Swing Low Sweet Chariot (414.01)

Swing Low Sweet Chariot (414.01) (The musical culture of the American Negro slaves produced perhaps the greatest collection of genuine folksongs anywhere in the world. Derived from African roots and tempered by Western religious hymnody the spiritual provided the repressed people of the slave states with a voice, unique in its deep expression, its sometimes naïve, but always sincere and devout poetry and its aptness to their desperate situation. The statement and response style of many of these songs is evidence of the oral, folk tradition that moulded them and passed them down from generation to generation. As with all the best folk music, these sons are capable of a seemingly infinite variety of transformation through arrangement without losing any of their inherent qualities. Swing Low, sweet chariot, Comin’ for to carry me home. Swing Low, sweet chariot, Comin’ for to carry me home. I look over Jordan and what do I see? Comin’ for to carry me home. A band of angels comin’ after me, Comin’ for to carry me home. If you get dere befo’ I do, Comin’ for to carry me home. Tell all my friends I’m comin’ too, Comin’ for to carry me home. Performance notes: In general play this piece with gentle rather melancholy feel. The opening and coda can flourish but then subside rather quickly. The flugel counter-melody at A should be subsidiary to the solo trombone line, which can be fairly positive and a little freeing rhythm. Cheat the breathing if necessary I order to play through bar 18 to 19 without breaking the phrase. The trumpets a C should introduce a more ‘hopeful’ mood briefly, the response once again relaxing it. The tutti chorale at D should be well controlled and balanced pianissimo and don’t let it feel ponderous, keep a slow but definite momentum. Only break the phrase at the end of 36, making 37-38 a sort of resigned last breath. Don’t, however, slow up too much here, the real wind down comes in bars 43-44.)