Video
Historical Narrative
Composed in 1983 and dedicated to Earnestine Mason, Ride Up in the Chariot exemplifies Betty Jackson King’s later period of composition—marked by rhythmic vitality, dramatic expressiveness, and deep spiritual conviction. The dedication to Mason reflects King’s esteem for performers who possessed both vocal artistry and profound interpretive insight, especially those who shared her commitment to preserving the concert spiritual as a sacred art form.
Earnestine Mason was a highly respected Chicago soprano and music educator whose artistry was recognized across both concert and sacred platforms. She was an active member of the Chicago Music Association (CMA)—the founding branch of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc. (NANM)—and frequently appeared in programs sponsored by these organizations. Through her work with CMA, Mason performed alongside many of Chicago’s foremost musicians, including Florence Price, Margaret Bonds, Theodore Charles Stone, and Betty Jackson King. Her expressive warmth, clarity of diction, and disciplined technique made her a leading interpreter of sacred concert repertoire and a trusted advocate for the music of Black composers.
By dedicating Ride Up in the Chariot to Earnestine Mason, King acknowledged both a professional colleague and a kindred spirit—an artist equally devoted to the spiritual as testimony and to the preservation of African American cultural expression within classical performance traditions. The collaboration between composer and performer symbolizes a shared mission: to elevate the spiritual beyond its folk origins into a space of concert dignity and divine exaltation.
Musical Description
The song begins with the instruction “Jubilant”, setting a tone of confident exuberance. Written in F major, the piece opens with an energetic triplet figure in the piano, immediately propelling the listener forward with rhythmic vitality. The accompaniment alternates between buoyant motion and grounded chordal affirmations, providing a lively framework for the vocal entrance.
The vocal line enters with the phrase “Gonna ride up in the chariot, soon-a in the mornin’,” unfolding through syncopated rhythms and triplet patterns that mirror the accompaniment’s momentum. King’s vocal writing demands clarity of diction and rhythmic precision, as the singer must articulate text-driven passages against an active piano texture. Despite the spirited tempo, she maintains clear structural phrasing—each repetition of “Ride up in the chariot” building intensity while preserving balance and poise.
As the piece develops, King integrates expressive contrasts between exuberance and supplication. The phrase “Oh, Lord, have mercy on me” introduces a more introspective section, supported by sustained piano chords that momentarily suspend the rhythmic drive. This alternation between motion and stillness reflects the dual nature of the spiritual—joyful anticipation of heavenly ascent tempered by humble reflection.