Morgan State Univ. Choir - Ezekiel Saw The Wheel

[TheReighnart]

The tenors fine. It's a six chord. There's just no blend at all. I mean, stylistically for a spiritual it's okay to be wild. But this is insane. Way too much vibrato for a style that already allows a ton.

[TheEllingt0n]

he is out of tune, i'm 20yrs old and teach voice, and direct a choir at a high school in Wash. DC and this choir was out of tune in some parts, but the soloist has a amazing 1st tenor voice! and unlike other choirs i've heard do this song, they have a sense of the importance this song has! but nobody sings it better than Duke Ellington School of the arts, directed by Samuel L.E. Bonds!!!

[MrLedington2]

@TheEllingt0n Thank you i agree the soloist is amazing, and i know how hard this is to sing as my college Choir is performing it :)

[05mosaic]

That was beautiful!!!

[mexicanhoney1forrest]

OVATION! OVATION! & OVATION! OUTSTANDING CHOIR!

[shirkenXCCR]

so the real problem is not the note. its the bad balance within the choir there. and too much vibrato.

[TEONRE2]

WOW, Sorry I have to agree. The Choir is in tune and having done the solo myself and struggled to find that note i know it too is right on! Sorry you think it is out of tune but really take a look at the sheet music and you will see

[aschw1121]

Again, since most African-American Spiritual music is based on the Pentatonic Scale (pitches 1-2-3-5-6, in other words, all the black keys of the piano if you were to start on F-sharp), that final note of the soloist makes perfect sense - he slides from pitch number 5 to pitch number 6. In fact, if I remember this arrangement, which I sang 20 years ago in high school, it may actually be written in there. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" utilizes the same Pentatonic Scale.

[aschw1121]

The solo note is absolutely correct to form a tonic sixth chord. In other words the final chord of this arrangement is exactly the same chord as the end of the Beatles' "She Loves You." The choir and soloist are in tune. End of story.

[PrazHymn83]

@aschw1121 Thank you!! I know I was right. I don't know what everyone else is hearing.

[erudofker]

@aschw1121 exactly right. not to mention that the 6th is WRITTEN in the ARRANGEMENT in the tenor 1s

[joyfulnoise63]

This a wonderful rendition, but the audio needs to be amplified!

[kaloolee]

uhhh you "youtube musicians" probably suck in real life...... always youtube criticizing and not out doing, hush. Morgan is still traveling all over the world.

[archerflips]

The chord at 2:09-2:14 was extremely out of tune. The basses were the worst out of tune. The tenor note at the end from the soloist had way to much vibrato to even be considered on pitch. Overall 3.5/5.

[nDNrMatt2]

@archerflips Please keep your ignorance of Negro Spiritual arrangements and music in general to yourself, thank you. You and tenorbear.

[mlzielke]

Lovely!

[chrisring123]

To speak to recent comments here, it sounds like the tenor finished with a major sixth of the chord, possibly a G in a Bb major chord - altogether fitting.

Only in the last year have I been exposed to and have started working with Dawson's arrangements, and I am pleased with their trueness to the spiritual genre, their facility for a choir to learn and their harmonic and creative beauty.

Bravo, Morgan State!

[Gary2837]

They were on pitch and each note was in place. Great choir and sound!!

[Gary2837]

tenorbear60, they were on pitch. Great choir and sound!!

[Gary2837]

Dear tenorbear60, they were on pitch. Great choir!!

[jo9er]

I've listened to this at least 20 times,especially leading into the 2:14 you mention. There is no flatness or loss of tune. It's the preparartory before the finish,therefore is different from the format of the cong total. The song is sound,the harmonies are sound. The note at the end is a seventh to major chord, which is what the soloist is singing. Listen tois again TenorBear and you will hear it. If you can. Or possibly suggest an alternative arrangement

[grape14]

great

[tenorbear60]

Wow---- Morgan State is usually so good, here they are sadly out of tune. Too much wobbly vibrato to keep it in tune. That's a shame, because I have heard them do better. The chord at 2:14 is woefully out of tune, along with the soloist at the end.

[PrazHymn83]

@tenorbear60 I totally disagree. They're in tune, and Frederick's note at the end is EXACTLY where he was supposed to land.

[tenorbear60]

@PrazHymn83 Sorry, but I stand by my assessment. They are out of tune at 2:14 and the tenor is alsmot a half step sharp at the end. I've heard Morgan State sing better than this.

[PrazHymn83]

@tenorbear60 You're entitled to that. No harm, no foul....

[EverythingElseRandom]

@PrazHymn83 You're right. The chord IS in tune @ 2:14. I think that tenorbear may be thrown off because of the vibrato used by the whole group. And the last note sung by the soloist is correct (ends on a G). I conducted this piece back when I taught HS a few years back and have heard several choirs perform it (and I have the music memorized). People who are unfamiliar with the piece (specifically this arrangement) will always have opinions.

[tigger12486]

@tenorbear60 i agree with you about the soloist at the end but the cord you refer to i believe is a suspended cord

[LinkFan4199]

@tenorbear60 they did sing it in tune, did this for All New Jersey Choir. It was correctly on tune with the original composition.

[superstarlavar]

@tenorbear60 Its your woeful ear...

[poodah2013]

beast



[mysticalrose1888]

Wow.

[kytababe]

omgoodness i went to states for harford county festival and we had to sing at morgan state university and we stayed after to watch them rehearse and this was one of the songs they rehearsed ..........tore it up

[plaguedthing]

I didn't know that this song could sound .. good! Love the tempo, it makes that doom-a-loom-a-in-a-wheel-in-a-­wheel part sound really really cool! The soloist did not mess up the end, the poor audio-quality did.

[TSquared2001]

The ending was crisp.

[stanphoenix]

lol...we r doing this in my choir  dis yr...and its monotonous

[enforcer9292]

great piece great voices but a but too rushed for my liking

[hexachordal]

@enforcer9292 That's interesting. I'm of the impression that this piece is better the faster it is.

[crunkcymbals09]

This is a big choir. Sounds great.

[singandnevertire]

Wow this is amazing, I wish I could hear the audio better though :(

[akkzs]

Did this piece over 30 years ago in the Gettysburg College Choir. LOVE it!

[rtguy23]

Always appreciate a Morgan State performance!!!!

[Darienbeagle]

Excellent!

[rtguy23]

I am not sure how I feel about this version... I don't dislike it.... I usually enjoy anything the Morgan State choir sings!!!

[blackpavoratti]

Wow! Its been a while since I sang in that clip..Good Gosh I look so different back then!

[landoblu]

loved the choir and the arrangement ! the soloist did not end so perfectly !!!

[PrazHymn83]

Why do you say that?? That last note?

[kenndogg]

well i can now hear a slite strain...but he was on the right note tho :) i did need more altos tho....

[moderadonna]

What are you talking about. Perhaps he should have stepped away from the mic. However, I don't believe the last note was off-pitch.

[bus250]

@landoblu no, I'm afraid that's the right note. He goes from a G to an A to make the minor seventh chord. It really sounds pretty :)

[WardenKellen]

Well Done!!! :)

[jaired2007]

BUT GOD!!!!!

[victoriadavis93]

ths is so awesome one of th best choirs i hae ever heard

[Chiefmusicianette]

This is awsome...the Holy Spirit if flowing!

[kangofaug706]

beatiful arrangement i lead a different piece at my school butler high school concert/advance ensemble superior ratings 7 yrs running AUGUSTA,GA

[mustluvwesties]

were doinq a different version..... Gud job tho

[Madelena2001]

Superb Job! this is the first rendition I have heard where I could actually understand the lyrics of the soloist. And this guy is just great. I don't want to sound racist, but black folks can just do this song so much better!

[ziegfeldgirl12]

I like this version but its different from the one we are doing in chorus. Ours sounds more like a gospel

[DarthVaygr]

Incredible bases. Awesome rendition. Great soloist.

[ez344]

GREAT BASSES, I LOVE IT

[pltravers]

I'll say it again: That IS how it's done! Great great great job!

[southpaw2011]

This song was written specifically for my high school's concert choir. Iowa City City High Scohol! =)

[ruthie052]

That was great!!!!!!!!!

[airtimejunkie]

OUTSTANDING! I performed this song in the California All-State Honor Choir in 1985. This is what the song is supposed to sound like! Great job!

[Lakay5]

AMEN to that!

[MimiMarquez21]

Wow! My choir is singing this song in a concert on Sunday. It will be amazing if we sound at least as half as good as this choir. Great job!:-)

[scottobrady]

This is great! Good job guys

[dastinob]

Love this choir.

[Peeyotch]

THIS is how it's supposed to be done!!! Awesome!!

[kangofaug706]

superior

[dbookin]

WOW

AWESOME

[decafexpert]

nice nice im speachless

[UNEEKMONIQ]

I love his voice..........

[musicboy403]

Thank u...

[PinkDream07]

we use to sing this song in middle school...Thanks for everthing Mr.Colston

[sdawg00]

Very good performance!

[dicklacock]

Sing men.

[mariozbabi]

yea steve n rob..!!...lol

[EmoneyCT313]

thiS IS SO WUSSUP! go ahead morgan state

[mm9913]

Exquisite, very very nicely done.