Spirituals

Enslaved Africans in the United States found strength and hope by singing spirituals. These songs were based on their experiences of oppression and stories from the Old Testament. Many composers, including the African-American composers Harry Burleigh and Moses Hogan, created arrangements of the spirituals that had been passed down through oral tradition. In this concert, countertenor Arturo den Hartog and pianist Mattias Spee perform a programme of well-known and lesser-known spirituals, ranging from sorrowful and intimate to grand and festive.

In 2021, Surinamese-Dutch countertenor Arturo den Hartog won the audience award of the Prinses Christina Concours. He is a passionate advocate for the music of composers who have not received their due recognition and deserve to be heard, and he previously presented the programmes A History of Female Black Composers and Surinaams Klassiek (Surinamese classical music). Pianist Mattias van Spee is a kindred spirit; he shares his fascination for music that has undeservedly fallen into obscurity.

This is a production of Muziekgebouw Production House