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John Wesley Work, III

John Wesley Work III

b. July 15, 1901 - d. May 17, 1967

John Wesley Work III was a noted composer, educator, choir director, and musicologist, remembered especially for his work as a folk song collector specializing in African American spirituals. Work hailed from a musical family. His grandfather was a church music director in the Nashville area. His father taught at Fisk University in Nashville and also collected many African American spirituals, including "Go Tell It on the Mountain."

Work received his early education at Fisk University. After receiving his B.A. from Fisk in 1923, he attended the Institute of Musical Art in New York City (now the Julliard School). He later received a M.A. in 1930 from Columbia, and a B.Mus from Yale in 1933.

After graduating Work taught at Fisk University from 1927 until his retirement in 1967. Throughout his career, he undertook several projects to study and record African American folk songs and spirituals. In one such project he collaborated with colleagues at Fisk University to record music of the Mississippi River Delta for the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress. Blues musician Muddy Waters was first recorded as part of this study.

Work was an active composer throughout his life. Though his output spans a variety of styles, his largest contribution was to choral and vocal solo music. Several of these compositions were arrangements based on the African American spirituals and folk songs he collected as part of his research. Galaxy Music Corporation published a number of his arrangements in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, and many of these publications remain popular with choirs and soloists today.

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  1. How Beautiful Upon the Mountains
    SKU: 50-7107*
    SATB a cappella
    Work, John W.
  2. I Got a House in Baltimore
    SKU: 1.1963
    SAATBB a cappella
    Work, John W.
  3. I, John, Saw the Holy Number
    SKU: 1.2236
    SATB, Solo S,B
    Work, John W.
  4. I've Known Rivers
    SKU: 1.2075
    SATB divisi (SSAATTBB)
    Work, John W.
  5. Jesus, Lay Your Head in the Window
    SKU: 1.2166
    SSATT[B], Solo S, T
    Work, John W.
  6. Golgotha Is A Mountain
    SKU: 1.2155
    SATB, Piano
    Work, John W.
  7. Go Tell It on the Mountain
    SKU: 1.1583
    TTBB, a cappella
    Work, John W.
  8. Go Tell It on the Mountain
    SKU: 1.2044*
    SATB & Jr. Choir [SA] Children + SATB
    Work, John W.
  9. Go Tell It on the Mountain
    SKU: 1.1532*
    Soprano/Tenor soli & SATB
    Work, John W.
  10. Go Tell It on the Mountain
    SKU: 1.1753
    SSA (Women or Children), Piano
    Work, John W.
  11. Go Tell It on the Mountain
    SKU: 1.1960
    Two-Part Treble Voices (SA), Piano
    Work, John W.
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