Burleigh (1866-1949): Spirituals: “Nobody Knows de Trouble I See” “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child” (c.1916) Southland Sketches (orig. “Didn’t My Lord deliver Daniel?” “Who’s Been Here?” (“Shortnin’ Bread” refrain) “Hear de Lam’s a-cryin’” (“Feed My Sheep”) “Goin’ to ride up in de Chariot” “Dere’s a Man goin’ roun’ takin’ Names”. Lawrence Brown (1893-1972): Arranged for voice and piano. Lawrence Brown (1893-1972): SPIRITUALS: Five Negro Folk Songs for Cello and Piano (1923), “Nobody Knows de Trouble I See “I Know de Lord’s Laid His Hands On Me” “Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” “Ev’ry Time I Feel de Spirit”. Patterson, Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers Edward B. Margaret Bonds (1913-1972): Troubled Water, version for cello and piano (1948)/ManuscriptĬlaudio Brindis de Salas (1852-1911): Consolation, Opus 5 (Chanson Sans Paroles) for piano and violin Paris: Louis Gregh, c.1886Ĭharles S. Technical Level “B” : Progressing beyond first and second position at the cello. Cleveland, OH: Ludwig Publishing Company. ĭolores White ( b.1933): Two Spirituals (1987), “Little David Play On Your Harp” “Were You There”. Arrangement for violin and piano by Louis Kaufman. Publisher: Bryn Mawr, PA: The John Church Company/Theodore Presser Company, Carl Fischer. Phillip McIntyre (1951-1991): “Heav’n Bound Suite” (cello and organ/piano, 1987). Publisher: Chicago, IL: Jacksonian Press, Inc. Margaret Bonds (1913-1972): “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” (1959) “Go Tell It On The Mountain” (1962) “Joshua Fit The Battle of Jericho” (1963) Publisher(s): Beekman Music/Mercury Music, Theodore Presser.īarbara Logan Cooke (1921-2017): Two Negro Spirituals: “Jesus Walked This Lonesome Valley” “Fix Me, Jesus” (1997) Publisher: Original manuscript.īetty Jackson King (1928-1994): “Calvary” (1983).

Level “A” is largely concentrated in 1st and 2nd positions, and contains a fair degree of flexibility and contained melodic range. Technical Level “A” : Nearly all settings of Negro spirituals (unless otherwise indicated). (partial, graded in terms of technical difficulty/requisite musical maturity): Music of Black Composers (MBC), Violoncello Repertoire List Other specific titles can be acquired directly from the composers or from myself, Dr. Most titles are commercially available online. This graded repertoire should also serve as technical and aesthetic “preparation” for study and performance of the more advanced “standard-level” repertoire of African American composers. Just as a creative and performance “space” was made for the Negro spirituals through the work of Harry Thacker Burleigh, Roland Hayes, Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson, so should a parallel instrumental tradition be easily “adopted, adapted”-and inculcated into the “pedagogical cello repertoire,” which informs and buttresses the standard repertoire. It is my sincere hope that these pieces speak to each musician on larger cultural levels and in directly endearing musical ways. This music stands apart from the larger European pedagogical tradition and technical orientation, but should find a place of similarity and alliance with the Suzuki-influenced folk song repertoire that so many of us have heard in our early lessons and gradual indoctrination into the European-American art-music tradition. A minimum technical level of Suzuki Book 4 proficiency should be sufficient for most players to execute the majority of these pieces. Such adaptation should not pose unusual difficulties for the developing cellist however, the larger editorial challenge lies in matters of fingering and bowing. Some of these pieces are “adopted and adapted” from the Negro spiritual tradition. I’m pleased to introduce and provide this list of graded music for cello of African-American composers for student exposure, education and use in performance.

Building a cello repertoire