AS - Aux sources des negro spirituals : l’expérience de Port Royal à travers Slave Songs of the United States (1867)

Abstract

The collection Slave Songs Of The United States (1867) constitutes the first true ethnomusicological contribution to the exegesis of negro-spirituals. The authors – three white North Americans, including a young woman – have collected 136 songs that they have transcribed and annotated. As an accurate enquiry, published in New York, it laid the foundations of an original corpus susceptible to make research progress. The present article attempts to examine and analyse that source. On the way to Port Royal and the Sea Islands, an original black and white « score » becomes apparent, to the surface of which rises the « virtuous wave » of three researchers in quest of humanity with a background of scientificity.

Keywords

• emancipation
• ethnomusicology
• negro spiritual
• slavery
• transcription