[.ca] The Books Of American Negro Spirituals: Two Volumes In One (ISBN 0306812029)

Outstanding transcriptions of traditional music:
This book stays true to aural tradition and offers outstanding, non-Westernized arrangements of the aural traditional music of African American spirituals. The choice of using phonetic spellings for the lyrics means that the lyrics are heavy in the use of words like "dese", "dose", "Heab'n", etc. However, given the original publication being in the 1920's, and the author's comments in the introduction, it is apparent that the spellings are not the result of gross cultural insensitivity. The respect for, and love of this fine music comes through in the author's comments. And the transcriptions retain the strong harmonic features that are often "arranged out" of collections of aural traditional music. It is a fine collection, and an absolute steal at the price.

The Books of American Negro Spirituals:
This is one of the best reference books available on the history of Negro Spirituals as well as a vast collection of songs - many of which have not been heard during our time. The preface begins with an awe inspiring poem " O Black and Unknown Bards". This is a must read for musicians, especially singers of Spirituals. Composers and arrangers would appreciate it's content as well.