African-American Gospel Music

Procedures

1. Discuss gospel music. Gospel is called “gospel” because many song texts are biblical, based on the first four books of the New Testament. Unlike the spiritual (which was born in rural cotton fields), gospel has its roots in the revival meetings of urban settings. When black people migrated to cities during the twentieth century, they found that spirituals did not fit easily into their new lifestyles. A more expressive, unique music was needed, one that did not resemble spirituals or white gospel songs.
2. Gospel music is different from spirituals in the following ways:
   1. The music is composed (unlike folk music, which is not written down).
   2. It requires instrumental accompaniment rather than a cappella performance.
   3. It uses highly ornamented, often improvised melodies rather than a straightforward rendition of the printed notation.
   4. The text is about contemporary moral issues, not biblical stories.
   Both spirituals and gospel songs are religious and vocal in nature, butgospel incorporates jazz rhythms and blues singing into religious music. The use ofdrums, guitars, tambourines, triangles, piano, and/or organ is acceptable in thechurch music form.
3. Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993) had tremendous influence on the gospel tradition andrespect that slowly grew for the music. Among his many contributions (including thecomposition of more than 450 songs), he is well-known for “Precious Lord, Take MyHand,” which has been published in 26 languages.
4. Modern gospel emerged during the period of Martin Luther King Jr.'s leadership andhas existed side by side with historic gospel. A few of the many famous gospel singersduring that time were Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, Mahalia Jackson, JamesCleveland, the Soul Stirrers (featuring Sam Cooke), and the Drinkard Singers (featuring Dionne Warwick). Have students bring in names and recorded examples ofgospel music and gospel artists (both black and white).
5. Play several gospel songs and point out the salient features that make them gospel.
6. Play a gospel song and have the students focus on the lyrics/text. Ask them what theythink is the song's message. Is it sacred? Why or why not? Play the song a second timeto verify the answers.
7. Play the song again and have the students write down which instruments have beenused. Ask them which instrument is playing the melody and which is playing theharmony.
8. Have students listen to, sing with, and accompany with hand claps the commercialgospel hit “Why We Sing.” Have them compare and contrast it with other gospelsongs, such as those by Dorsey or the Staple Singers.

Standards Correlations

• Standard 1

  : Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music

• Standard 6

  : Listening to, analyzing, and describing music

• Standard 8

  : Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts

• Standard 9

  : Understanding music in relation to history and culture

Excerpted fromMulticultural Perspectives in Music Education.