top of page

The Journey of Harriet Tubman |SATB Chorus, Soprano soloist, kalimba and marimba| 25m

(SATB performance by the bakersfield college chamber singers, dr. jennifer garrett, conductor and commissioner)

Notes from the publisher

 

     This 5-movement (multi-media) work pays tribute to one of the great heroes of the emancipation era.  Because scholars have no idea how these spirituals were performed before the Civil War, Dr. Kean's goal was to compose and arrange music in a style that is evocative of the enslaved African's frame of reference based upon their west African musical heritage and in their sociological context. 

​

     Dr. Kean chose to accompany the spirituals with the kalimba (thumb piano) to honor the west African manner of connecting with their ancestors and the marimba to sound like the west African balafon.

Steal Away

​

Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus
Steal away, steal away home
I ain't got long to stay here.

 

My Lord, He calls me,
Calls me by the thunder.

​

My Lord calls me,

Calls me by the lightning.

Go Down, Moses

 

When Israel was in Egypt land
Let my people go!

Oppressed so hard they could not stand
Let my people go!

​

Go down Moses

Way down in Egypt land

Tell all pharaoh to let my people go!

 

The Lord told Moses what to do

He said: Let my people go!
To lead the Hebrew children through
Let my people go!

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

 

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home 
Coming for to carry me home

 

I looked over Jordan, what did I see
Coming for to carry me home
A band of angels coming after me
Coming for to carry me home

 

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home

 

If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming too
Coming for to carry me home

 

Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home
Swing low, sweet chariot
Coming for to carry me home

Oh, Freedom

 

O freedom, O freedom,

O freedom over me!

​

And before I'd be a slave,

I'd be planted in my grave

And go home to my Lord and be free!

​

There be singin'

There be singin'

There be singing' over me.

​

And before I'd be a slave,

I'd be planted in my grave

And go home to my Lord and be free!

Pavane Publishing #P8012

bottom of page