Reviews

Historically Black Colleges and Universities Choral Festival
Choirs from Hampton University, Elizabeth City State, Morgan State and Norfolk State Sing
February 17, 2013
L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center, Norfolk State University
Review by John Campbell

An integrated audience turned out to hear the incredibly beautiful singing at Wilder Hall as Norfolk State University hosted the annual HBCU Choral Festival. Gregory Gardiner was emcee for the event.

It was a celebration of the African-American choral tradition, one that has remained strong over 150 years, beginning with the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. The tradition of having trained choral groups at historically black colleges and universities began in 1867. George L. White, a white teacher at Fisk University, “devoted his leisure hours to music instruction…, he let them sing their own music as well as standard classical music” according to Eileen Southern (The Music of Black Americans). In the winter of 1872-73 Hampton Institute (now University) also organized singing groups to tour to raise money to build their school.

The program opened with a powerful arrangement on organ, a prelude played by Terry Butler: Improvisation on We Shall Overcome by Carl Haywood. Next up was Elizabeth City State University Choir with twenty-nine members conducted by Dr. Walter Swan. The gentle, rich sound of All My Trials (arranged by Norman Luboff) in parts and with soprano soloist Chameshia Coplon was sung from memory and a cappella. Chela Faulkner was soloist in Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit, supported by the choir in a powerful arrangement by Moses Hogan. The choir hummed quietly, adding to the sense of prayer. To open, the men sang gently Psalm 57 as set by Betty Jackson King; the women entered in unison. Later there was beautiful singing in parts emerging in this dramatic and demanding arrangement of praying for mercy.

Hampton University Concert Choir, with thirty-four singers, was conducted by Omar J. Dickenson with (the now late) Dr. Carl G. Harris, Jr. at the piano. Ride on, Jesus (Roland Carter) was beautifully sung by women in blue gowns and the men in silver ties. From the 1870s onward Hampton has had a choir. The students’ professional demeanor and charisma were outstanding. They sang César Franck’s setting of Psalm 150. After a long piano introduction, the singers gave a powerful, beautiful reading, capturing a sense of mystery. Entreat Me Not to Leave You, set by Dan Forest from the story of Ruth and Esther from the Holy Bible, had various voice groupings. A song by R. Nathaniel Dett, Don’t You Weep no More, Mary included pauses and a crisp ending. In the first half of the twentieth century Dett built the Hampton Institute choir into a superior organization that won critical acclaim on tours in the U.S. and Europe.

Some fifty voices of the Morgan State University Concert Choir from Baltimore, Maryland were led by Eric Conway. O Magnum Mysterium (sung in Latin) set by Morten Lauridsen, had a beautifully sustained sound and was richly emotional. Deep voices emerged briefly then blended back in. In John Rutter’s setting of Gloria, conductor Conway played the piano with all the accidentals while the singers added explosive vocal phrases, all in Latin.

Three refined gospel arrangements with piano completed Morgan State’s musical offering: Precious Lord (Nathan Carter) with choral support for a talented but unnamed female soloist, Elijah Rock (Moses Hogan) with its amazing dynamic spectrum and You Must Have that True Religion (Roland Carter) with a piercing soprano ribbon of sound above the spectacular dynamic creation of a moving wave of lower voices.

Then President Tony Atwater of Norfolk State University offered remarks: “September 4, 2012 was the first time a sitting president had visited NSU.” With 11,000 students attending, the NSU Choir, seventy members strong, sang for President Obama, the same choir that sang for this audience. The choir, conducted by Dr. Carl W. Haywood with continuo accompaniment by Mr. Terry W. Butler and guest musicians Anastasia Migliozzi – violin, James Harmon – viola and Stephanie Sanders - bassoon, gave us Psalm 117 (in Latin) “O praise the Lord, all ye nations” by Georg Philipp Telemann.

The invitational hymn Sinner Please Don’t Let this Harvest Pass by J. Harold Montague was performed a cappella with pinpoint pauses and endings. It was followed by another piece in Latin, Cantate Domino, by Józaf Swider. Latin texts were translated into English in the handsome program booklet. With spectacular deceleration of rhythms, a single voice leads into a choral babble that goes faster and faster, creating a distressing tension. There was a thunderous applause as the tension resolves in the ending. Fix Me Jesus, arranged by Brandon Waddles, had a fine flow as the singers ask to be prepared first for this journey home, dying bed, starry crown and finally the good time to come.

The final NSU Choir selection, Way Over in Beulah Lan’ opens with a moving bass hum, enhanced by low, percussive phrases. There was a lot of joy here.

The finale was a gathering of all four choirs on stage for the historically important Lift Every Voice and Sing by the Johnson brothers, J. Rosamond and James Weldon, in a choral setting by Roland M. Carter. It expresses the emotional ups and downs that reflect the journey of African-Americans in their continuing quest for equal treatment in America. The host of trained singers accompanied by a wildly exuberant piano gave the program a most satisfying conclusion. Folks who have lived this history and who sing about it bring a deep understanding that we all can learn from. My recommendation is to hear any of these choirs whenever possible.