2007
Christian-Charles de Plicque's
production of:
James Weldon Johnson's
"God's Trombones!"
God's Trombones!
Those dignified and kindly men... The title refers to the voices of the Black Preacher/Evangelists, those dignified and kindly men, who were true leaders, not only in spiritual, but in educational and moral issues as well.
Angel House International Missions Ministries Association's next project:
Book, HD cd/DVD; Film project
in Swedish and Finnish
Project time goal:
2009-2010
This has been in the works for 10 years. A real labor of love
God's Trombones! by: the late great black author: James Weldon Johnson
Sermons and Prayers from Johnson's Black Folk Literature.
First performed by the famed Choir: The Fred Warings' Pennsylvanians
on CBS Television, on the 22nd January 1952
Original Symphonic and Mass Choir arrangements by:
Roy Ringwald.
based on American Negro Spirituals.
Dramatic Stage and Film Production for:
Two Main Speakers
A Preacher/Evangelist
A Prayer Leader
Mass Choir
Symphonic Orchestra
All rights for Performance, Recording, Publishing of any part of this work secured through
Angel House International Missions Ministries Association r.f. Finland
Christian-Charles Milton de Plicque: Project Concept, Producer and Production Consultant
Shawnee Press and Penguin Publications, New York USA © 2008
Christian-Charles de Plicques
produktion av
James Weldon Johnsons
Guds basuner!
The inspirational sermons of the old Negro preachers are set down as poetry in this collection-a classic for over 100 years, frequently dramatized, recorded, and anthologized.
Mr. James Weldon Johnson tells of hearing these same themes treated by famous black preachers in his youth; needless-to-say, these sermons are still current in this new Millennium, and like the Spirituals that also accompany this work, they have taken a significant place in Black Folk Art.
In transmitting their essence into original and moving poetry, the author has also ensured the survival of a great oral tradition.
Mr. Johnson made a great contribution and not only in giving us “God’s Trombones!”, but in catching and perserving the deeply poetic and moving sermons of the old-time Negro preacher, who sadly seems to fast be disappearing.
The cunning rhythms, the graphic language, the figures of speech join in a work that is of the realm of art.
English text to the book: God's Trombones!:
på Svenska: "Guds basuner!"
Angel House International Missions Ministries Association r.f.
Karleby Finland
(c) 2009-2010
Christian-Charles Milton de Plicque,
Project Concept, Producer and Consultant
All rights for Performance, Recording, Publishing of any part of this work, secured through
Angel House International Missions Ministries Association r.f.
Karleby Finland
Shawnee Press And Penguin Publications New York, USA
Forewords
The unique and pre-eminent place of the Negro Spiritual in American religious folk art has been widely recognized. Not so well-known in Central Europe and Scandinavian countries is the Negro folk sermon. This most vital and remarkable folk form had it’s origins with the earliest Negro preachers of pre-Revolutrionary times. The tradition which originated in their oratorical creations has captured and held fascinated the emotions and imaginations of Negro and non-Negro alike for more than 200 years. The best sermons of the best orators through the greater part of these years became part of a true folk succession, handed down from preacher to preacher-generation to generation.
To James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), the sonorous, powerful voice of the old-time Negro preacher was like a wonderful trombone. It: “intoned”, “moaned”, “pleaded”, “blared”, “crashed”, and “thundered”. All to the glory of God and the salutary admonition of sinners. Hence, “God’s Trombones!”, his expressive designation of these vivid ministers of God’s Word, as they understood It, and the title of his famous collection of poems based upon their classic utterance.
Mr. Johnson was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Among the first to break through the barriers segregating his race, he was educated at Atlanta University and at Columbia and was the first Black admitted to the Florida Bar of Law. He was also a song writer in New York, American Consul in Venezuela and Nicaragua, Executive Secretary of the NAACP, and Professor of Creative Literature at Fisk University. In addition to his own writing, Johnson was the editor of pioneering anthologies of Black American poetry and Spirituals. For the best understanding and appreciation of the Sermons, and indeed of the Spirituals themselves, it is important to regard them thoughtfully, seriously. Their more picturesque and primitive characteristics will be seen then as interesting, very human aspects of an essentially dignified and profoundly religious substance. The naivity of the words of some Spirituals may pardonably, as Johnson says, cause us to smile; but they remind us that in virtually “no instance was anything humorous intended.”
The performance of the musical setting of “God’s Trombones!” has an earnest approach. The spoken parts are given full dramatic scope, and over-charaterization by the Mass Choir is avoided. Interpolated “answers”: (shouted Hallelujahs!, “yes Lawd’s!”, Amens!, etc.) are also avoided. In dramatic presentations, the Mass Choir -“congregation”, minimizes the obvious effects as: swaying, waving of arms, rythmic motions and such. Restraint in these matters strengthens the general impression. James Weldon Johnson is our source of information that the” Leader” of the preliminary prayer in this work, which traditionally “prepared the way for the sermon”, was sometimes a woman. For dramatic contrast, we have alternated such a woman Prayer Leader, with the Preacher, throughout: “Jumalan Pasuunat!” / ”Guds Basuner!”. “God’s Trombones!”, a classic for over 70 years, has frequently been dramatized, recorded and anthologized. Some of the sermons are still current, and like the Spirituals, they have taken a significant place in Black Folk Art, in transmuting their essence into original and moving poetry, the author has also ensured the survival of a great oral tradition.
A skilled, worthy book and musical. The cunning rhythms, the graphic language, the figures of speech join in a work that is of the realm of art.
Christian-Charles Milton de Plicque
All rights for Performance, Recording, Publishing of any part of
this work, secured through : Angel House International rf. Finland
Christian-Charles Milton de Plicque: Project Concept and Production
Consultant Shawnee Press and Penguin Publications, USA
Angel House International Associations’ proposed Book, HD Cd,
Multi-laser Computer Effects: Musical,Television, Video Project
In Finnish: “Jumalan Pasuunat!” and Swedish: “Guds
Basuner!”
Adaptation and Translations by: Christian-Charles de Plicque
Christian-Charles Milton de Plicque
Project Coordinator/Consultant
Angel House International Missions Ministriesrf.(c) 2003
www.deplicque.net
design by gekko