The Millsaps Singers on Campus, October 13, 2006
The American Spiritual, or African-American Spiritual, was the common
thread in this impressive program. All the selections were
arrangements, many by well-known African-American composers, such as
Moses Hogan, Andre Thomas, and William Dawson, and of the 14
selections, 12 featured one or more soloists: William Martin, tenor;
James Martin, bass; and Christina Hrivnak, soprano. Three of the
spirituals were accompanied by pianist Janette Sudderth. The balance
between parts was quite good; 23 sopranos, 18 altos, 13 tenors, and 17
basses. The soloists were excellent, although when the solo lines
dipped into the lower registers the choir usually became relatively
more prominent. Diction was remarkably good; with a choir of 70+
singers it is no easy task to get the words across. With a smaller
group, "crisp" diction becomes somewhat easier. Consider that
consonants play a pivotal role in diction, and that each one must be
synchronized among all the singers within the same very small fraction
of a second ("s" is one of the big problems; when not perfectly
synchronized it can turn into a "hiss"). All this requires practise,
and Director Timothy Coker and the Singers had clearly put in a lot of effort
here. It showed (or "sounded")! In any choir, individual voices
- especially of solo quality - must be conformed to the sound of the
group, and with the Singers each of the four sections sounded very
much like one voice, which made the blend exceptional in quality. This
is a polished and impressive choir.
While everything was sung with enthusiasm, I especially enjoyed "Ride
the Chariot" (arr. W. Henry Smith) with Christina Hrivnak. The soprano
line was high, while the choir provided lower sounds with rich harmonies.
"Go, Tell It On the Mountain" (arr. Paul Sjolund) with James Martin was
noteworthy, with a substantial piano accompinament. In "My God Is a Rock",
with James Martin, arranger Alice Parker very successfully captured in
the music the bleakness of the phrase "...in a weary land". William
Dawson's three arrangements were especially pleasing. The first,
"Soon-Ah Will Be Done" did not include a soloist, and was sung
a capella. Here the choir was at its softest, which provided
the base for some powerful contrasts. The closing chord in particular was
finely tuned, and because it was a capella it had that rare
quality that barbershoppers look for when they "ring" the last chord.
"Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit", with James Martin, was also exciting.
The concert closed with "Ezekiel Saw De Wheel", with William Martin, and
in this Dawson created a musical sense of constant motion (the turning of
the wheels) that was truly remarkable. I thank the Singers, the soloists,
and Director Coker for a memorable program.
- Glenn A. Gentry