Slave Songs of The United States

"It is hard to explain why no systematic effort has hitherto been made to collect and preserve their melodies.The public had well-nigh forgotten these genuine slave songs, and with them the creative power from which they sprung.These are the songs heard . . . upon the Mississippi . . . wild and strangely fascinating."--from the IntroductionThe authors lived during the nineteenth century and recorded the music of the slaves from what was actually heard on plantations during, and immediately following, the Civil War. Dramatic and melodious songs like "Come Go With Me," "Hold Out to the End," and "The Lonesome Valley" speak truthfully of the slave way of life--the hardships, the spirituality, the community. In this edition, directions for singing and musical scores are provided, thus accurately preserving the original intonations and rhythms of these songs that are an integral part of the nation's history.