Larnelle Sings Spirituals-Part II

Antonin Dvorak

In my last blog, I mentioned that the Czech composer, Antonin Dvorak, found inspiration in spirituals and Native American music. Today, I will explore just how that came about.

Upon his arrival in America, Dvorak stated:

"I am convinced that the future music of this country must be founded on what are called Negro melodies. These can be the foundation of a serious and original school of composition, to be developed in the United States. These beautiful and varied themes are the product of the soil. They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them."

When Dvorak took over the leadership of the National Conservatory, he quickly made the acquaintance of an African-American named Harry Burleigh. Burleigh's grandfather was a former slave who purchased his freedom. Harry learned the "plantation songs" from his grandfather when he helped him light oil street lamps each night. Apparently, Dvorak hired Burleigh to copy parts for him and sing spirituals, when requested. Dvorak would have learned songs like, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot from Burleigh. Why did Dvorak believe that spirituals were "the folk songs of America"?

According to wikipedia:

During slavery in the United States, there were systematic efforts to de-Africanize the captive Black workforce. Slaves were forbidden from speaking their native languages.

Because they were unable to express themselves freely in ways that were spiritually meaningful to them, enslaved Africans often held secret religious services. During these “bush meetings,” worshippers were free to engage in African religious rituals such as spiritual possession, speaking in tongues and shuffling in counterclockwise ring shouts to communal shouts and chants. It was there also that enslaved Africans further crafted the impromptu musical expression of field songs into the so-called "line singing" and intricate, multi-part harmonies of struggle and overcoming, faith, forbearance and hope that have come to be known as Negro spirituals.

"Folk music" has been defined as "as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers." This is exactly how spirituals were written and transmitted. No one knows who wrote Swing Low, but we know that later generations, including Dvorak, learned the songs by mouth, as opposed to by written music.

There are two obvious examples of how spirituals found their way into Dvorak's New World Symphony. The most obvious is the melody from the second, slow movement: the Largo. Most people know it as Goin' Home. What most people don't know is that it is not a spiritual. Words were add in the 1920s by another Dvorak student. Why the confusion? Because Dvorak captured the essence of spirituals with his tune. It conjures up the same type of feelings as a spiritual, like Deep River.

A less obvious example, is the third theme of the first movement. Known as the "Swing Low" theme, it is first played by the flute. The tune is almost a verbatum copy of the spiritual, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. The notes corresponding to the words "Char-i-o-t" are the first four notes of the melody. After that, Dvorak uses the notes corresponding to the words "Coming for to carry me home", but changes them a bit.

In other words, Dvorak did exactly what he always did in his music. He found inspiration in folk music (usually Bohemian folk songs) and wrote this tunes. But he didn't quote them verbatum. He captured the essence of the tunes in his own original melodies.

So, Dvorak's New World Symphony was the first time the music of America was successfully "used" in a classical composition.

It would take time for composers to follow Dvorak's lead. George Gershwin's use of jazz (which came from spirituals) in Rhapsody in Blue and his opera, Porgy and Bess, are examples from the '20s and '30s. Aaron Copland used cowboy songs in his music from Rodeo  and Billy the Kid. Charles Ives used church hymns from New England in his music. American music was no longer second-rate German music. Composers had finally developed an American voice. Dvorak would be proud.