570. Go Down, Moses

Go Dowx, Moses

The text of this, one of the most stately and beautiful of the
Negro spirituals, is close to that of the first two stanzas m J. B. T.
INIarsh's The Story of the Jubilee Singers, with Their Songs (Bos-
ton. 1881), p. 142.

I-n.ni Miss Clara Hearne. Principal of Central School, Roanoke Rapids,
Halifax county. October 20. 1923, as sung by Negroes m Chatham county.

1 Leader: When Israel was in Egypt's land.
Chorus: Let my people go!

Leader: Oppress'd so hard they could not stand.
Chorus: Let my people go!

Chorus and Leader:

Go down, Moses,

W'av down in Egypt's land ;

Tell old Pharaoh.

Let my ])eople go!

2 Leader: 'Thus saidi the Lord." bold Mo.ses said.
Chorus: Let my people go !

Leader: If not I'll smite your first-born dead,
Chorum: Let my people go !

Chorus and Leader:

Go down. Moses,
Way down in Egypt's land ;

Tell old Pharaoh,

Let my people go!
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570

Go Down, Moses

'Go Dovm, Moses.' Sung by Miss Clara Hearne, Roanoke Rapids, Halifax
county, 1920-23. This song is one of many others testifying to the fact
that "civilization" is not always a blessing, and the leading tone can be as
much a disease as the so-called "Scotch Snap" (alia Lombarda). For additional
text cf. NSSUS 131, and BSS 28.

F-502

 

When Is - rael was in E - gypt's land. Let my peo"- pie


go!-

 

Op - pressed so hard they could not stand. Let my

peo-ple go! Go down, Mos-es, Way down in E-gypt'sland;

Tell— old Pha - raoh, Let my peo - pie go.

For melodic relationship cf. ***BANS i 51-3; ANS 165; WNS 181, No. u
A, in which there is, however, no chorus ; FSUSA 372, here the leading tone
does not occur ; TFS 210.

Scale : Hexatonic (6), plagal. Tonal Center : a (m). Structure : aa^bc (4,4,4,4)
— mm^n (4,4,8) = barform. The basic melodic progression of the second
half of b is the same as the first half of a. The ending of c is the same
as that of a.