The Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers of Los Angeles

Program Notes

by Albert McNeil For the first time in its thirty-three year history, we are opening our program with a South African song instead of our beloved Spirituals. The opening selection Siyahamb' ekukhanyen' kwenkhos' (We Are Marching in the Light of God) is from the 1984 collection Freedom is Coming published in 1980 by the Church of Sweden Mission and the singing group "Fjedur" after a visit they made to South Africa. This inclusion in the Prologue is indicative of the importance the Jubilee Singers now places in presenting to its audiences the range of African and African-American vocal music: African Folk Songs, Traditional and Contemporary Spirituals, Concert Music (music by predominantly African-American composers), Black Gospel, and music from The Black Music Theater. The NonQonQo by Mariam Makeba in the Zulu language, is a memorial to the prison in South Africa that once housed such heroes as Mandela, Sesulu and others in their struggle for freedom. The final selection in the Prologue an original by Harry Belafonte and arranged by our principal arranger, Larry Farrow, is in the exciting question and answer style typical of the music of Belafonte which incorporates African elements of rhythm and movement found in the synthesis we call Caribbean. The Traditional and Contemporary Spirituals programmed represent quite a departure from the earliest settings of Spirituals originally heard in the early 19th century. These originals can trace their name to a period surrounding the great conversion of slaves. The use of the term "Spiritual" was in common usage in the 1860's. These songs, as folksongs, are impossible to trace or pinpoint in their original form. Concert Spirituals in a cappella settings· were made famous by the Fisk Jubilee Singers, circa 1869-1875. The little group of Singers, four men and seven women recently freed young slaves, were from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. (The University was founded by a group of New Englanders representing the American Missionary Society - the missionary arm of the Congregational Church). After numerous concerts in the northeastern states, they were invited to England. It was in 1869, that they received an invitation to sing, in private audience, before Queen Victoria at the Court of St. James. At the time she was in deep mourning after the death of her beloved husband, Prince Albert. Today's concert represents the leading arrangers active in American choral music today: Hall Johnson, Jester Hairston, Howard Roberts, Moses Hogan, and Albert McNeil. Precious Lord, written by the dean of gospel music composers, Thomas A. Dorsey, is included in this section. This arrangement by Arnold Sevier (Harding University) is a unique blending of both spiritual and gospel elements. After World War I the black composer began to come into his own through the 1920's and the Depression of the 30s. Most of the music written was performed at least once, and a surprising amount was published, in view of the fact that a large part of it was functional. Directors of professional choruses and college choirs often wrote choral works in order to have something "new" to present. Josephanye Powell, is a professor of music at Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas. We have included two of her works in our current repertoire Wait On The Lord (1997) (written especially for the Jubilee Singers), and The Word was God (1996). Robert Page's There's A City Called Heaven (1954) is a favorite with the choir. We are introducing into our repertoire for the first time today an excerpt from Kirke Mechem's Songs of the Slave, the third movement Dan-u-el. Frederick Douglass, an escaped slave, became the greatest African-American leader of the nineteenth century; he was Brown's friend for many years. In the third movement, the solo singer represents an escaped slave. The scene is based on a real incident. In December, 1858, John Brown helped a slave family escape to Kansas from Mississippi, then led them to safety into Canada. During that time, the mother gave birth to a boy whom she and her husband (the solo singer) named after John Brown. Some of the words come from the spiritual, "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel". Gospel Music can easily be described as the Black religious music of this century. Built firmly on the spiritual, its unique texts, rhythms, melodies and the use of instruments clearly separates it from the spiritual. The concert spiritual is always performed a cappella, the contemporary gospel is always performed with instrumental accompaniment. Our two examples on today's program represent the best of composer-arrangers. Byron Smith's Gloria! especially written for the Singers is exemplary of the composer's understanding of both the style and the uniqueness of choral ensemble. His Worthy to be Praised, written with the Jubilee Singers in mind, has become a gospel staple and has sold thousands of copies. Lar Farrow's grasp of not only the Gospel style, but the many idioms of Jazz, has created an exciting work with his Blessed Quietness. It is to be noted that as principal arranger for the Jubilee Singers, much of the music we sing has been created by Larry Farrow! Our offerings from the Black Music Theater: an excerpt from The Black Music Theater Medley, and The Tribute to Harry Belafonte, both meticulously arranged by Larry Farrow can best be described by the Arranger and the Choreographer Yvonne Farrow. From the Arranger I have had the privilege of collaborating musically with Harry Belafonte for over twenty years now, and I have witnessed first hand the impact his music has had on people around the world. The heartfelt, universal appeal of his music awakens the spirit of brotherhood in all who have ears to hear. I believe the greatest gift I can give to a legendary artist and humanitarian like Mr. Befafonte is to express my gratitude for his priceless contribution to the uplift of humanity through music; thus The Tribute to Harry Belafonte was born. I have traveled with Mr. Belafonte bringing the songs of his homeland of jamaica, the Caribbean and ultimately Africa, to thousands of fons. In this musical tribute, I have woven many of my favorite selections from his most popular and best loved tunes into four sections: Life on the Island, Love on the Island, Rockin' Matilda, and Carnival. Harry's distinctive sound is captured in his deliberate choice to use multicultural orchestras, bands, choral groups, background singers, and you, the audience. So, in the spirit of the African musical tradition of "call and response'; join in and sing when you are given the cue, as I know Harry would wish. From the Choreographer It has been both a joy and a challenge for me to choreograph the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers, an ensemble first built on the foundation of fine choral singing. Bringing out the unique qualities and strengths of each singer, as well as ''stretching" those singers who have never moved before, has been especially rewarding for me. Though you will not see The Black Musical Theater Medley in its entirety tonight, I am very pleased to announce that the New York Broadway audition phrme, "Singers who move well'; can now be applied to the Albert McNeil Jubilee Singers of Los Angeles!