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Circle Singers : About the Arrangers May 2006
Welcome to Remembering the Underground Railroad: After the Civil War featuring The American Red Cross Chorus and Jubilee Singers, James E. Thomas, director. Although they comprise one of the most important musical genres of the United States, few of the over six thousand spirituals that still exist are widely known. Circle Singers is working to educate singers and audiences about these special compositions. Within our long association, Jim and I have discussed the evolution of spirituals and the concert versions that have been and are being arranged. The arrangers of the spirituals take the melody and text of the original work and make it their own. We honor these arrangers for continuing to make this part of American history available to us. Jester Hairston (1902-2000) was the grandson of a slave who graduated from Tufts University in 1929. He dedicated himself to the preservation of the spiritual through choral directing, arranging, and presenting workshops. During his career he arranged over 300 spirituals. Mr. Hairston also organized the first integrated choir in Hollywood. Moses Hogan (1953-2003) was a composer, conductor, pianist, and arranger who graduated from Oberlin Conservatory and studied at The Juilliard School and Louisiana State University. As Artistic Director of the Moses Hogan Chorale and Moses Hogan Singers, he arranged many spirituals. Harry Thacker Burleigh (1866-1949) was the first African-American to achieve distinction as a musician. He attended the National Conservatory of Music in New York City where he studied composition with Antonín Dvorák. As a composer, arranger, and singer, he gave to the world the gift of spirituals. Fenno Heath (b. 1926) was the director of the Yale Chorus for many years. During that time he arranged hundreds of spirituals for the chorus to sing. Many of the early arrangements were written for men's voices. When women were admitted to the school, he added their color to the ensemble writing. William Appling is active as a conductor, pianist, and arranger. He taught in Ohio public schools and directed the Case Men's Glee Club. He is the Director of Choral Activities at Vassar College and the Artistic Director of the William Appling Singers and Orchestra, which features contemporary American repertoire. Wendell Whalum (1931-1987) was educated at Morehouse College, Columbia University, and the University of Iowa. Known as a conductor, arranger, organist, and educator, he conducted the Morehouse College Glee Club and was the guest conductor for the Atlanta Symphony. Undine S. Moore (1904-1988) graduated with highest honors from Fisk University and Columbia University. Known as a composer and educator, she taught for forty-five years at Virginia State College. Even though we are not performing these two arrangers' works on this season's concerts, mention must be made of William Dawson (1899-1990) and John W. Work, III (1901-1967) who through their work at Fisk University and their arrangements of many spirituals leave to all a wealth of musical material.
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