African-American Folk SongsMusic as

African-American Folk Songs
Music as the high art of which we think is a comparatively recent phenomena, but it is probable that music in some form has existed as long as speech itself. When humankind first expressed its ideas in words, it learned to express its emotions in music. One of the earliest comprehensible forms of music of the common people of any country was the folk song. As the recorded expression of the emotions of a people, they are invaluable, and they are of even greater importance because in them we see a beginning of the recognition of musical form as we have it today.(1) If folk music is of such vital importance in the musical history of a country, surely it is necessary to find some form of the folk music as a musical background for own [sic] own country. America as a civilized nation is so new that her folk music is sadly lacking in comparison with other countries, but America has folk music in the songs of the African-American. Even the music of the original American, the Indian, has not played so important a part in the musical history of our country.
African-Americans are probably the most gifted musically of any race; that is today, their music is the nearest like the music of the cultured nations in form and tonality. The songs as we have them today, many of them have been founded on the pentatonic scale, in which the fourth and seventh tones are omitted, and they nearly all retain an exotic character, owing to their origin. (2) The melodies are surprisingly sweet and artistic.
African-Americans folk songs are not so much expressions of joy and mirth as they are expressions of a slave’s sorrow in bondage from which they have no hope of release on this earth. Therefore, their songs are largely of a semi-religious character, expressing their hope of release in the world to come. One outstanding feature of these “Sorrow Songs” is the fact that a note of triumph is always present, even in the most despairing passages.(3) The well-known “Spirituals” were songs or hymns the African-Americans made for themselves when they adopted his master’s religion, and are centered about such familiar religious subjects as Samson, the Ark, Daniel, Moses, Judgment Day, and Jesus Christ and His miracles.(4) Satan also was a favorite topic, being treated in much the same humorous fashion as he was treated in the old Miracle Plays of medieval Europe.(5) There are many beautiful melodies among the old spirituals including such well known airs as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” and “Steal Away to Jesus.” The latter is interesting, as it originally had an underlying significance far from religious. It was sung by the slaves on the plantations near the end of the day as a kind of signal to other slaves that a secret religious meeting was to be held that night, and when the slave sang “I hain’t got long to stay here, ” they were thinking not of the shortness of life, but the short time before they would leave hard work to attend a pleasant religious meeting.(6) In addition to the spirituals proper, which were sung sitting down, there were what were called “running spirituals” or “shout songs.” The shouts took place on Sunday or on praise nights. When the spiritual was struck up, the African-Americans present formed a circle and shuffled around the room with a jerky movement. Sometimes they sang the chorus of the spiritual and sometimes they shuffled in silence. The monotonous thud of their feet could be heard half a mile distant.(7)
There are many other classes of African-American folk songs besides those of a religious nature. These include children’s ditties, love songs, work songs, and dances. It would be impossible to speak of them all in detail.
After all, what is the point of describing and discussing African-American folk-music at such length? The “Literary Digest” of October 20, 1917 says, in part: “Our only original contributions to the domain of American art have come to us through our African-American population[.] In the spirituals or slave songs the African-American has given America not only its only folk songs, but a mass of noble music. How did the men who originated them manage to do it? The sentiments are easily accounted for; they are mostly taken from the Bible; but the melodies, where did they come from, some of them so strangely sweet, and others so wonderfully strong? Take, for instance “Go Down, Moses.” I doubt if there is a stronger theme in the whole musical literature of the world. African-Americans possess a valuable and much needed gift that will contribute to the future American democracy.(8) To prove the truth of this statement we have only to look at the effect that African-American folk music has already had on American music, and on the music of other nations. George W. Chadwick is the best known of the American composers who have used African-American themes. He made use of such themes in his second symphony. But it was a Bohemian, Antonin Dvorak, who ranks the highest among composers who have used African-American music. His “New World” Symphony is based almost entirely on African-American folk-songs, and anyone who has heard it must confess that it contains some of the most beautiful melodies ever written. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an African of English birth, was the first African to win renown [sic] in the field of art music. He has used African themes in many charming compositions.(9) If foreign composers recognize the high worth of our African American folk songs, surely we should do all in our power to preserve and develop what is our own American folk music.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Lagu-lagu rakyat Afrika-AmerikaMusik sebagai tinggi seni yang kita pikirkan adalah fenomena yang relatif baru, tetapi kemungkinan bahwa musik dalam beberapa bentuk telah ada selama pidato itu sendiri. Ketika manusia pertama mengungkapkan ide-idenya dalam kata-kata, itu belajar untuk mengekspresikan emosi yang dalam musik. Salah satu bentuk dipahami awal musik rakyat jelata negara manapun adalah lagu rakyat. Sebagai ekspresi direkam dari emosi dari orang-orang, mereka sangat berharga, dan mereka bahkan lebih penting karena di dalamnya kita melihat awal dari pengakuan bentuk musik seperti yang kita miliki sekarang. (1) jika musik rakyat adalah seperti itu sangat penting dalam sejarah musik country, pasti hal ini diperlukan untuk menemukan beberapa bentuk musik rakyat sebagai latar belakang musik untuk sendiri negara sendiri [sic]. Amerika sebagai bangsa yang beradab begitu baru bahwa musik rakyat nya adalah sedih kurang dibandingkan dengan negara-negara lain, tetapi Amerika memiliki musik rakyat dalam lagu-lagu dari Afrika-Amerika. Bahkan musik Amerika asli, India, telah tidak memainkan bagian yang sangat penting dalam sejarah musik negara kita.Afrika-Amerika yang mungkin paling berbakat musik dari ras apapun; Itulah hari ini, musik mereka seperti terdekat musik bangsa-bangsa yang berbudaya dalam bentuk dan nada suara. Lagu-lagu seperti yang telah kita mereka hari ini, banyak dari mereka telah didirikan pada skala pentatonik, di mana keempat dan ketujuh nada dihilangkan, dan mereka hampir semua mempertahankan karakter eksotis, karena asal mereka. (2) melodi mengejutkan manis dan artistik.Lagu-lagu rakyat Afrika-Amerika yang tidak begitu banyak ekspresi sukacita dan kegirangan karena mereka ekspresi kesedihan seorang budak dalam perbudakan yang mereka tidak memiliki harapan untuk rilis di bumi ini. Oleh karena itu, lagu-lagu mereka adalah sebagian besar karakter yang semi agama, menyatakan harapan mereka rilis di dunia yang akan datang. Salah satu fitur yang luar biasa ini "kesedihan lagu" adalah kenyataan bahwa catatan kemenangan selalu hadir, bahkan di bagian paling putus asa. (3) terkenal "spiritual" adalah lagu atau himne Afrika-Amerika yang dibuat untuk diri mereka sendiri ketika mereka mengadopsi tuannya agama, dan berpusat sekitar mata pelajaran agama akrab seperti Simson, Tabut, Daniel, Moses, hari penghakiman, dan Yesus Kristus dan mujizat-mujizat Nya. (4) Iblis juga adalah topik favorit, sedang dirawat di banyak cara lucu yang sama seperti yang diperlakukan memainkan keajaiban tua abad pertengahan Eropa. (5) ada banyak melodi yang indah antara telah lama yang termasuk mengudara tersebut dikenal sebagai "Ayunan rendah, kereta manis" dan "Mencuri Away kepada Yesus." Yang terakhir menarik, seperti yang awalnya sebuah makna yang mendasari jauh dari agama. Itu dinyanyikan oleh para budak di perkebunan pada penghujung hari sebagai semacam sinyal untuk budak lainnya yang pertemuan agama rahasia yang akan diadakan malam itu, dan ketika hamba bernyanyi "Aku hain't mendapat lama untuk tinggal di sini," mereka berpikir tidak untuk singkatnya hidup, tapi waktu yang singkat sebelum mereka akan meninggalkan keras bekerja untuk menghadiri pertemuan agama yang menyenangkan. (6) Selain untuk tepat, telah yang dinyanyikan duduk, ada adalah apa yang disebut "berjalan telah" atau "lagu berteriak." Teriakan berlangsung pada hari Minggu atau pada malam-malam pujian. Kapan rohani terpana up, Afrika-Amerika sekarang membentuk sebuah lingkaran dan berjalan di sekitar ruangan dengan dendeng gerakan. Kadang-kadang mereka menyanyikan chorus spiritual dan kadang-kadang mereka berjalan dalam keheningan. Gedebuk yang monoton kaki mereka bisa mendengar berjarak jauh. (7)Ada banyak kelas-kelas lain dari lagu-lagu rakyat Afrika-Amerika orang bersifat keagamaan. Ini termasuk anak-anak ditties, lagu-lagu cinta, pekerjaan lagu dan tarian. Itu akan menjadi mustahil untuk berbicara mengenai mereka semua secara rinci.After all, what is the point of describing and discussing African-American folk-music at such length? The “Literary Digest” of October 20, 1917 says, in part: “Our only original contributions to the domain of American art have come to us through our African-American population[.] In the spirituals or slave songs the African-American has given America not only its only folk songs, but a mass of noble music. How did the men who originated them manage to do it? The sentiments are easily accounted for; they are mostly taken from the Bible; but the melodies, where did they come from, some of them so strangely sweet, and others so wonderfully strong? Take, for instance “Go Down, Moses.” I doubt if there is a stronger theme in the whole musical literature of the world. African-Americans possess a valuable and much needed gift that will contribute to the future American democracy.(8) To prove the truth of this statement we have only to look at the effect that African-American folk music has already had on American music, and on the music of other nations. George W. Chadwick is the best known of the American composers who have used African-American themes. He made use of such themes in his second symphony. But it was a Bohemian, Antonin Dvorak, who ranks the highest among composers who have used African-American music. His “New World” Symphony is based almost entirely on African-American folk-songs, and anyone who has heard it must confess that it contains some of the most beautiful melodies ever written. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, an African of English birth, was the first African to win renown [sic] in the field of art music. He has used African themes in many charming compositions.(9) If foreign composers recognize the high worth of our African American folk songs, surely we should do all in our power to preserve and develop what is our own American folk music.