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Traditional Gospel

When: 1880

Super Genre: Gospel 

Description:

“Between 1880 and 1930, Gospel slowly evolved from small, flickering Spirituals to a bright, popular flame, sung and known by many American people, both black and white, but all fundamentally Christian. Gospel started as emotional church hymns, with a call and response choir. This means that one part of the choir sings a part and the other responds in a different key (harmonizing). This alternating play of chords with unusual intervals would become an important trademark in a lot of popular music. Early or Traditional Gospel (sometimes known as Jubilee) is mostly music performed by barbershop quartets. But after Ragtime, it received accompaniment by a piano. Because there were almost no instruments, the lyrics were obviously important, talking about nothing but good news, hope, and bliss. At the turn of the century, the first Gospel composition was created. By 1920 the term “Gospel songs” was first used, and they were practiced in rural, southern America by both black and white people (albeit in slightly different forms). The black form of this “Southern Gospel” evolved by 1930 into what is known as “Black Gospel”. By this time Gospel was a well established music genre, with real artists instead of enthusiasts.” - Musicmap

Favorite Song: Golden Gate Gospel train by The Golden Gate Quartet 

Sample Song: Swing Low Sweet Chariot by The Fisk Jubilee Sisters



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