Go Down, Moses (from The Daily Ukulele) (arr. Liz and Jim Beloff): Ukulele
Go Down, Moses (from The Daily Ukulele) (arr. Liz and Jim Beloff) Sheet Music Preview

Go Down, Moses (from The Daily Ukulele) (arr. Liz and Jim Beloff): Ukulele

By Traditional American Spiritual / Arranged by Jim Beloff / Arranged by Liz Beloff

Item: 35-DS00378379
Digital Download
$3.99
Description

Go Down, Moses (from The Daily Ukulele) (arr. Liz and Jim Beloff): Ukulele isn't in MakeMusic Cloud just yet...but it could be. Let us know you'd like to see it, and you'll help shape what comes next. In the meantime, start a free trial and dive into thousands of interactive titles your students can play along with today.

Request This Title

Tell us you want it.

Start Your Free Trial

Explore everything that's ready to play right now.
Sample Audio
No sample audio found.
Sample Video
No sample videos found.
Additional Details
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Page Count: 1
SKU: 35-DS00378379

More about this title

About the Author: Traditional American Spiritual

African American spirituals emerged from the experience of enslaved people in the American South, blending African musical traditions with Christian hymn structures. These songs became vessels for hope, resistance, and faith, passed down through oral tradition and later documented in collections. "Go Down, Moses" stands among the most enduring spirituals, its narrative of liberation resonating across centuries of musical and social history.

Why we love this

This arrangement respects the spiritual's dignity while making it accessible for ukulele players of all levels. The Beloffs have stripped away nothing essential from the melody yet written it in a way that lets the instrument's warmth carry the weight of the song's meaning.

What to expect

Grounded and purposeful. The melody sits in a range that feels natural to the voice and instrument alike, creating a meditation rather than a performance showcase. There's both intimacy and authority in these phrases.

Who it's for

Ukulele players seeking repertoire with genuine musical and historical substance. This arrangement works equally well for solo performers building a spirituals collection and for classroom use in music history or world music units.

How to get the most out of it

  • Shape the melody with long, unhurried breaths. The text demands space between phrases, so resist filling silence with filler strums.
  • Let the lyrics do the heavy lifting rather than adding dynamic flourishes. Quiet, direct playing honors the spiritual's narrative power.
  • Experiment with a fingerpicking approach if comfortable. It can reveal the independence between melody and harmonic support that this arrangement offers.

How to use it

Include this in a concert exploring American music traditions, pairing it with other spirituals or folk songs arranged for small ensembles. It also serves as a powerful addition to repertoire acknowledging Black musical heritage during February or any time your program aims to deepen students' cultural literacy.

Skills your students will build

  • Singing or playing with textual clarity and emotional intention
  • Understanding call and response patterns rooted in African American musical tradition
  • Arranging awareness: how melody and harmony function independently on ukulele
  • Historical listening: recognizing spirituals as a distinct American musical form

You May Also Like