. They brought also the music of bodily rhythm, their voices and their general musicality. Hence while African culture per se was interrupted by the African migration to America, the musicality necessary to create significant music was not disturbed.The spiritual is valuable as Music but also as a complete expression of a race to whom religion is a vital reality. The salvation of man has always been a theme of masterpieces of literature, Art and Music. It is small wonder that in turn, the African American would find in his musical portrayal of Christianity His most effective utterance. Dr. Huel D. Perkins (1993)
The Negro Spiritual is the first Indigenous Musical form created by African Slaves upon arriving on these American shores. The spiritual, by definition is a musical utterance, always vocal, by either an individual negro or a group of Negroes which has been inspired by some event or personality in the Bible. The spiritual is categorically a folk song--It sprang from the people --Their trials their woes, their hopes, their fears. Someone has said that when the gift of song met the practice of slavery and the institution of Christianity--the spiritual was born. In Africa, the chief concern of music was to recite the history of the people. Everyday situations usually comprised the subject matter of their songs. When Africans were brought to America, They brought with them fixed songs about life' situations and also the ability to create impromptu ones. They brought also the music of bodily rhythm, their voices and their general musicality. Hence while African culture per se was interrupted by the African migration to America, the musicality necessary to create significant music was not disturbed.The spiritual is valuable as Music but also as a complete expression of a race to whom religion is a vital reality. The salvation of man has always been a theme of masterpieces of literature, Art and Music. It is small wonder that in turn, the African American would find in his musical portrayal of Christianity His most effective utterance. Dr. Huel D. Perkins (1993)