The document discusses spirituals, which are American Negro folk songs of religious character. Spirituals expressed the hopes of slaves for freedom and justice in the afterlife. The texts of many spirituals were based on simple phrases from the Bible. Musically, spirituals show influences from African tribal music like syncopation and call-and-response structures, as well as from European religious and harmonic styles. There are three types of spirituals: lively and rhythmic, solo and choral response, and slow and sustained. The document encourages singing the spiritual "My Lord What a Mourning" with feeling and beautiful tone.

1. Lesson 14 THE SPIRITUAL Objectives: After doing though this lesson you should be able to; 1. explain the spiritual. 2. give example of spiritual songs. 3. develops ways of communicating with God. NEXT CONTENTS PREVIOUS 13 15 Lesson 16 17

2. INTRODUCTION A spiritual is an American Negro folk song of religious character. Much of the music of the Negro is characterized by deep, personal feeling. Because of their life as slaves in bondage many of their spirituals expressed hope for a future as salves in bondage many their spirituals expressed hope for the future life after death, “a promised” land where they would be free and worldly injustices would be done away with. The texts for many of those spirituals, both sad and gay were based upon simple phrase from the Bible. NEXT CONTENTS PREVIOUS

3. Musically, spirituals show both African and European and American influences. From African tribal music came the steady beat, syncopation and the solo and response musical structures. NEXT CONTENTS PREVIOUS

4. From European culture came religious and harmonic styles. There are three types of spirituals namely the: Lively, rhythmic variety Solo and choral response type Slow sustained lyrical type. “My Lord What a Mourning” is an interpretation of the second coming Christ and the final days of judgment as expressed by St. John in the Book of Revelation. In singing this spiritual song let us try to sing with beautiful tone quality and with feeling. NEXT CONTENTS PREVIOUS

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