Dr. Mattie Moss-Clark

[apostoliczak]

Got a question. Someone said she started three part harmony in the church? But three part harmony has been here forever so to speak... So what was her ground-breaking approach to music? Just curious.

[kodacolor]

Hmmmm...good question.

[jayhbiz]

She did not, of course invent 3-part harmony, but the first to organize a black gospel choir in this particular fashion as displayed in "Climbing Up The Mountain"<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/E4Lvow0_r2E&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param</object>. She was also the first to commit the sounds of a black gospel choir to record in 1958. She actually started the whole  choir sound as we know it.

[Formuzik]

One reason she is credited for the whole 3-part harmony concept for choirs is because Thomas A. Dorsey who taught James Cleveland as well as Cleveland followed the classical voice structure of continuing to use baritone/basses in their choirs understanding that it was important that all voices were permitted into choir.  Clark recorded the 3-part choir which is how the concept spread and as Pentecostalism became the standard for gospel music trends, that sound became the "black gospel" sound.