Gospel choir

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Gospel choir in 2007

A gospel choir is a form of church choir or church-oriented choir that sings gospels , spirituals, and praise and worship songs.

occupation

The original American line-up for gospel choirs consists of soprano , alto and tenor . The bass range only appears sporadically in solos, as it does not have the same strength in choir strength as higher voices. The bass line is usually taken over by the backing band. In Europe, and especially in Germany, however, it is usually common to use soprano, tenor, alto and bass. There are other combinations, especially in German gospel choirs: women's gospel choirs with soprano, mezzo-soprano , alto and low alto as well as male gospel choirs with 1st and 2nd tenor, baritone and bass. There are also children's and youth gospel choirs.

repertoire

The language is mostly English; sometimes translations into German are used. In the German-speaking area, African songs are also included in the repertoire. These have their own origin, but are sometimes mistakenly equated with Black Gospel . German gospel choirs sometimes focus on the predecessor of gospel, the spirituals , and perform them in concerts in completely classical arrangements.

Depending on the interests and beliefs of the gospel choir or the choir director , traditional gospel music by well-known American interpreters such as Mahalia Jackson , Thomas A. Dorsey and contemporary black gospel of the younger generation such as Richard Smallwood, Kirk Franklin , Kurt Carr and Andraé Crouch are increasingly sung.

Choirs

The largest gospel choir met on October 15, 2011 in the Olympiahalle Munich for a Guinness world record , 1138 singers took part. At the Gospelkirchentag 2012 in Dortmund 6,000 singers and 80,000 visitors came together. The event is held every two years and is considered the largest such event in Europe.

Some churches in Germany have made gospel choirs an integral part of their community life. The gospel choir of the evangelical parish in Dresden-Strehlen has been organizing a gospel service on Christmas Eve since 1998 . In Berlin , gospel choirs are also part of the cultural program during the Christmas season.

meaning

The existence of "so many gospel choirs reflects the need compared to the more traditional musical practice for an even more emotional musical expression of faith, for the longing to meet God in a more unbridled, intoxicating way, to approach him in the community of singers and listeners", says Sönke Wittnebel in Blick on the increasing importance of gospel choirs in the Christian churches.

literature

  • Martin Carbow, Christoph Schönherr: choir direction. Pop, jazz, gospel. Schott, Mainz 2006, ISBN 3-7957-0566-5
  • Axel Christian Schullz: Handbook of Gospel Choir Conducting . Good News Gospel Project, Essen 2004, ISBN 3980979008

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Largest gospel choir in the world , accessed on November 3, 2011.
  2. ↑ http://www.livenet.ch/magazin/jugend/youthmag/events/217002-80000_besucher_und_6000_saenger.html (accessed on: June 4, 2012).
  3. ↑ http://www.gospelkirchentag.de/ (accessed on: June 4, 2012).
  4. ↑ http://www.radiopsr.de/3552854/Allgemeine-Veranstaltungen/6892618/aktuelle_veranstaltungen_in_sachsen.html
  5. ↑ http://www.weihnachteninberlin.de/erleben/events/3200061-977872-gospel-weihnachtskonzerte-in-berlin.html
  6. ↑ Sönke Wittnebel, The Longing to Meet God More Emotionally. Reflections on Gospel Choirs , in: Music in our Church. Handbook of Church Music in the Evangelical Church in Württemberg , ed. from the Office for Church Music of the Evangelical Church in Württemberg , Edition Strube-Verlag 9058, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-89912-102-5 , p. 35