[Note: With the updates to The Spirituals Database, the database links below are no longer valid–the video links still work. The database links will be fixed as time permits (in fact, it’s going to be a giant mess for a while since I’m going to do a bit of redesign, too). Those fixed are those with video images. Sorry for any inconvenience.]

Videos created from a century of recordings of (often) rare performances of Negro spirituals composed for concert presentation. Click on the triple lines in the upper left corner of the video to see and select from the complete list of available videos. A complete list of the videos is also below.

Hall Johnson, composer ; Marian Anderson, contralto ; Spirituals Database Entry
The video tracks and TSD track information:

 


Oh, Glory
Hall Johnson, composer
Robert McFerrin, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

O Freedom
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, composer
George Shirley, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Nobody Knows de Trouble I’ve Seen
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
William Warfield, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

There’s A Man Going Round
Traditional
Jessye Norman, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray
Composer not identified
Lawrence Winters, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Give Me Jesus
Hall Johnson, composer
Vinson Cole, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Prepare Me One Body ; Three Wise Men to Jerusalem Came (Sister Mary Had-a but One Child) ; Lit’l Boy ; Live-a-Humble ; He Raised Poor Lazarus ; You Hear the Lambs a-Cryin’ ; Plenty Good Room (from The Life of Christ)
Roland Hayes, composer
Roland Hayes, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

One of You Shall Betray Me ; Who Betrayed My Lord? ; They Led My Lord Away ; He Never Said a Mumberlin’ Word ; Did You Hear When Jesus Rose? ; Were You There? (from: The Life of Christ)
Roland Hayes, composer
Roland Hayes, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Medley: Roll de old Chariot — Mary Had a Baby, Yes Lord — Swing Low, Sweet Chariot — Heav’n, Heav’n (I Got a Robe)
Composer not identified
Paul Robeson, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray
Composer not identified
Evelyn Dove, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Oh, What a Beautiful City
Edward Boatner, composer
Vinson Cole, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands
Margaret Bonds, composer
Leontyne Price, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

City Called Heaven
Hall Johnson, composer
Martina Arroyo, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Steal Away
McHenry Boatwright, composer
McHenry Boatwright, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Witness
Hall Johnson, composer
Todd Duncan, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Goin’ Shout All Over God’s Heaven
Composer not identified
Jules Bledsoe, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

He Never Said a Mumberlin’ Word
Roland Hayes, composer
Charles Holland, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Damien Sneed, composer
Lawrence Brownlee, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Here’s One
William Grant Still, composer
Florence Quivar, mezzo-soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

God Is a God
Wendell Whalum, composer
Kenneth Overton, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

On My Journey Now
Edward Boatner, composer
Ruby Elzy, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Were You There
Composer not identified
Betty Allen, mezzo-soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Great Day
Thomas Kerr, Jr., composer
Jessye Norman, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

I Want to Die Easy
Hale Smith, composer
Donnie Ray Albert, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

I’m a Poor Little Orphan in This World!
Composer not identified
Shirley Verrett, mezzo-soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

My Lord, what a mornin’
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
Roberta Alexander, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Let Us Break Bread Together
William Lawrence, composer
Robert McFerrin, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Deep River
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
William Warfield, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

I’m So Glad Trouble Don’t Last Alway
R. Nathaniel Dett, composer
Carroll Clark, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Deep River
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
Robert McFerrin, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

God Is a God
Wendell Whalum, composer
Kenneth Overton, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Go Down Moses
Robert Owens, composer
Oral Moses, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Calvary Medley
Shelton E. Kilby, III, composer
Barbara Conrad, mezzo-soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Roll, Jerd’n, Roll
Hall Johnson, composer
Todd Duncan, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Let Us Break Bread Together
McHenry Boatwright, composer
McHenry Boatwright, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Deep River
Harry T. Burleigh, composer
William Warfield, bass-baritone, baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Who’ll Be a Witness for My Lord
J. Rosamond Johnson, composer
Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Honor, Honor/Ride on, King Jesus
Composer not identified
Hope Foye, soprano
Spirituals Database Entry
 

This Little Light of Mine/Deep River (from Symphonic Spirituals)
Hale Smith/Frederick Tillis, composer
William Brown, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen/Ezekiel Saw a Wheel
Traditional
Bayard Rustin, tenor
Spirituals Database Entry
 

Po’ Mourner’s Got a Home at Las’ (from A Cycle of Six Negro Spirituals for Bass (Baritone) and Piano)
Robert Owens, composer
Oral Moses, bass-baritone
Spirituals Database Entry
 

More videos will be added as they are created.Randye (a.k.a. Divaslair)

By an’ By Harry T. Burleigh Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Sweet little Jesus Boy Robert MacGimsey Jessye Norman, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Round about de mountain Roland Hayes Inez Matthews, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Guide My Feet Jacqueline Hairston Louise Toppin, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
This Little Light o’ Mine John Wesley Work III Kevin Maynor, bass Spirituals Database Entry
Glory, Glory, Hallelujah Lena McLin Mark Rucker, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Is There Anybody Here Undine Smith Moore Pamela Dillard, mezzo-soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Gospel Blues (from Lyric Suite) Robert L. Morris Calesta “Callie” Day, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Oh, Glory Evelyn Simpson-Curenton Kathleen Battle, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Crucifixion William Arms Fisher Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Standin’ in de Need o’ Prayer John C. Payne John C. Payne, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray Harry T. Burleigh Martina Arroyo, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit Shawn Okepebholo Will Liverman, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands Hamilton Forrest Martina Arroyo, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
City Called Heaven Edward Boatner Mattiwilda Dobbs, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Go Down Moses Florence Price Richard Heard, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Sweet Little Jesus Boy Robert MacGimsey Carol Brice, contralto Spirituals Database Entry
City Called Heaven Composer not identified Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry
All God’s Chillin Got Wings John Rosamond Johnson Todd Duncan, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Go Down Moses Harry T. Burleigh Harry T. Burleigh, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Toccata (Ride On King Jesus) (from Cantata) John D. Carter Ray Wade, Jr., tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Goin’ to Ride up in de Chariot [Lawrence Brown] Kenneth Spencer, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Hear de Lambs a-Cryin’ (from The Life of Christ) Roland Hayes Charles Holland, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Were You There Harry T. Burleigh Sherrill Milnes, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
There’s a Man Goin’ Roun’ Takin’ Names-Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho Composer not identified Kenneth Spencer, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Hear de Lam’s a-Cryin’ Lawrence Brown Kenneth Spencer, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Let Us Break Bread Together Composer not identified Adele Addison, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
There Is a Balm in Gilead Traditional Bayard Rustin, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Hold on Hall Johnson Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Steal Away Traditional Adele Addison, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh Carroll Clark, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
City Called Heaven Hall Johnson Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
His Name So Sweet Hall Johnson Anne Wiggins Brown, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child-Hold on! Composer not identified Hope Foye, soprano Spirituals Database Entry
De Gospel Train Harry T. Burleigh William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry
My Lord What a Mornin’ Harry T. Burleigh William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Go Down, Moses Harry T. Burleigh William Warfield, bass-baritone Spirituals Database Entry
Bye and Bye Lawrence Brown Paul Robeson, baritone; Lawrence Brown, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
Deep River Harry T. Burleigh Oscar Seagle, baritone Spirituals Database Entry
My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord Florence Price Marian Anderson, contralto Spirituals Database Entry
Were You There Roland Hayes Roland Hayes, tenor Spirituals Database Entry
City Called Heaven Composer not identified Ethel Ayler, soprano Spirituals Database Entry