1. Gospel Music for The General Music Classroom Dr. Donna M. Cox University of Dayton Department of Music Minnesota Music Education Association In-service, February 15, 2008 9:00 a.m. Donna.Cox@notes.udayton.edu www.academic.udayton.edu/donnacox

2. Overview of the session What is gospel music? What elements make gospel music “gospel?” Three areas of aesthetic significance in the performance of black music We explore rhythm & sing

3. What is gospel music ? Rooted in the blues - born in northern urban America vs. southern rural America of the spiritual Post Civil War - created by a people in different circumstances than black people in pre-war American (freed people instead of slaves). Represents a recapturing of / celebration of their roots. Two distinct churches developed - those emulating white worship and spurning the music and distinctively African nature of the worship services and those who drew into culture for strength - (high church/low church) Huge umbrella - a form of gospel music to parallel most popular musics. From its inception there has been a constant influence back and forth Both a repertoire of music and a style of singing - can be appropriated from a hymn or spiritual or can be a new composition ex. Blessed Assurance

4. Gospel 2 Oral transmission - written score is often just a skeleton Sacred text separates it from the secular counterpart Accompanied by drums, organ (Hammond with Leslie Speaker), keyboards, piano, bass, guitar, tambourine, hand claps, foot stomping etc.

5. Gospel Often uses call and response - between choir/solo, solo/piano, choir/audience Term “gospel” coined by Thomas A. Dorsey in the 1920s

6. 3 aspects of gospel music Musical aspects timbre instrumentation improvisation- textual, melodic, rhythmic form rhythm Cultural aspects audience participation full body participation Religious aspects proclamation of the Word

7. Three Areas of Aesthetic Significance in African American music Style of Delivery Mechanics of Delivery Sound Quality

8. Style of Delivery physical mode of presentation, expresses vitality Body movements Clothing within the performance context Physical expressions intense emotions, total physical involvement (clapping, swaying or rocking)

9. Sound Quality - timbre as the primary distinguishing feature Translate everyday life into sound Manipulation of timbre, texture Hollering, raspy, lyrical, grunts, slides etc

10. Mechanics of Delivery Audience expectations Time manipulated Density of textures - layering Pitch altered

11. Gospel music as transformative Wide range of vocal techniques and coloring to make music emotionally compelling Expressive range is preferred over tonal purity Individual creativity highlighted through improvisation/spontaneous creation Musicians seek to reach listeners on an immediate emotional level Gospel singers try to close gap between performers and listeners Essence of the music is participatory- an African retention

12. Sample artists Kirk Franklin Israel Houghton Fred Hammond Kurt Carr John P. Kee

13. Let’s have some fun! Kirk Franklin My Desire My desire is to please you To be more and more like you Jesus Each and every day I lift my hands and say I want to be more like you I give you my heart, take me in your arms and hold me Jesus I give you my life. I know that you can mend each broken pieces I’m totally, totally, totally committed to you.

14. Conducting gospel music – an overview of some of the standard signals useful in conducting gospel music.