Olympia Choral Society

Man’s inhumanity to man, through the courage and faith of its victims, produced one of the greatest vocal art forms in the vast history of the human spirit - the Negro Spiritual. It is music created by an oppressed people who voiced their sorrow and hope in poignant and haunting melodies with nearly universal appeal.

During his all to short lifetime, Moses Hogan proved himself a master of the tone and cadence of this unique element in American musical literature. In so doing, he established himself as a worthy steward of its traditional settings, managing to breathe new life in terms of both composition and harmony into this extraordinary musical form. He demonstrated a singular ability to expand its harmonics while remaining faithful to its unique flavor and tradition. His arrangements reflected quality and craftsmanship, and perhaps more importantly, the dignity of a strong and proud people.