The library · Gospel & spirituals
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
Traditional spiritual
A spiritual in D minor, full of drive: an eighth-note melody climbing step by step over a syncopated left hand that brings the walls tumbling down.
D minor · 4/4 · 158 beats per minute · 16 bars · 24 s · intermediate level
The form
The sections of the piece and their chords: the map you learn before playing a single note.
A B A' C A'' A''' A'''' C'
| Section | Bars | Chords | Phrase ending |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–2 | Dm · Asus4 i · Vsus4 |
Half cadence |
| B | 3–4 | Gmaj7/D · Gmaj7/F♯ · Amaj7 · Amaj7/G♯ IVmaj7 · IVmaj7 · Vmaj7 · Vmaj7 |
Half cadence |
| A' | 5–6 | Dm i |
— |
| C | 7–8 | A7sus4 · Fmaj7 · Dm V7sus4 · IIImaj7 · i |
— |
| A'' | 9–10 | Dm · Dm7 i · i7 |
— |
| A''' | 11–12 | Dm · Dm7 i · i7 |
— |
| A'''' | 13–14 | Dm · Dsus4 · Gm/D i · Isus4 · iv |
— |
| C' | 15–16 | A7sus4 · Fmaj7 · Dm V7sus4 · IIImaj7 · i |
— |
The key
- D minor
- 1 flat in the key signature: B♭
- Scale
- D · E · F · G · A · B♭ · C
- Pillar chords
- I = Dm · IV = Gm · V7 = A7
The tricky passages
- Bar 5: fast runs (5.3 notes per second), a melodic leap (perfect fifth)
- Bars 8–9: fast runs (5.3 notes per second), a melodic leap (octave)
- Bars 10–11: fast runs (5.3 notes per second)
The plan: 10 days
Half an hour a day. First I help you understand the map of the piece, then we lay down the chord framework, learn each section phrase by phrase, work on the tricky passages, put it together and bring it up to tempo, until you can play it from memory.
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- When the Saints Go Marching In · Traditional spiritual
- Swing Low, Sweet Chariot · Traditional spiritual
- Go Down, Moses · Traditional spiritual
- He's Got the Whole World in His Hands · Traditional spiritual
- Amazing Grace · Traditional American melody
- Au clair de la lune · Traditional French song