The Negro spiritual is a Type of crowned vocal music and born among black slaves of the the United States at the 17th century which will be at the origin of the movement Gospel. The word also indicates a work, a Chant, pertaining to this musical current.

One can write “ Negro spiritual ”. In the plural “of the negro - spirituals ” or “ Negro spirituals ”.

Origin and history

The history of the Negro spiritual begins with the deportation from twelve to fifteen million Africans by the Old continent - Portugal, Spain, Holland, Great Britain, France, Italy, Sweden and Denmark - for the trade. Composed men and women, these ethnos groups off-set are originating in Africa Occidentale. The majority are already the undesirable ones within their respective ethnos groups, of the prisoners of the Africans but also of the Arab merchants. In addition the Westerners poke the African conflicts, in particular by delivering weapons to minority ethnos groups so that they can reverse the dominant ethnos groups, and to make prisoners for the Western slave system of them. A true trade is established. Slavery in America has several faces according to the geographical place. Indeed, in North America, slavery is rather gradual. To the 17th century, the temporary statute of servant of the slave passes to a statute of slave to life.

For rythmer the heavy work in the fields - prohibition to speak -, the black slaves practice the Work Songs - chanps of work. They are simple songs without accompaniment. They use the Shout which is a technique of Chant: sentence short and shingling. It is a solitary expression. The human voice then becomes a mediator with the gods and the supernatural forces to which each ethnos group, so different is it, tries to cling to survive on a still unknown ground.

At the beginning of slavery - 17th century -, the opinions of the growers differ on a possible evangelization from the slaves. Some are of agreement because it could insufflate a durable peace. For the opponents, the evangelization would be a true danger to the established system because they would be equal in front of Christ. However, in spite of the differences in languages between each ethnos group, the mixture with the English language will take place slowly. The references of the black slaves are from now on the Bible - Saint Paul, Saint Jean Baptiste. The use of the religious vocabulary is dominating. The instrumental accompaniment is gradual. Initially, they are tools of slaves - axe, hammer, pickaxe, etc In the second time, it is a clandestine music which is played with drum S, Flûte S of reed, Violon S, and nourishes European influences - Berceuse S, Gavotte S. It goes from there differently in the Spanish, Portuguese and French colonies, which while martyrisant the slaves as much that their American counterparts north do not conceive the instrumental accompaniments like an immediate danger for them.

The first negro - spirituals - i.e., black songs religious - revelation are a free interpretation of the Scriptures. The tackled subjects are the couple Adam and Eve, Noah, Moïse, the Exode and the Christ. Indeed, the black slaves are identified in particular with the Hebrew that the Egyptians oppress, but who will end up being released by Moïse. The black slaves await them also their release. Negro - spirituals is above all the songs mixing African traditions and liturgical melodies European, often sung has cappella by a vocal group. They were transformed and invented by the black slaves in an anonymous way.

Clandestine ceremonies proceed in wood in middle of the night: Hush Harbors - havens of peace. Then, the religious practice is carried out in Praise House - house of praise - or churches white, with the variation. The vocal quality of the black slaves at the time them offices is made feel. Although there is no equality of race between the Blacks and the White, there is a very important spiritual communion all the same. The first independent black churches make their appearance towards 1770 when the colonies of North America wish to become independent. The first independent black church is in South Carolina in 1774.

Starting from 1780, the Camp-meetings replace in a certain manner Praise House. Their apogee is between 1800 and 1830. The Camp-meeting are multiracial religious gatherings in the open air under tents during which the music and the song play a crucial role. They strongly will contribute to the blossoming of the Negro spiritual. It is what one calls more commonly Second religious Alarm clock the . The slaves from now on are converted. The Tabernacle Songs quickly become spirituals made up, on the one hand, of blue notes - particular notes (third and seventh degree of the range) inflected of a Demi-ton towards the serious - making it possible to translate certain emotional climates; in addition, of Improvisation S, Running Pour - sentences pass key - and of the Ring & Shuffle Shouts - Danse S of African inspiration, in trailed steps, without crossing of the feet. The latter represent the contribution essential of the black slaves with the white offices where the dance was prohibited. There still, there is a greater tolerance in the States of North and the Center.

After the American Civil War - 1861 - 1865 - gained by the Northerners, slavery is transformed into racial segregation although the slaves are freed. The Ku Klux Klan sees the day in 1866 and will assassinate more than three thousand five hundred Blacks between 1866 and 1875. The Blacks continue to interpret negro - spirituals to face hard freedom but also to foresee a beginning of education and teaching. To finance all that, the Fisk Jubilee Singers are created by the Fisk University , the first black university of the Deep South founded in 1866 with Nashville - Tennessee. The Fisk Jubilee Singers are composed of students and professors. They sing negro - spirituals, but also of the Irish ballades and Hymne S crowned to touch more many people. They will sing even in front of the Reine Victoria in 1873. These negro - spirituals in merry matter and rhythmic are called Jubilee Songs . In same time appear Minstrels Shows or Ethiopian Chanteurs made by Blacks. In the beginning, towards 1830, it acted of itinerant troops white artists outrageusement made up - Blackface Minstrels - parodying the life of the Blacks of the South of America in the plantations. But after the emancipation - 1865 - appeared black troops of minstrels including/understanding actors, Chanteur S, Danse the USSR and Musicien S making use of folk instruments like the tambourine S, the Claquettes in bone - bones -, the Violon and the Banjo. All in all, of the caricatural spectacles and the outrageuses parodies.

The Negro spiritual more or less will occidentalize and leave room to the Gospel.

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