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The Evolution of Gospel Music


The singer, guitarist and composer Sister Rosetta-Tharpe was the first major star of gospel music during the emergence of pop music in the 30's and remained famous during the 40's. She had a following with hundreds of fans (Harvey 2007: 5-9). .
             Socio Cultural Aspects of the Gospel and its Beginnings .
             The female gospel singers in the beginning were distinguished for their spontaneity and informality. This aroused suspicion and concern among religious leaders of the time. They could not appreciate this new musical style. It was a time of extraordinary Christian revival. Passionate sermons were preached in big meetings and Christian services, which were held in the cities of North America. Together with performances organized in black ghettos Gospel music consolidated independently through performances in churches like the Highway of Atlanta and Baptist Churches of the Siege of Fire (Harvey 2007: 5-9). Here African-American worshipers enjoyed the established traditions of improvisation in the sermon and lots of music interspersed with the ongoing dialogue between the pastor and the crowd. This was formalized in musical patterns and consisting of music and dance inducing a kind of ecstasy. .
             The descriptions and illustrations give an idea of what was the worship of that time. The lack of formality resulted in no written music being produced. There was no commercial material such as, for example, a concert. This music meant change to an audience. This was the case when in 1871 the pastor asked Black students at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, to form a choir tour for fundraising (Minowa 2009: 266-272). In the next travel across the United States and Europe, the group performed songs from plantations of the pre-abolitionist era. This captured the imagination of the largely white audience. .
             The music was stylized by choir directors' with a European musical background. Thus, Spirituals became the favorite of European audiences.


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