Jacques Wolfe, composer of songs in the style of Negro Spirituals
familiar in the repertory of most American baritones, was born in
Botoshan, Rumania on April 29, 1896. He was trained as a pianist at the
Institute of Musical Art. While serving in the army during World War I,
a member of the 50th Infantry Band, he was stationed in North Carolina
where he first came into contact with Negro folk songs. This made such a
profound impression on him that he devoted himself to research in this
field. After the war he made many appearances on the concert stage both
as a solo performer and as an accompanist. For several years he was also
a teacher of music at New York City high schools.
Wolfe’s two best known songs in the style of Negro folk songs appeared
in 1928. One is “De Glory Road,” words by Clement Wood, a work of such
extraordinary fervor and dramatic character that it has proved a
sure-fire number with concert baritones throughout the country, and
notably with Lawrence Tibbett with whom it was a particular favorite.
The other was “Short’nin’ Bread,” to Wolfe’s own words. The latter in
all probability is not original with Wolfe but an adaptation of one of
the melodies he discovered in North Carolina. Several Negro composers
have been credited with being its composer; one of them was Reese d’Pres
who is said to have written the melody in or about 1905.
Among Wolfe’s other familiar songs are “God’s World,” “Goin’ to Hebb’n”
and “Hallelujah Rhythm.”