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James M. Black

1856 - 1938 Composer of "[A charge to keep I have]" in Songs of the Soul No. 2 James Milton Black USA 1856-1938 Born in South Hill, NY, Black was an American hymn composer, choir leader and Sunday school teacher. He worked, lived,and died in Williamsport, PA. An active member, he worked at the Pine Tree Methodist Episcopal Church there. He married Lucy Love Levan. He started his music career with John Howard of New York and Daniel B. Towner of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He edited a dozen gospel song books and wrote nearly 1500 songs. He also served on the commission for the 1905 Methodist Hymnal. John Perry

S. J. Vail

1818 - 1883 Person Name: S. J. V. Composer of "WILLIMANTIC" in The Standard Church Hymnal In his youth Silas Jones Vail learned the hatter's trade at Danbury, Ct. While still a young man, he went to New York and took employment in the fashionable hat store of William H. Beebe. Later he established himself in business as a hatter at 118 Fulton Street, where he was for many years successful. But the conditions of trade changed, and he could not change with them. After his failure in 1869 or 1870 he devoted his entire time and attention to music. He was the writer of much popular music for use in churches and Sunday schools. Pieces of music entitled "Scatter Seeds of Kindness," "Gates Ajar," "Close to Thee," "We Shall Sleep, but not Forever," and "Nothing but Leaves" were known to all church attendants twenty years ago. Fanny Crosby, the blind authoress, wrote expressly for him many of the verses he set to music. --Vail, Henry H. (Henry Hobart). Genealogy of some of the Vail family descended from Jeremiah Vail at Salem, Mass., 1639, p. 234.

Robert Schumann

1810 - 1856 Person Name: R. Schumann Composer of "HEATH" in The Church Hymnal Robert Alexander Schumann DM Germany 1810-1856. Born at Swickau, Saxony, Germany, the last child of a novelist, bookseller, and publisher, he began composing music at age seven. He received general music instruction at the local high school and worked to create his own compositions. Some of his works were considered admirable for his age. He even composed music congruent to the personalities of friends, who took note of the anomaly. He studied famous poets and philosophers and was impressed with the works of other famous composers of the time. After his father’s death in 1826, he went to Leipzig to study law (to meet the terms of his inheritance). In 1829 he continued law studies in Heidelberg, where he became a lifelong member of Corps Saxo-Borussia Heidelberg. In 1830 he left the study of law to return to music, intending to pursue a career as a virtuoso pianist. His teacher, Friedrich Wieck, assured him he could become the finest pianist in Europe, but an injury to his right hand (from a practicing method) ended that dream. He then focused his energies on composition, and studied under Heinrich Dorn, a German composer and conductor of the Leipzig opera. Schumann visited relatives in Zwickau and Schneeberg and performed at a concert given by Clara Wieck, age 13 at the time. In 1834 he published ‘A new journal for music’, praising some past composers and deriding others. He met Felix Mendelssohn at Wieck’s house in Leigzig and lauded the greatness of his compositions, along with those of Johannes Brahms. He also wrote a work, hoping to use proceeds from its sale towards a monument for Beethoven, whom he highly admired. He composed symphonies, operas, orchestral and chamber works, and also wrote biographies. Until 1840 he wrote strictly for piano, but then began composing for orchestra and voice. That year he composed 168 songs. He also receive a Doctorate degree from the University of Jena that year. An aesthete and influential music critic, he was one of the most regarded composers of the Romantic era. He published his works in the ‘New journal for music’, which he co-founded. In 1840, against the wishes of his father, he married Clara Wieck, daughter of his former teacher, and they had four children: Marie, Julie, Eugenie, and Felix. Clara also composed music and had a considerable concert career, the earnings from which formed a substantial part of her father’s fortune. In 1841 he wrote 2 of his 4 symphonies. In 1843 he was awarded a professorship in the Conservatory of Music, which Mendelssohn had founded in Leipzig that same year, When he and Clara went to Russia for her performances, he was questioned as to whether he also was a musician. He harbored resentment for her success as a pianist, which exceeded his ability as a pianist and reputation as a composer. From 1844-1853 he was engaged in setting Goethe’s Faust to music, but he began having persistent nervous prostration and developed neurasthenia (nervous fears of things, like metal objects and drugs). In 1846 he felt he had recovered and began traveling to Vienna, Prague, and Berlin, where he was received with enthusiasm. His only opera was written in 1848, and an orchestral work in 1849. In 1850 he succeeded Ferdinand Hiller as musical director at Dusseldorf, but was a poor conductor and soon aroused the opposition of the musicians, claiming he was impossible on the platform. From 1850-1854 he composed a wide variety of genres, but critics have considered his works during this period inferior to earlier works. In 1851 he visited Switzerland, Belgium, and returned to Leipzig. That year he finished his fourth symphony. He then went to Dusseldorf and began editing his complete works and making an anthology on the subject of music. He again was plagued with imaginary voices (angels, ghosts or demons) and in 1854 jumped off a bridge into the Rhine River, but was rescued by boatmen and taken home. For the last two years of his life, after the attempted suicide, Schumann was confined to a sanitarium in Endenich near Bonn, at his own request, and his wife was not allowed to see him. She finally saw him two days before he died, but he was unable to speak. He was diagnosed with psychotic melancholia, but died of pneumonia without recovering from the mental illness. Speculations as to the cause of his late term maladies was that he may have suffered from syphilis, contracted early in life, and treated with mercury, unknown as a neurological poison at the time. A report on his autopsy said he had a tumor at the base of the brain. It is also surmised he may have had bipolar disorder, accounting for mood swings and changes in his productivity. From the time of his death Clara devoted herself to the performance and interpretation of her husband’s works. John Perry

A. Williams

1731 - 1776 Person Name: Aaron Williams Composer of "ST. THOMAS" in The Hymnal Aaron Williams (b. London, England, 1731; d. London, 1776) was a singing teacher, music engraver, and clerk at the Scottish Church, London Wall. He published various church music collections, some intended for rural church choirs. Representative of his compilations are The Universal Psalmodist (1763)— published in the United States as The American Harmony (1769)—The Royal Harmony (1766), The New Universal Psalmodist (1770), and Psalmody in Miniature (1778). His Harmonia Coelestis (1775) included anthems by noted composers. Bert Polman

H. W. Greatorex

1813 - 1858 Person Name: Henry W. Greatorex Composer of "LEIGHTON" in The Smaller Hymnal Henry Wellington Greatorex United Kingdom 1813-1858. Born at Burton upon Trent, England, he received a thorough musical education from his father, Thomas Greatorex, who was for many years organist of Westminster Abbey, and conductor of the London concerts of ancient music. Henry became a composer, author, compiler, editor, and arranger of music. He emigrated to the U.S. In 1839. In 1849 he married artist Eliza Pratt, and they had four children: Elizabeth, Kathleen, Thomas, and Francis Henry. Prior to settling in New York City as a music teacher and organist at Calvary Church, he played at churches in Hartford, CT, including Center Church and St Johns Episcopal Church in West Hartford, CT. He frequently sang in oratorios and concerts. For some years he was also organist and conductor of the choir at St. Paul's Chapel. In 1853 he was an organist at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Charleston, SC. He did much to advance the standard of sacred music in the U.S. In days when country singing school teachers imposed more rudimentary melodies on hymn books. He published a collection of “Psalm & hymn tunes, chants, anthems & sentences” (Boston 1851). He died of yellow fever in Charleston, SC. John Perry

Robert Jackson

1840 - 1914 Person Name: Robert Jackson, 1842-1914 Composer of "TRENTHAM" in His Fullness Songs After receiving his musical training at the Royal Academy of Music, Robert Jackson (b, Oldham, Lancashire, England, 1840; d. Oldham, 1914) worked briefly as organist at St. Mark's Church, Grosvenor Square, in London. But he spent most of his life as organist at St. Peter's Church in Oldham (1868-1914), where his father had previously been organist for forty-eight years. A composer of hymn tunes, Jackson was also the conductor of the Oldham Music Society and Werneth Vocal Society. Bert Polman

Jeremiah Ingalls

1764 - 1838 Composer of "KENTUCKY" in The Wesleyan Methodist Hymnal Jeremiah Ingalls USA 1764-1838. Born at Andover, MA, his father died of hardships from the American Revolutionary War when he was thirteen. In VT, he worked as a farmer, Cooper, Taverner, and choirmaster. He mastered the bass viol (similar to a cello) and became a composer. He moved to Newbury, VT, in 1787, and in 1791 he married Mary (Polly) Bigelow of Westminster, MA, and they had eleven children (nine living to adulthood): Smith, Jeremiah, Joshua, Jeremiah, Mary, Moses, Elizabeth, John, Almyra, Isaac, and Hannah. He taught singing and began leading the singing at the First Congregational Church there. The choir became well-known, and people came from miles around to hear them sing. In 1800 he built and operated a tavern. He also worked as a cooper. In 1803 he became a deacon, and in 1805 he published a song book, “Christian Harmony”, that contained folk and popular songs with tunes used in spiritual songs sung in early religious revivals and campmeetings, some becoming hymns in later song books. It was said that at times he would be so immersed in his music that his livelihood suffered as a result. He was removed and excommunicated from his church in 1810, having a falling out with the church due to marriage infidelity that he refused to repent of. He ran his tavern for a number of years, but finally sold it and moved to Rochester, VT, in 1819, where he became the first choirmaster of the Church of Christ. His tenure there was successful, and he was a signer of the document establishing construction of the first church building in Rochester (1812). Later, his son, John, succeeded him as choirmaster there. the family’s last move was to a farm near Hancock, VT. He was described as short, portly, good-humored, and absentminded, and having a high voice, but singing bass well. His family was musical, some noted for their musical abilities. A singing society in VT was named for him and promoted singing events. Some of his music became well-known around the world. He died at Hancock, VT. Note: It is said that he wrote a letter to the First Congregational Church in Westminster 18 years after departing repenting of his infidelity (allegedly after his illegitimate son, Thomas, was of age, but the letter was lost in church records, although the church said they had received it. John Perry

Federico J. Pagura

1923 - 2016 Person Name: Federico J. Pagura, 1923-2016 Translator of "A Charge to Keep I Have (Yo tengo una misión)" in Santo, Santo, Santo Federico José Pagura was an Argentine Methodist bishop and author and translator of hymns. Leland Bryant Ross

John Wesley

1703 - 1791 Person Name: J. Wesley Author of "A charge to keep I have" in Worship in Song John Wesley, the son of Samuel, and brother of Charles Wesley, was born at Epworth, June 17, 1703. He was educated at the Charterhouse, London, and at Christ Church, Oxford. He became a Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, and graduated M.A. in 1726. At Oxford, he was one of the small band consisting of George Whitefield, Hames Hervey, Charles Wesley, and a few others, who were even then known for their piety; they were deridingly called "Methodists." After his ordination he went, in 1735, on a mission to Georgia. The mission was not successful, and he returned to England in 1738. From that time, his life was one of great labour, preaching the Gospel, and publishing his commentaries and other theological works. He died in London, in 1791, in his eighty-eighth year. His prose works are very numerous, but he did not write many useful hymns. It is to him, however, and not to his brother Charles, that we are indebted for the translations from the German. --Annotations of the Hymnal, Charles Hutchins, M.A., 1872 ====================== John Wesley, M.A., was born at Epworth Rectory in 1703, and, like the rest of the family, received his early education from his mother. He narrowly escaped perishing in the fire which destroyed the rectory house in 1709, and his deliverance made a life-long impression upon him. In 1714 he was nominated on the foundation of Charterhouse by his father's patron, the Duke of Buckingham, and remained at that school until 1720, when he went up, with a scholarship, from Charterhouse to Christ Church, Oxford. Having taken his degree, he received Holy Orders from the Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Potter) in 1725. In 1726 he was elected Fellow of Lincoln College, and remained at Oxford until 1727, when he returned into Lincolnshire to assist his father as curate at Epworth and Wroot. In 1729 he was summoned back to Oxford by his firm friend, Dr. Morley, Rector of Lincoln, to assist in the College tuition. There he found already established the little band of "Oxford Methodists" who immediately placed themselves under his direction. In 1735 he went, as a Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, to Georgia, where a new colony had been founded under the governorship of General Oglethorpe. On his voyage out he was deeply impressed with the piety and Christian courage of some German fellow travellers, Moravians. During his short ministry in Georgia he met with many discouragements, and returned home saddened and dissatisfied both with himself and his work; but in London he again fell in with the Moravians, especially with Peter Bohler; and one memorable night (May 24, 1738) he went to a meeting in Aldersgate Street, where some one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. There, "About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death." From that moment his future course was sealed; and for more than half a century he laboured, through evil report and good report, to spread what he believed to be the everlasting Gospel, travelling more miles, preaching more sermons, publishing more books of a practical sort, and making more converts than any man of his day, or perhaps of any day, and dying at last, March 2, 1791, in harness, at the patriarchal age of 88. The popular conception of the division of labour between the two brothers in the Revival, is that John was the preacher, and Charles the hymnwriter. But this is not strictly accurate. On the one hand Charles was also a great preacher, second only to his brother and George Whitefield in the effects which he produced. On the other hand, John by no means relegated to Charles the exclusive task of supplying the people with their hymns. John Wesley was not the sort of man to depute any part of his work entirely to another: and this part was, in his opinion, one of vital importance. With that wonderful instinct for gauging the popular mind, which was one element in his success, he saw at once that hymns might be utilized, not only for raising the devotion, but also for instructing, and establishing the faith of his disciples. He intended the hymns to be not merely a constituent part of public worship, but also a kind of creed in verse. They were to be "a body of experimental and practical divinity." "In what other publication," he asks in his Preface to the Wesleyan Hymn Book, 1780 (Preface, Oct. 20,1779), "have you so distinct and full an account of Scriptural Christianity; such a declaration of the heights and depths of religion, speculative and practical; so strong cautions against the most plausible errors, particularly those now most prevalent; and so clear directions for making your calling and election sure; for perfecting holiness in the fear of God?" The part which he actually took in writing the hymns, it is not easy to ascertain; but it is certain that more than thirty translations from the German, French and Spanish (chiefly from the German) were exclusively his; and there are some original hymns, admittedly his composition, which are not unworthy to stand by the side of his brother's. His translations from the German especially have had a wide circulation. Although somewhat free as translations they embody the fire and energy of the originals. It has been the common practice, however for a hundred years or more to ascribe all translations from the German to John Wesley, as he only of the two brothers knew that language; and to assign to Charles Wesley all the original hymns except such as are traceable to John Wesley through his Journals and other works. The list of 482 original hymns by John and Charles Wesley listed in this Dictionary of Hymnology have formed an important part of Methodist hymnody and show the enormous influence of the Wesleys on the English hymnody of the nineteenth century. -- Excerpts from John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907) =================== See also in: Hymn Writers of the Church

William Jensen Reynolds

1920 - 2009 Person Name: William J. Reynolds Composer of "KEEGAN" in Christian Praise Pseudonyms include: Bigelow, James Buie, Dean Clark, John Day, Francis Dorff, Gregory Dorsey, Jane Drakestone, John East, Richard Eastis, Ellen Frye, Dan Gregory, Peter Harrold, Stan Hawk, John Horn, Ellen Ingham, Marie Jordaan, Jacques Keely, Grant Kije, Cyd Kringel, Cark Kuliami, Tiki [?] Lee, Wilbur Long, Richard Long, Robert MacDougall, Thom Madsen, Carl O. Monroe, Lou Munroe, June Reed, Ruth Rodgers, Lee Rosemont, David Ross, Don Saul, J. Crawford Sneed, Roger Wheeler, Annette Winston, Clyde York, Henry --Email from William Colson to Mary Louise VanDyke, 4 May 2005, DNAH Archives. Names taken from the program of Reynolds' retirement dinner. Colson notes, "The program has faded and the one designated with a question mark is not 100% certain."