Eight years of inspired work by a committee of more than 30 musicians and pastors, all leaders in African American worship and gospel music, have resulted in this compendium representing the common repertoire of African American churches across the United States. For the first time in an African American hymnal, traditional hymns and songs are notated to reflect performance practices found in the oral tradition of the black church in America. At a time when such traditions are falling victim to modern technology, this book strives to preserve this rich heritage for future generations. Presented are litanies for "Fifty-Two Sundays of Worshipful Celebration" outlining an African American church year, including such special days as Martin Luther King Sunday, Elders' Day, Mother's Day, and Men's Day. Also included are 52 responsive scripture readings from the Old and New Testaments and an extensive index that includes scriptural and thematic cross-references.

For students of world music and world cultures, this authoritative handbook provides an in-depth survey of the full spectrum of black and white South African music. * A detailed exploration of South African music, organized in six chapters, written by a leading ethnomusicology scholar from South Africa, supplemented by a CD with a wide variety of authentic recordings collected by the author * Photographs, maps, and sheet music give music students and general readers a deeper understanding of South African music, culture, and political influences

African-American women composers remain largely unknown despite their important musical contributions. Active in the United States since the late-19th century, several gained national and international recognition during their lifetimes, only to have their work neglected after their deaths. "From Spirituals to Symphonies" is a unique, extensively researched examination of the history and scope of musical composition by African-American women, focusing on the implications of race, gender, and class for their musical creativity, and demonstrating how this important, underappreciated category of American art was shaped by the unique individual personalities of its participants. Their particular times, communities, families, racial heritages, economic circumstances, education, and musical training were all brought to bear on their music, and author Helen Walker-Hill challenges the assumption that black women's only important musical contributions have been in folk, jazz, and pop. With unprecedented detail, she charts the lives and the output of a group of artists whose work has gone unnoticed for too many years.