25 Recommended Recordings of Negro Spirituals for Solo Vocalist Compiled by Randye Jones This is a sample of recordings recommended for enhancing library collections of Spirituals and, thus, is limited (with one exception) to recordings available on compact disc. This list includes a variety of voice types, time periods, interpretative styles, and accompaniment. Selections were compiled from The Spirituals Database, a resource referencing more than 450 recordings of Negro Spiritual art songs.

Marian Anderson, Contralto He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands (1994) RCA Victor 09026-61960-2 CD, with piano Songs by Hall Johnson, Harry T. Burleigh, Lawrence Brown, J. Rosamond Johnson, Hamilton Forrest, Florence Price, Edward Boatner, Roland Hayes

Spirituals (1999) RCA Victor Red Seal 09026-63306-2 CD, recorded between 1936 and 1952, with piano Songs by Hall Johnson, John C. Payne, Harry T. Burleigh, Lawrence Brown, Hamilton Forrest, Robert MacGimsey, Roland Hayes, Florence Price, Edward Boatner, R. Nathaniel Dett

Angela Brown, Soprano Mosiac: a collection of African-American spirituals with piano and guitar (2004) Albany Records TROY721 CD, variously with piano, guitar Songs by Angela Brown, Undine Smith Moore, Moses Hogan, Evelyn Simpson- Curenton, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price, Betty Jackson King, Roland Hayes, Joseph Joubert

Todd Duncan, Baritone Negro Spirituals (1952) Allegro ALG3022 LP, with piano Songs by J. Rosamond Johnson, Harry T. Burleigh, Lawrence Brown, William C. Hellman, Edward Boatner

Denyce Graves, Mezzo-soprano Angels Watching Over Me (1997) NPR Classics CD 0006 CD, variously with piano, chorus, a cappella Songs by Hall Johnson, Harry T. Burleigh, Marvin Mills, Evelyn Simpson- Curenton, Shelton Becton, Roland Hayes, Robert MacGimsey

Roland Hayes, Tenor Favorite Spirituals (1995) Vanguard Classics OVC 6022 CD, with piano Songs by Roland Hayes

Barbara Hendricks, Soprano Give Me Jesus (1998) EMI Classics 7243 5 56788 2 9 CD, variously with chorus, a cappella Songs by Moses Hogan, Roland Hayes, Edward Boatner, Harry T. Burleigh

Benjamin Matthews, Bass-baritone A Balm in Gilead (2000) Ebony Classic Recordings ECR 0001 CD, with piano Songs by Leo Edwards, Betty Jackson King, Hall Johnson, Florence Price, Edward Boatner, Eva Jessye, Elmer A. Simpson, Lena McLin, Jacqueline Hairston, Margaret Bonds, Willis James, Roland Hayes, Roland Carter, Charles Tindley

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Jessye Norman, Soprano Spirituals (1990) Philips 416 462-2 CD, variously with piano, chorus, a cappella Songs by Willis Patterson, Dalton Baldwin, Jessye Norman, Thomas Kerr, Jr.

Leontyne Price, Soprano The Essential Leontyne Price (1996) BMG Classics 09026-68153-2 CD, variously with chorus, orchestra, a cappella Songs by Harry T. Burleigh, Lawrence Collingwood, Leonard de Paur, Roland Hayes, Margaret Bonds, Hall Johnson, Florence Price, Edward Boatner, Dick Dallas, Robert MacGimsey, William L. Dawson, Fred Hall

Florence Quivar, Mezzo-soprano Ride On, King Jesus: Florence Quivar Sings Black Music of America (2010) EMI Classics 9 67138 2 CD, variously with piano or chorus Songs by William Grant Still, Margaret Bonds, Hall Johnson. Robert Nathaniel Dett, Robert MacGimsey

Derek Lee Ragin, Countertenor Negro Spirituals (2006) Virgin Classics 0946 363305 2 5 CD, variously with piano or chorus Songs by Moses Hogan, Jester Hairston, R. M. Carter, R. E. Williams, Hale Smith

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Paul Robeson, Bass-baritone Paul Robeson: The Complete EMI Sessions, 1928-1939 (2008) EMI Classics 2 15586 2 CD, variously with piano, orchestra.chorus Songs by Walter White, James Weldon Johnson, Harry T. Burleigh, Ernest Irving, Lawrence Brown, Hall Johnson, Edward Boatner, Ruthland Clapham

Robert Sims, Baritone Robert Sims Sings the Spirituals of Roland Hayes (2015) Canti Classics 2014-01 CD, variously a cappella, with piano Songs by Roland Hayes

Darryl Taylor, Countertenor How Sweet the Sound (2011) Albany TROY1244 CD, with piano Songs by Betty Jackson King, Harry T. Burleigh, Margaret Bonds, Thomas Kerr, Jr., Jacqueline Hairston, Moses Hogan, Hall Johnson, Hale Smith, Roland Carter, Robert Morris, George Walker, Deon N. Price, Maria Thompson Corley

Louise Toppin, Soprano He'll Bring It to Pass: The Spirituals of Hall Johnson for Voice and Piano (2006) Albany Records TROY846 CD, with piano Songs by Hall Johnson

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Various Vocalists Black Christmas: Spirituals in the African-American Tradition (1990) Essay Recordings CD1011 CD, selections by mezzo-soprano Vanessa Ayers and tenor Thomas Young, variously with piano, chorus Songs by Hall Johnson, Thomas Young, Wendell Whalum, Willis James, William Dawson, Roland Hayes

Deep River: Featuring 10 Spirituals Arranged for Solo Voice…. (2000) MGH Records 5000 CD, selections by soprano Henrietta Davis, baritone Robert Sims, bass Alfred Walker, accompanied by piano Songs by Moses Hogan

First Time Buyer's Guide to American Negro Spirituals (2006) Primo Collection PRMCD6038

CD, selections by sopranos Ellabelle Davis and Dorothy Maynor, contralto Marian Anderson, tenor Roland Hayes, baritone Jules Bledsoe, bass-baritone Paul Robeson Songs by R. Nathaniel Dett, Lawrence Brown, Harry T. Burleigh, John C. Payne

Good News (2007) Videmus Records VIS 735 CD, performed by Videmus (soprano Louise Toppin, contralto Ruth Hamilton, baritone Robert Honeysucker) Songs for Hall Johnson, Harry T. Burleigh, Roland Hayes, Margaret Bonds

Negro Spirituals (1998) EMI 7243 5 72790 2 4 CD, selections by sopranos Martina Arroyo, Kathleen Battle, Barbara Hendricks, mezzo-soprano Florence Quivar, contralto Marian Anderson, variously with chorus, piano Songs by various composers, including R. Nathaniel Dett, Harry T. Burleigh, William Lawrence, Leonard dePaur, William Dawson, Robert Sadin, Hall Johnson, James Miller, Margaret Bonds, Edward Boatner, Roland Hayes, Howard Johnson, Robert MacGimsey

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Negro Spirituals: The Concert Tradition, 1909-1948 (1999) Frémeaux & Associés FA 168 CD, selections by sopranos Ellabelle Davis and Dorothy Maynor, contraltos Marian Anderson and Evelyn Dove, tenors Jules Bledsoe and Roland Hayes, baritone John Payne, and bass-baritone Paul Robeson Songs by various composers, including Lawrence Brown, Harry T. Burleigh, Roland Hayes, John C. Payne, R. P. Parham, R. Nathaniel Dett Spirituals in Concert (1991) Deutsche Grammophon 429 790-2 CD, solo and duet selections by sopranos Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman, variously accompanied by orchestra, organ, chorus, flute, harp, piano Songs by Charles Lloyd, Jr., Don Marsh, Sylvia Olden Lee, Hall Johnson, Evelyn Simpson-Curenton, Thomas Kerr, Jr., William L. Dawson, Hale Smith, Kurt Kaiser, Margaret Bonds

Steal Away (2014) Yellow Einstein CD, solo and duet selections by mezzo-soprano J’nai Bridges and baritone Will Liverman, variously with piano, flute, viola Songs by Shawn Okpebholo

Watch and Pray: Spirituals and Art Songs by African-American Women Composers (1994) Koch International Classics 3-7247-2H1 CD, selections by mezzo-soprano Pamela Dillard, contralto Ruth Hamilton, baritone Robert Honeysucker, accompanied by piano Songs by Margaret Bonds, Undine Smith Moore, Florence Price, Julia Perry, Betty Jackson King

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