In the Bottoms Suite: Prelude - Night

(Starts at 0:29)

Program Note: "This piece depicts scenes and moods in the lives of Black Americans, along the river bottoms [low-lying land along a river] of the Southern United States. It was composed in 1913, during Dett's tenure at Lane College. Having been inspired by Dvorak's inclusion of traditional folk melodies in larger forms, Dett, in 'In the Bottoms,' made use of characteristics indigenous to Black folk music. Dett felt that not only that Black folk melodies were worthy of being used in art music, but that they themselves could be expanded to become larger forms. It was not, however, until several years later that this concept clearly became his objective." - Debra A. Miles

Sheet Music: https://vmirror.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/c/c8/IMSLP64680-PMLP131763-Dett_In_the_Bottoms.pdf 

Ternary Form:
A: 0:29
B: 2:18
A: 3:25

Table of Contents - Featured Movements:
Prelude - Night
His Song
Honey Humoresque
Dance Juba