Performers of Gospel Music and Their Techniques: Vocal Groups 1

Clara Ward and The Ward Singers (a.k.a. The Clara Ward Singers)-a vocal sextet accompanied by organ, drums, and Clara Ward on the piano was one of the most ubiquitous names during the golden age of Gospel. Here is a video showing the group performing three songs at The Copacabana Nightclub in New York: "Traveling Shoes," "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands," and "When the Saints Go Marching In."

In "Travelin' Shoes"♫ they sing the melody in a homorhythmic manner, while a single voice sings a few responsorial words between their phrases. Following this, a soloist performs the melody using her chest and full-throated voice. Interestingly, the group presents the lyrics in a corroborative manner, which is essentially call-and-response. Notice the soloist makes a lyrical statement that the background singers answer. A fun element to the performance occurs when a soprano singer sustains a high pitch for quite some time while the background singers repeat the chorus "Travelin' Shoes."

This repetitive phrase, known as vamping, will vary in length based on the performers' emotions. Additional characteristics and performance practices typical for gospel music heard in this song include syncopation, handclapping, and tambourine. The lead vocalist is acting out elated emotions as she jumps around and dances at times. In the next song, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands"♫ the lead vocalist sings the first verse with more of a natural-sounding chest voice. All the while, the background singers provide affirmative words, such as "yes, yes" to the lead singer implying "He (God) has got the whole world in His hands," and "go ahead" as a positive affirmation that the lead singer is doing a great job singing the song. These words are also a confidence booster to the lead singer.

In the second verse, the lead singer changes to a full-throated sound, while the background singers state the same affirmations. This pattern continues in the third verse, where the lead singer subtly dramatizes as she points to one of the singers while singing "He's (God) got the whole world in His hands," thus implying God protects everyone. At the end of the verse, the lead singer performs in a recitative fashion, and there is no tempo while she sings the final words.

Moreover, the lead singer executes an improvised melisma on the final word "hands" as the instrumental accompaniment plays the plagal cadence A chord progression where the subdominant chord is followed by the tonic chord (IV-I). The "IV" represents the chord based on the fourth step of the scale and the "I" represents the chord based on the first step of the scale. (IV-I). Following this song, Ward stands while one of the singers sits at the piano and plays, along with drums, organ, and tambourine, a twenty-second instrumental interlude at a breakneck tempo (presto). This manner of playing, typical for music in the Pentecostal style of worship, is used to excite congregants further to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Following this, Ward begins to sing "When the Saints Go Marching In"♫ in a moderately slow tempo while the background singers speak responsorial words, such as "yes," "go ahead," "go ahead and sing," "well," and "tell the story."