Music by Black Composers: 105 Sacred Works for Organ

The past few weeks, we’ve been reminded yet again of the racial inequality that has plagued the United States and other parts of the world for centuries.

This week, like so many others, I’m taking some time to read, learn, and listen to the Black community and begin the work of change. Here are a few small ways I’m taking action:

• We donated to an African-American cause we care about.

• I started reading Blindspot: The Hidden Biases of Good People.

• We started conversations about racial injustice with friends and family members.

• I’m spending time researching music by Black composers (and women, in particular) to learn more about their contributions to the field.

I started thinking about the repertoire we study, perform, and teach; the composers we study in music history, the music shared in worship, and the musicians from history that we introduce to our students. Are we honoring all the voices that have contributed to our field? Are we celebrating the diversity of composers in addition to diversity in styles?

A partial result of my research is the list you see below: 105 sacred works for organ for use in both worship and recital settings.

Are you looking to incorporate more diversity into your repertoire? Are you looking for ways to feature African American and Black voices in the music you choose?

Perhaps this is a starting place.

---

Music by Black Composers: 105 Sacred Works for Organ

*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

Collections

Four Spiritual Preludes (David Hurd)

1. Oh! What a Beautiful City

2. Go Down, Moses

3. Were You There

4. Deep River

Easy on the Pedals: Hymn Tune Settings with Optional Pedal Parts (Victor Johnson)

1. Thee We Adore 

2. O God, Our Help In Ages Past 

3. Just As I Am 

4. Festive Prelude on "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" 

5. The King Of Love My Shepherd Is 

6. Communion Meditation 

7. Come, Thou Almighty King 

8. To God Be The Glory

King of Kings, Vol. 1: Organ Music of Black Composers, Past and Present (Various)

1. King of Kings (arr. Ralph Simpson)

2. A Little More Faith in Jesus (arr. John W. Work)

3. Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross (arr. D. L. White)

4. Lord, Build Me a Cabin in Glory Land (arr. Uzee Brown, Jr.)

5. Were You There (arr. Uzee Brown, Jr.)

6. Triumphal March of Heritage (Uzee Brown, Jr.)

7. Retrospection (Florence B. Price)

8. Offertory (H. Leslie Adams)

9. Talk About a Child That Do Love Jesus (arr. Calvin Taylor)

10. Arietta (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor)

11. Melody (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor)

12. Elegy (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor)

13. Go Down, Moses (arr. W. C. Handy, adapted Walter C. Simon)

King of Kings, Vol. 2: Organ Music of Black Composers, Past and Present (Various)

1. Fanfare and Chorale (Calvin Fuller)

2. Prayer: An Offertory (George Walker)

3. Adoration (Florence B. Price)

4. A Pleasant Thought (Florence B. Price)

5. In Quiet Mood (Florence B. Price)

6. Bye and Bye (arr. William Farley Smith)

7. Wade in duh Wadduh! (arr. William Farley Smith)

8. Impromptu (Samuel Coleridge-Taylor)

9. Give Me Jesus (arr. Marques L.A. Garrett)

10. Go Down, Moses (arr. Fela Sowande)

11. Yoruba Lament (arr. Fela Sowande)

12. Joshua Fit de Battle ob Jericho (arr. Fela Sowande)

King of Kings, Vol. 3: Organ Music of Black Composers, Past and Present (Various)

1. Toccata on Good News (Carl MaultsBy)

2. Prelude on I Am Thine, O Lord (Monte Thomas)

3. Jubilate (Fela Sowande)

4. Variations on a Theme by Ellie (Trevor Weston)

5. Churchyard Chatter (Uzee Brown, Jr.)

6. Bread of Heaven (William B. Cooper)

7. Fantasy on Walk Together, Children (André J. Thomas)

8. His Eye Is on the Sparrow (Carl Haywood

9. Postlude on Go, Tell It On the Mountain (Norah Duncan IV)

With Everlasting Alleluias: An Easter Suite (Victor Johnson)

1. The Strife Is O'er, The Battle Done 

2. In the Garden 

3. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today 

Promised Land: Three Tunes from Early America (Ralph Simpson)

1. Promised Land

2. Deep River

3. Toccata on Joshua Fought the Battle

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 1 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Arietta (Thomas H. Kerr)

2. Fantasy (Eugene W. Hancock)

3. Nuptial Song (Betty Jackson King)

4. Prelude on St. Martin’s (Mark Fax)

5. Toccatina (Scherzando) (William B. Cooper)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 2 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Miniature Antiphonal on a Pedal Point (Thomas H. Kerr)

2. Pastorale (William B. Cooper)

3. Procession of the Gargoyles (Thomas H. Kerr)

4. Solemn Processional (Robert A. Harris)

5. Variations on Nettleton (Undine Smith Moore)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 3 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Finale from Suite No. 1 (Ulysses Kay)

2. Go, Tell It On the Mountain (arr. Eugene W. Hancock)

3. O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee (Noel Da Costa)

4. Prelude from Suite for Organ (Adolphus Hailstork)

5. Were You There (Evelyn Simpson-Curenton)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 4 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Evening Song (David Hurd)

2. Passacaglia (David Hurd)

3. Reflections (Ruth Norman)

4. The Quiet Church (Mark Fax)

5. Toccata (Mark Fax)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 5 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Let Us Break Bread Together (J. Roland Braithwaite)

2. Dies Irae (William B. Cooper)

3. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Evelyn Simpson-Curenton)

4. Round the Mountain (Noel Da Costa)

5. Frolicking Flute (Thomas H. Kerr)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 6 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Prelude in E Minor (Mark Fax)

2. Partita on Detroit (David Hurd)

3. Reverie (for Celestes) (Thomas H. Kerr)

4. Entering the Silence (Ruth Norman)

5. Chorale Prelude on Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier (George Walker)

African-American Organ Music Anthology, Vol. 7 (ed. Mickey Thomas Terry)

1. Passacaglia (from Sonata No. 1 for Organ) (Charles D. Coleman)

2. Chorale Prelude on St. Anne (Mark Fax)

3. Chorale Prelude on Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten (Mark Fax)

4. Pastorale (from Suite for Organ) (Ulysses Kay)

5. Fantasy on Brother James’ Air (Adolphus Hailstork)

Two Spirituals for Organ (Ralph Simpson)

1. Jacob's Ladder 

2. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot 

A Spiritual Service: Based on African-American Spirituals (Carleton Inniss)

1. Invocation

2. Prelude (based on I Want Jesus to Walk With Me)

3. Consolation

4. Organ Offertory (based on There is a Balm in Gilead)

5. Jubilation

6. Postlude (based on Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel?)

Four Spirituals (Adolphus Hailstork)

1. Prelude on We Shall Overcome

2. Postlude on We Shall Overcome

3. Prelude on Deep River

4. Toccata on Great Day

---

Individual Pieces

Roll, Jordan, Roll (Ralph Simpson)

Toccata on ‘Lift Every Voice’ (Mark A. Miller)

Toccata (David Hurd)

Meditation on Steal Away (William B. Cooper)

Adoration (Florence B. Price)

BONUS

Fanfare and Toccata (Wallace McClain Cheatham)

---

Other Resources

• An index from the United Methodist Hymnal of "hymns, songs, spirituals, choruses, prayers, litanies, Psalm settings, and other worship resources by African Americans and many resources from Africa.”

• Music by Black Composers (MBC) Living Composers Directory

• The African American Art Song Alliance

---

Other posts in this series:

• Music by Black Composers: 34 Sacred Choral Anthems (2- and 3-Part)

• Music by Black Composers: 108 Sacred Choral Anthems (SATB)

• Music by Black Composers: Arts Songs & Spirituals for Solo Voice

---

Do you have any pieces to add to this list? Please leave a comment below!