"'If you need to find something, ask a librarian.' Kathy Abromeit underscores the truth of that statement in An Index to Spirituals but provides far more than simply 'where.' The author traces multiple identities (e.g., 'I have been tempted oh yes'; a.k.a., 'In the Morning') and cross-references uniform titles with those published in dialect. Brief performance practice and publication history sections invite the reader to contemplate ways this repertory has been understood, utilized, and debated. Abromeit's 'Song Classification Index' and 'Scriptural References Index' are fascinating reads in themselves. Dedicated to those who 'turned suffering into beauty,' this is an indispensable new reference tool that belongs in all libraries." Kay Norton, author of Sallie Martin, Mother of Gospel Music
"Abromeit's book is the definitive guide to finding spirituals in anthologies and collections. It's an essential resource not only for music librarians but for anyone researching, studying, or performing this important body of repertoire. The author's decades-long scholarship on this topic and thoughtful treatment of this art form has led to the creation of a new paradigm for helping users wade through a variety of inconsistencies in identifying spirituals." Holling Smith-Borne, Director, Wilson Music Library, Vanderbilt University
