His Eye is On the Sparrow

(Starts at 36:28)

Note from JJJJJerome Ellis about his name: “I have an ongoing practice of spelling my name JJJJJerome Ellis. I do this because the word I stutter on most frequently is my name. You can spell it JJJJJerome or Jerome, however you prefer.”

Tremolo: Watch as the hammers bounce on the strings of the hammer dulcimer, creating rapid tremolo figures!

Improvisation / Arrangement: After a hammer dulcimer improvisation, JJJJJerome sings a popular church hymn tune: "His Eye is On the Sparrow." (Hear the tune sung by Mahalia Jackson, here). Compare Mahalia Jackson’s performance to JJJJJerome’s. What do you notice?

Non-Metric: JJJJJerome's performance of "His Eye is On the Sparrow" is not performed in strict time. Mahalia Jackson's performance uses a great deal of rubato, but the piano accompaniment underneath her helps us to hear the notated meter. In JJJJJerome's performance, the phrases are self-directed, with a wash of hammer dulcimer tones underneath the melody. How does this change the music?

Lyrics: (Singing begins at 38:45)
Why should I feel discouraged
Why should the shadows come
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heaven and home

When peace is my portion
A constant friend is peace
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches over me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me

His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches
I know he watches
I know he watches me

I sing because I'm happy
I sing because I'm free
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me