Sonata Hymnica No. 6 2 Pianos - Digital Sheet Music

SKU: A0.1659364

In his classic book The Souls of Black Folk (Chicago, 1903), W. E. B. Du Bois confesses to not
being a musician but nonetheless enthralled by the worship of Southern 19th-century African
Americans. He refers to their singing as “the Frenzy or ‘Shouting,’ when the Spirit of the Lord
passed by, and seizing the devotee, made him mad with supernatural joy . . . stamping, shrieking,
and shouting, the rushing to and fro and waving of arms, the weeping and laughing, the vision and
the trance” (p. 116). Elsewhere, Du Bois speaks of “. . . the songs of my fathers . . . [and] fresh young
voices . . . swelling with song, instinct for life, tremendous treble and darkening bass” (p. 163).
Sonata Hymnica No. 6 uses the African call and response form as well as percussive polyrhythms
to evoke the impressionistic memory Du Bois had of the singing in Southern black churches of his
day. One piano is the song leader giving the call. The other piano is the choir and congregation in
“the Frenzy,” responding to the song leader, sometimes with a folk Spiritual, later with a fragment
of a familiar Classical chorus about how “the Lord God omnipotent reigneth; Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
Performance Note
Sonata Hymnica No. 6 is scored for two pianos and three performers. One performer (or, player)
sits at Piano I and may also serve as the conductor. At Piano II, Performer 1 plays from the treble
staff and Performer 2 plays from the bass staff. There are possible variations in this, such as having
four pianos (two pianos doubling the other two), or having two performers at Piano I, with
Performer 2 playing only the bass-staff rhythmic pattern that begins in measure 37. A standing
conductor (not playing piano) may be desired.