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Chas. H. Gabriel

1856 - 1932 Person Name: C. H. G. Arranger of "[Praise God, from whom all blessings flow]" in Songs of the Soul No. 2 Pseudonyms: C. D. Emerson, Charlotte G. Homer, S. B. Jackson, A. W. Lawrence, Jennie Ree ============= For the first seventeen years of his life Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (b. Wilton, IA, 1856; d. Los Angeles, CA, 1932) lived on an Iowa farm, where friends and neighbors often gathered to sing. Gabriel accompanied them on the family reed organ he had taught himself to play. At the age of sixteen he began teaching singing in schools (following in his father's footsteps) and soon was acclaimed as a fine teacher and composer. He moved to California in 1887 and served as Sunday school music director at the Grace Methodist Church in San Francisco. After moving to Chicago in 1892, Gabriel edited numerous collections of anthems, cantatas, and a large number of songbooks for the Homer Rodeheaver, Hope, and E. O. Excell publishing companies. He composed hundreds of tunes and texts, at times using pseudonyms such as Charlotte G. Homer. The total number of his compositions is estimated at about seven thousand. Gabriel's gospel songs became widely circulated through the Billy Sunday-Homer Rodeheaver urban crusades. Bert Polman

William B. Bradbury

1816 - 1868 Person Name: Wm. B. Bradbury Composer of "REST" in African Methodist Episcopal hymn and tune book William Bachelder Bradbury USA 1816-1868. Born at York, ME, he was raised on his father's farm, with rainy days spent in a shoe-shop, the custom in those days. He loved music and spent spare hours practicing any music he could find. In 1830 the family moved to Boston, where he first saw and heard an organ and piano, and other instruments. He became an organist at 15. He attended Dr. Lowell Mason's singing classes, and later sang in the Bowdoin Street church choir. Dr. Mason became a good friend. He made $100/yr playing the organ, and was still in Dr. Mason's choir. Dr. Mason gave him a chance to teach singing in Machias, ME, which he accepted. He returned to Boston the following year to marry Adra Esther Fessenden in 1838, then relocated to Saint John, New Brunswick. Where his efforts were not much appreciated, so he returned to Boston. He was offered charge of music and organ at the First Baptist Church of Brooklyn. That led to similar work at the Baptist Tabernacle, New York City, where he also started a singing class. That started singing schools in various parts of the city, and eventually resulted in music festivals, held at the Broadway Tabernacle, a prominent city event. He conducted a 1000 children choir there, which resulted in music being taught as regular study in public schools of the city. He began writing music and publishing it. In 1847 he went with his wife to Europe to study with some of the music masters in London and also Germany. He attended Mendelssohn funeral while there. He went to Switzerland before returning to the states, and upon returning, commenced teaching, conducting conventions, composing, and editing music books. In 1851, with his brother, Edward, he began manufacturring Bradbury pianos, which became popular. Also, he had a small office in one of his warehouses in New York and often went there to spend time in private devotions. As a professor, he edited 59 books of sacred and secular music, much of which he wrote. He attended the Presbyterian church in Bloomfield, NJ, for many years later in life. He contracted tuberculosis the last two years of his life. John Perry

Benjamin F. Nysewander

Person Name: Benj. F. Nysewander Composer of "[Praise God, from whom all blessings flow]" in Golden Leaves

John R. Sweney

1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[Praise God, from whom all blessings flow]" in Junior Songs John R. Sweney (1837-1899) was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and exhibited musical abilities at an early age. At nineteen he was studying with a German music teacher, leading a choir and glee club, and performing at children’s entertainments. By twenty-two he was teaching at a school in Dover, Delaware. Soon thereafter, he was put in charge of the band of the Third Delaware Regiment of the Union Army for the duration of the Civil War. After the war, he became Professor of Music at the Pennsylvania Military Academy, and director of Sweney’s Cornet Band. He eventually earned Bachelor and Doctor of Music degrees at the Academy. Sweney began composing church music in 1871 and became well-known as a leader of large congregations. His appreciators stated “Sweney knows how to make a congregation sing” and “He had great power in arousing multitudes.” He also became director of music for a large Sunday school at the Bethany Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia of which John Wanamaker was superintendent (Wanamaker was the founder of the first major department store in Philadelphia). In addition to his prolific output of hymn melodies and other compositions, Sweney edited or co-edited about sixty song collections, many in collaboration with William J. Kirkpatrick. Sweney died on April 10, 1899, and his memorial was widely attended and included a eulogy by Wanamaker. Joe Hickerson from "Joe's Jottings #9" used by permission

Joseph P. Holbrook

1822 - 1888 Person Name: J. P. Holbrook Composer of "LONG" in The Standard Church Hymnal Joseph P. Holbrook was a tune writer in the parlor music style, and used the popular melodies of Mason and Hastings, Bradbury and Root, Greatorex and Kingsley in his collections. He furnished settings for the choir hymns in Songs for the Sanctuary in his Quartet and chorus Choir (New York, 1871, and sought more recogniation than had been given him in a hymnal of his own, Worship in Song (New York, 1880); a book that found no welcome. from The English hymn: its development and use in worship By Louis FitzGerald Benson

Donald S. Marsh

1923 - 2010 Composer of "DOXOLOGY" in The Presbyterian Hymnal Donald Stuart Marsh USA 1923-2010. Born at Akron, OH, he spent his early years in Singapore and Sumatra, Indonesia, where his father was an accountant for rubber plantations. He attended Western Maryland College, Westminster, MD (now McDaniel College). He then attended the U of Houston, TX, and received Masters degrees in music, art, and drama. For 17 years he was involved with theatre, concert, and TV work in NYC as actor, choreographer, teacher, and pianist. For three decades he served at the First Presbyterian Church of Port Jervis (FPCPJ), along with pastor, Richard K Avery, his friend and partner for 50 years. As an ordained elder, he directed 75+ plays and musicals, and conducted three choirs. With pastor Avery, the two wrote and published 150+ songs. They formed Proclamation Productions to publish their works. Later, Hope Publishing handled their sales. Don spent his retirement years at Santa Fe, NM, with his friend, Avery. He died at Santa Fe, never having married. His record is staggering. He directed two full productions each year; created the church’s High Tea concerts; and for years, wrote a new musical to be performed at the annual Thanksgiving weekend Holiday Fair. All this in addition to directing the choirs for Sunday services. He was head of the ‘Presby Players’ there, and is believed to be the longest-running director of a church arts group in America. Proclamation Publications collections of works include: ‘Hymns Hot and Carols Cool’ (1967); ‘More, More, More’ (1970); ‘Songs For the Search’ (1970; ‘Alive and Singing’ (1971); ‘Songs For Easter People’ (1972); three volumes of ‘Hymns and Carols’ (1974-1979); and ‘Songs For Special Occasions’ (1980). John Perry

J. W. Schulte Nordholt

1920 - 1995 Person Name: J. W. Nordholt Translator (Dutch) of "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow" in Lift Up Your Hearts J.W. Schulte Nordholt (b. 1920; d. 1995) was a Dutch writer and professor of the history and culture of North America. He is best known for his publications about the United States, particularly his biography of Woodrow Wilson. Lift Up Your Hearts, 2013