A Frank Suggs Syllabus

Class Overview and Syllabus

This course is an overview of African American
non Western classical music from it's beginnings to 1890.

It includes African music, Caribbean music and music in the United States

History of the people and the social, religious, economic/political conditions
in which they live are studied as background for the development of music.

You can study the class syllabus.

 

Class Outline

Below is an outline of the course:

UNIT 1: WHAT IS BLACK MUSIC?

This is the shortest unit and it covers the following:

• Definitions of Black Music or African American Music
• A description of Black Music
• Identifiable musical ingredients of Black Music

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UNIT 2: AFRICA

This unit covers the following:

• A history of Africa and Africans
• A comparison of African, European and Asian music
• General concepts of African music
• African musicians and instruments
• The role of music in African societies
• African musical listenings

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UNIT 3: CARIBBEAN

This unit acquaints the student with African and European interaction.
The following areas are included in this unit:

• Myths of Africa by Europeans
• The slave trade
• African Theology, musical retentions and instruments in the New World
• Creating a new music in a New World

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UNIT 4: SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES

Unit 4 covers the following areas:

• Slavery in a free nation
• Africans and the building of a nation
• Music in the colonies

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UNIT 5: SECULAR MUSIC

This unit covers the new music
created by Africans in the United States.
Included are:

• Worksongs
• Children's Songs
• Animal and other folk tales
• Calls and hollers

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UNIT 6: RELIGIOUS FOLK MUSIC

This unit explores the development of a God concept
and the ensuing Black Christian denominations
Included are the following:

• Camp meeting spirituals, shouts and sorrow songs
• Anthemized spirituals
• Gospel spirituals
• Hymns of improvisation
• Language of the spirituals

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UNIT 7: MINSTRELSY

Minstrelsy turned the new music
into commercial product.
This unit examines the following:

• Black and White minstrelsy
• Impact of minstrelsy on African American culture
• Development of America's Music and Entertainment Industry

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UNIT 8: SUMMARY

This chapter reviews the development of Black music
through the eyes of an ex slave

 

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