Gospel - the History, Analysis of Repertoire and Performing Style

Abstract

Gospel is a musical genre characterized by dominant vocals (often with strong use of harmony) reťerencing lyrics of a religious nature, particularly Christian. In the first chapter, I describe gospel as a phenomenon and I mentioned its historical roots. The second chapter deals with the black and white gospel and its subchapters (2.1. 2.2) illustrate the history and development of the both genre. I he third chapter contains the historical genres related to gospel. The main attention is paid to the Negro Spirituals (3.1) and to the blues' music (3.2). The fourth chapter embraces typical examples of songs from Negro spirituál to contemporary gospel songs. The next Chapter (5) is the culmination of my diploma work. I described there the originál means of expression typical for the written scores and practical performing usage of gospel music. I found it the most important and interesting Chapter because I mentioned there many examples typical for gospel music from the musical point of view. The individua! subchapters explain some instructions of interpreters how to realize specific demands. They concern the gospel moan, screams and shouts, song-speech and gospel vibrato, pitch, passing toneš, bends, neighbour toneš and the gospel groupetto, vocal ornaments, rhythm, gospel phrasing and syncopation, repetition,...