Negro spiritual music: only the black notes
Gospel singer Wintley Phipps, speaking to an audience at Carnegie Hall, told his listeners that just about every Negro spiritual was written using only the black notes of the piano—the pentatonic scale or the “slave scale.” Songs written with this scale by white songwriters were called white spirituals, and perhaps the most famous white spiritual of all time, Amazing Grace, was written by a man named John Newton, a former captain of a slave ship. “It has a haunting, haunting plaintive quality to it that reaches past your arrogance, past your pride, and it speaks to that part of you that’s in bondage. And we feel it. We feel it. It’s just one of the most amazing melodies in all of human history.”
Amazing grace
Introducing his own stirring rendition (see below) of Amazing Grace, Phipps declared with powerful conviction:
I believe that God wanted that song written just as it was written so that we would be reminded that as Christians, whether black or white, free or bond, in His eyes, we are all connected…we are connected…we are connected by God’s amazing grace!
Hallelujah!
We are connected by God’s amazing grace!
Amen, Amen, Amen. I’ve never heard this song done more movingly.
Have you ever been touched by this Amazing Grace?
Thanks to KarmaTube for featuring this video and providing context.
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This touched my heart so amazing
Thank you, Festus. You made my day with this lovely comment.
Hold up…I took piano for about 6 months, back in Albq., it’s been 4 years since my keyboard got washed away in the 2011 flood in Minot. I need to buy a new one and start up again. Another “connection” – music. I would like to have music in my life again.
Oh my, what a post! I did not know about the black keys and the white keys, and like you and Karen, I took piano lessons for years (though you’d never know it if you sat me in front of a piano now…!). I have not listened to the video here yet, because I’m on vacation, and just the thought of Amazing Grace brings tears to my eyes. When I actually listen to the song I sob. Every single time. I agree, there’s something about the melody and then, of course, the words, that reaches into a core of us, deeply. Amen, indeed.
Pamela, I must have been on vacation myself to have missed this wonderful comment when you posted it. I apologize for not responding promptly. I, too, was fascinated by this story of the “slave scale” and the origin of “Amazing Grace.” I hope you’ve had time to watch this video. It’s so inspiring and moving.
I did not know this, about the black notes. We never touched on this in piano lessons. Amazing! I enjoyed the video very much.
I didn’t either, Karen, and I took piano from elementary school well into college. I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. I was enthralled by it!