Music Down in My Soul: Moses Hogan SSA

A discussion of the music “Down in My Soul” by Moses Hogan for SSA voices, including a look at the lyrics and their meaning.

Introduction

Moses Hogan (1945-2003) was an American composer, arranger, and conductor. He was known for his arrangements of spirituals, which he often performed with his vocal ensemble, the Moses Hogan Chorale. His arrangements are characterized by their use of call-and-response patterns, blues inflections, and jazz harmonies.

Hogan’s “Music Down in My Soul” is a setting of the traditional spiritual “Down in the Valley.” The piece is written for SATB choir and piano, with an optional solo part. It is a relatively simple piece to sing, with mostly homophonic textures and moderate ranges. The style is definitely gospel, with a driving piano accompaniment and soulful vocal lines.

Biography

Moses Hogan was an American pianist and composer known for his spiritual arrangements of African-American folk songs, hymns, and works by classical composers. Hogan’s music is often performed by choral groups, including university and high school choirs. Hogan started his musical career as a jazz pianist, but he is best known for his choral arrangements.

Early life

Moses Hogan was born in Tylertown, Mississippi, on February 15, 1957, the third of seven children. His father was a truck driver and his mother worked as a domestic worker. Hogan began playing piano at the age of five. When he was ten years old, his family moved to New Orleans. Hogan joined the choir at his church and later studied music at Southern University and Xavier University.

In 1981, Hogan founded the mosquito song down in my soul

Education

Moses Hogan (January 15, 1957 – October 20, 2003) was an American pianist and composer known for his innovative arrangements of spirituals. He studied piano and composition at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and earned a master’s degree in piano performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Hogan’s choral arrangements are performed by high school, college, church, and professional choirs around the world.

Career

Moses Hogan’s musical career began as a piano student of Dorothy Varon in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. As a teenager, he sang gospels in the Joshua Baptist Church Choir. In 1980, Hogan formed his own choir, the Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Choir.The group toured internationally and recorded several albums with Hogan before he branched out on his own as a solo artist in 1987. He released his first album, The Songs of My People, that year.

In 1989, Hogan was asked to arrange and direct a mass for the Massachusetts State Legislature. The resulting work, “Music Down in My Soul”, was so well received that Hogan was commissioned to write an encore mass for the 1990 Good Friday service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. This work, entitled “Lord, Have Mercy”, was performed by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral Choir and the Moses Hogan Chorale and was recorded live on the EMI label.

Hogan’s distinctive style – blending traditional spirituals with classical techniques – has been commission by such noted performers as Jessye Norman, Kathleen Battle, Bobby McFerrin, and Simon Estes. His choral works have been performed by college choirs and professional ensembles around the world, including the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and Twilight Malone & The Gospel Keynotes… just to name a few!

Music

Moses Hogan’s “Music Down in My Soul” is a beautiful, heart-wrenching SSA that will stay with you long after you hear it. The lyrics are simple, but profound, and the melody is catchy and haunting all at the same time. This piece is perfect for any choir looking to add a touching, spiritual element to their repertoire.

Style

Moses Hogan’s SSA setting of “Music Down in My Soul” is a wonderfully upbeat gospel tune that is perfect for any choir looking for a fun, spirited number. The piece features dynamic changes and a catchy melody that is sure to get your audience moving.

Repertoire

Moses Hogan’s music is rooted in the rich tradition of the African-American spiritual. His transcriptions and original compositions reflect the influence of gospel, jazz, blues and ragtime, while his use of harmony and rhythm creates a sound that is distinctly his own.

Hogan’s choral arrangements have become some of the most performed works in the choral repertoire, and his arrangements of spirituals are particularly well-loved. “Down in My Soul” is one of Hogan’s most popular arrangements, and it has been performed by choirs around the world.

The piece is written for SSA voices, and it features a soloist who sings the lead part. The arrangement starts with a soloist who sings the first two verses alone, before being joined by the other voices. The full choir then joins in on the third verse, singing together until the end of the piece.

“Down in My Soul” is a hauntingly beautiful piece that captures the emotional power of the African-American spiritual tradition. Moses Hogan’s unique approach to harmony and rhythm creates a sound that is both contemporary and timeless.

Legacy

Moses Hogan’s music is some of the most performed choral works in the world, and his legacy continues to live on through the Moses Hogan Choral Series. The series was created to keep Moses’ dream alive of providing quality choral music for everyone to enjoy.

The Moses Hogan Choral Series includes a variety of music ranging from spirituals to jazz, and everything in between. There are also several different collections that are perfect for any occasion, including holiday concerts and graduation ceremonies.

No matter what your musical preference, there is sure to be something in the Moses Hogan Choral Series that will fit your needs. So go ahead and explore all that the series has to offer!

Discography

Moses Hogan recorded eight albums with his own ensembles, as well as arranging and conducting for different artists including James Ingram, Jessye Norman, Toni Braxton, Bobby McFerrin, and Aretha Franklin. He also served as the music director for three Broadway productions: Ain’t Misbehavin’, Jelly’s Last Jam, and Black and Blue.

-Songs of My Soul (1994)
-The Gospel Train (1995)
-An American Album (1996)
-Moses Hogan Choral Series (1997)
-Moses Hogan Sings Gershwin (1998)
-Moses Hogan Presents Spirituals in Concert (1999)
-Requiem (2000)
-Swing Low, Sweet Spirituals (2002)