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There is an open visual difference between looking through a window and looking into a mirror. Looking through a window allows you to see what is on the other side of the window, therefore citing a theme of continuation. When you look closely, you will also realize that you can vaguely see a bit of your reflection whereas looking into a mirror brings in the idea of reflection because you will only see your image reflected upon it and not anything beyond it. Therefore, the visual difference is the fact that through the window you see what is beyond in relation to the present while into a mirror you only see what is there presently. In the piece “Done Made My Vow” by Adolphus Hailstork (1985), it takes the shape of looking through the window. With its fusion of music and spoken words, the composition states of the struggles of the black people in the past and encourages people to keep pushing on and see beyond what is there presently. This has been made possible by the last bit with the song “My name is Toil.” For this performance specifically, everyone in the audience and anyone watching it should be a participant rather than a spectator because it is a call for action which everyone should embrace.

Symmetrical relationships have been well established in this composition. Throughout the music, the aura of hope is created. Though the fusion of music, spoken word and also the instrumentation, the piece of art has been able to touch on various aspects of relationships. The song has been able to capture the struggles of the forefathers and how they struggled at their time. It has also been able to state the plight of those that have consistently fought for the freedom of the black community and how their struggle has been repaid. (Hailstork, pg 5). Through all this, the song encourages everyone to keep working and maintain hope because, at the end of the day, there is an assurance of success. Therefore, the piece has been able to encourage and celebrate. The piece of work ended with the sung anthem of “My name is toil”. This was an appropriate ending because the song has been used to encourage people to keep the fight going and work hard to achieve the desired dream. After all, eventually, we shall achieve the desired destination. The works of John Coltrane in Alabama, American Guernica by Adolphus Hailstork, and also Mutuality by Yellowjackets and Done made my Vow has been able to capture everything about honor, Bravery; Sacrifice; Perseverance. This has been through their visual and sonic imagery because they have been able to highlight the various images of what they represented. Through the montage that shows the black people who were able to fight for certain causes and the abolition of segregation at a time when there was a lot of violence and still they managed to pull through, the performances have been able to inspire bravery sacrifice and perseverance.

The piece American Guernica is a piece that was composed by Adolphus Hailstork in 1963 in relation to the bombing of the 16th street Baptist church in Alabama whereby three girls were killed in the process. The name was derived from a mural by Pablo Picasso which depicted the bombing of the Basque village Guernica by the Nazi Germans and the Fascist Italians which depicted a tragic slander of women and children. Therefore, the name was derived from that piece and added America to depict the repeat of history but in a different location. (Ensemble, pg 7). In the musical piece Alabama by John Coltrane, there was the use of spoken words from the speech of Martin Luther Jr. which was fused into the melody of the song and perfectly flowed. (Coltrane, pg 2). The music was written in relation to the bombing incident in Alabama where 4 girls were killed. Two pieces, American Guernica and Alabama, were written in this period to commemorate the bombing attacks. Therefore, they shared the same theme and carried with them the heaviness of the moment. The title “Mutuality” from the musical composition of the same name by the Yellowjackets was based on Martin Luther King Junior’s speech entitled “Network of Mutuality.” This title means that people are interconnected to one another and what may happen to a person directly, will happen to the other indirectly. (Jackets, pg 12).

Work Cited

Coltrane, John. Alabama. MCA Records, 1964.

Ensemble, Old Dominion Wind. “Old Dominion University Wind Ensemble.” (2018).

Hailstork, Adolphus C. Music of Dr. Adolphus Hailstork: I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes; Done Made My Vow. Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, 2018.

Jackets, BW Yellow. “CARROLL NEWS.”