PROGRAMME
The Spirituals: Resonant Codes, Sacred and Secular
Reginald Mobley
Baptiste Trotignon
For over 150 years, African American spirituals have been a source of deep inspiration for many people, and in February 2007, the U.S. Congress passed a bill naming the spirituals a ‘National Treasure’. Born out of a 400-year struggle for freedom, they remind us of the profound dignity of human life. Saturated with ancient biblical texts about liberation, the spirituals often fuse secular concerns with transcendent ones. This lively blend of temporal and eternal interests is at the core of an ongoing conviction that the liberation of body, mind and soul is critical for human flourishing. From the civil rights movement of the 1960s to sporting events around the world, the melodies and rhythms of these songs echo in the public consciousness. Spirituals have especially resonated with marginalised communities; they remain a unifying anthem of hope for all who connect with the profundity of their expressive power. Join University of York musicologist Matthew Williams as he discusses how, in a secular, post-modern west, the spirituals invite us to reflect on the utility of continuing to infuse notions of the sacred in everyday life.