Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-10-29
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

each service found her in her place
ready to lead the singing. Zone Of her
duties was to sing down a long
winded or embarrassing speaker at
love feasts or experience meetings,
and even to cut short a prayer Of un-
due length by raising song. (And
what gentle method Of gaining relief
from tiresome speaker! Why
shouldn't 1t be generally adopted to-
dayD Ma White had a great reputa-
ton as a leader OF singing, a reputa-
ton Of which she was proud and jeal-
GUS. She knew scores Of spirituals,
but do not think she ever composed
any songs.
"On the other hand. singing was
Singing Johnson's only business.
He was not fixture in any congre-
cation or community, but went from
one church to another, singing his
way. A maker Of songs and
a wonderful leader of singing. A man
who could improvise lines on the mo-
ment. A great judge of the appropri-
ate song to sing, and with delicate
sense Of when to come to the preach
ers support after a climax in the SER
mon had been reached by breaking in
with line or two Of song that ex-
pressed a certain sentiment, often Just
a single line. Singing Johnson al
closed, and indicated the tempo by
swinging his head and body. When
he warmed to his work it was easy to
see he was transported and utterly
oblivious to his surroundings.
Singing Johnson was Of the line
Of the mightier bards of an earlier
day, and he exemplified how they
worked and how the spirituals We're
composed These bards. believe.
Nf rt1
and song, which in turn were In
fiuenced or modified by the group in
action
Those whose only acquaintance with
the spIrituals is in hearing Deep
River" sung over the radio ought to
hear more Of them. for Deep River"
is popular with singers because 1t is
more nearly like an art song" than
any Of the others, and so less like a
spiritual.
These songs are only at their best
when sung by a quartet, double quar-
tet or chorus. SO that the deep har-
monies and unusual slides" may be
heard. The arranGers In the volume
under consideration. while giving the
songs for solo voice. have endeavored
to take care of the precious har-
I wonder II they have done Tin
fact do not exactly feel that any
piano arrangement can really give
these songs at their best. The writ
ers' first acquaintance with the spir-
ituals was made by r cans of some
wonderful photograph records by
singers from the Tuskegee Institute.
These are. to me. the standards
for these songs. I may say that they
are perhaps the only photograph
record Of which I made never tired.
There is a thrill in steal Away to
Jesus" that never is lacking, and
pathos to Swing Low. Sweet
Chariot" that is always present.
In the present volume a rare
version" is given of Nobody Knows
de Trouble l See," which Is disap-
pointing after having heard the YER
sion sung in the records. 1t seems
to me that the arranger would have
done better If he had stuck to the
other version. with its Nobody
Knows de Trouble I See. Nobody
Knows But Jesus" instead of NO
Nobody Knows de Trouble / See"
Two that l particularly like in this
volume are Calvary" and Done
Foun' My Los Sheep" The former
IS a solemn. chorus like thing that
simply would sweep you off your
feet II properly sung by male
chorus.
Done Foun' My Los Sheep" is as
sweet lullaby as mother ever
crooned over her little one Over
and over again, softly, tenderly:
Dcne foun my los sheep,
Done foun my los sheep
Done foun my los sheep
Halleluiahl
done foun' my los sheep,
Done foun my los sheep
Done foun' my los shee1