Afro-American Suite: Movement I - Nobody Knows the Trouble I See, Lord, Brother Will Pray for Me, Help Me to Drive Ole Satan Away

Undine Smith Moore
Piece Duration: 4:47

About this Piece

(Mvmt I. is 0:00-4:47)

Program Note: "Undine Smith Moore's 'Afro-American Suite' (1969) has four movements based on traditional African American spirituals, that are adapted harmonically using the composer's tools."

Ensemble: Flute, Cello, and Piano

Pentatonic Scale: The opening melody that Moore has arranged uses a pentatonic scale. You can find the sheet music for another arrangement of it by clicking here!

Table of Contents:
I. Nobody Knows the Trouble I See, Lord, Brother Will Pray for Me, Help Me to Drive Ole Satan Away
II. I Heard the Preaching of the Elder, Preaching the Word of God
III. Who is that Younder? – Oh, It Looks Like My Lord, Coming in a Cloud
IV. Shout All Over God’s Heaven

Notable Passages

Time Stamp: 0:00 — 0:40
Description:

While the composer has kept the melody of "Nobody Knows the Trouble I See" intact, she has played around with the harmonic structure in fun and interesting ways! 

  • Listen to the piano part in this notable passage
  • Look at the different lines of music in this sheet music sample

Then, try playing some of the chords that Undine Smith Moore has written in the first line! (Consider using a piano, Orff Instrument, Boom Whackers, etc.)

  • [C# D F A] - DmM7
  • [C F A C#] - DbAugM7
  • [A C# F# A] - F#m
  • [G Bb E G#] - Edim + G#
  • [E G D# A] - EmM11
  • [Eb G D G#] - Eb11

Keywords: Arrangement , Dissonance

Time Stamp: 1:18 — 1:52
Description:

Listen for the call and response between the flute and cello players, here!


Keywords: Call and Response

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