“Celebrating Black History Month with Spiritual, Jazz and a

Discussion of Gospel Approaches to the Organ”

By Dr. James Hurd

February 2, 2021
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Sources for Today’s Discussion

Suite on Afro-American Hymn Tunes - Charles Callahan (Concordia)

1. In Christ There is No East Or West
2. Improv on Lattimer-This Little Light of mine
3. Communion-Let Us Break Bread Together
4. Postlude on Two Spirituals (Go Down Moses and I Want To Be Ready)

Five Spirituals for Organ - Calvin Taylor (Calvin Taylor Pub.)

1. Go Down Moses
2. This Little Light of Mine
3. Talk About A Child That Do Love Jesus (Here’s One)
4. Were You There?
5. Soon I Will Be Done

Four Spiritual Preludes - David Hurd (Morning Star)

1. Oh, What A Beautiful City
2. Were You There?
3. Go Down Moses
4. Deep River

Four Spirituals - Adolphus Hailstork (Morning Star)

1. We Shall Overcome (prelude on)
2. We Shall Overcome (postlude on)
3. Deep River
4. Great Day (Toccata on

Spiritual Set - Noel Da Costa (H.W. Gray Pub.)

1. Invocation
2. Affirmation
3. Spiritual (Round About the Mountain)
4. Praise

Joshua Fit De Battle Ob Jericho Fela Sowande (Chappell Pub.)

Go Tell It On The Mountain Emma Lou Diemer (Sacred Mus. Press)
Roll, Jordan, Roll Ralph Simpson (Morning Star)
Balboa Park Suite-A Celebration Of Many People Michael Burkhardt (Morning Star)

5. Festival March (The combining of the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Lift Every Voice and Sing)

Fantasy and Fugue on “My Lord, What A Mourning” Ralph Simpson (Vivace Press)
 Jazz

Jazz Inspirations for Organ - Barenreiter Kassel

(For Church services and Concerts)
A Mighty Fortress
In Dir ist Freude
We Shall Overcome
Come Holy Ghost
Go Tell It On The Mountain (Two arrangements)
Praise To The Lord, The Almighty (Two arrangements)
Now Thank We All Our God (Two arrangements)
Angels, We Have Heard On High
Stille Nacht
Come, Holy Ghost
If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee

Popular Negro Spirituals (Sample Listing)

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Were You There? A City Called Heaven
Let Us Break Bread Together Deep River
Go Tell It on The Mountain Aint’a That Good News
This Little Light of Mine There is a Balm in Gilead
Ev’ry Time I Feel The Spirit Ezekial Saw the Wheel
Fix Me, Jesus Go Down Moses
Great Day Give Me Jesus
They Crucified My Lord His Name So Sweet
Hush, Somebody’s Calling My Name I Want To Be Ready
I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray I Want Jesus To Walk With Me
I Know The Lord’s Laid His Hands On Me I’ve Been ‘Buked
I Stood on The Ribber of Jordan I’ll Overcome Some Day
It’s Me, Standing in the Need Of Prayer I’ve Got A Robe
King Jesus Is’a Listening Joshua Fit The Battle
Little David, Play on Your Harp Live’a Humble
Lord, I Want To Be A Christian Mah God Is So High
My Lord, What A Mourning My Soul Loves Jesus
My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Oh Freedom
Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen Ride On, King Jesus
Oh Mary, Don’t You Weep, Don’t You Mourn Roll, Jordan, Roll
Oh! What A Beautiful City Plenty Good Room
Somebody’s Knockin’ at Your Door Rise an’ Shine
Scandalize My Name Steal Away
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Soon I Will Be Done
When The Saints Go Marchin’ In Walk Together, Children
Sometimes, I Feel Like A Motherless Child Sit Down, Servant
They Crucified My Lord On My Journey Now, Mt. Zion
Trampin’ Wade In the Water
We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder Down By The Riverside
Rise Up Shepherds and Follow Shine On Me
In That Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’ Amen
For future listening to recordings displaying the richness of spirituals, I recommend:
Spirituals In Concert featuring Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman

For future listening to recordings sharing how gospel music evolved from spirituals, I recommend:
CBS News “Got To Tell It” A Tribute to Mahalia Jackson- the gospel singer Martin Luther King asked
to sing at his funeral. Any of the documentaries of Mahalia Jackson,” Queen of Gospel Music in
America” will give you insights as to what is expected of gospel pianists or organists.

Current gospel styles can be viewed on church services and concerts filmed on YouTube.