Person Results

Switch back to the old search page.Advanced Search

Showing 11 - 20 of 25Results Per Page: 10 20 50

John R. Sweney

1837 - 1899 Person Name: Jno. R. Sweney Composer of "[I thirst, thou wounded Lamb of God]" in Unfading Treasures 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

John J. Overholt

1918 - 2000 Person Name: Compiler Alterer of "O Come Thou Wounded Lamb of God" in The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4 John J. Overholt was born to an Amish family of limited means in the state of Ohio in 1918. As a child he was soon introduced to his father's personal collection of gospel songs and hymns, which was to have a marked influence on his later life. With his twin brother Joe, he early was exposed to the Amish-Mennonite tradition hymn-singing and praising worship. An early career in Christian service led to a two-year period of relief work in the country of Poland following World War II. During that interim he began to gather many European songs and hymns as a personal hobby, not realizing that these selections would become invaluable to The Christian Hymnary which was begun in 1960 and completed twelve years later in 1972, with a compilation of 1000 songs, hymns and chorales. (The largest Menn. hymnal). A second hymnal was begun simultaneously in the German language entitled Erweckungs Lieder Nr.1 which was brought to completion in 1986. This hymnal has a total of 200 selections with a small addendum of English hymns. Mr. Overholt married in 1965 to an accomplished soprano Vera Marie Sommers, who was not to be outdone by her husband's creativity and compiled a hymnal of 156 selections entitled Be Glad and Sing, directed to children and youth and first printed in 1986. During this later career of hymn publishing, Mr. Overholt also found time for Gospel team work throughout Europe. At this writing he is preparing for a 5th consecutive tour which he arranges and guides. The countries visited will be Belgium, Switzerland, France, Germany, Poland, USSR and Romania. Mr. Overholt was called to the Christian ministry in 1957 and resides at Sarasota, Florida where he is co-minister of a Beachy Amish-Mennonite Church. Five children were born to this family and all enjoy worship in song. --Letter from Hannah Joanna Overholt to Mary Louise VanDyke, 10 October 1990, DNAH Archives. Photo enclosed.

William Knapp

1698 - 1768 Person Name: W. Knapp Composer of "WAREHAM" in Melodies of Grace and Truth Born: 1698, Wareham, Dorsetshire, England. Died: September 26, 1768, Poole, Dorsetshire, England. Buried: Poole, Dorsetshire, England.

George Whitefield

1714 - 1770 Person Name: George Whitefield (1714-1770) Alterer of "O Come Thou Wounded Lamb of God" in The Christian Hymnary. Bks. 1-4

Henry Baker

1835 - 1910 Composer of "HESPERUS" in Luther League Hymnal Henry Baker, Mus. Bac., son of the Rev. James Baker, Chancellor of the diocese of Durham; born at Nuneham, Oxfordshire; educated at Winchester School; graduated Bachelor in Music at the University of Oxford in 1867. He also worked as a civil engineer. Scottish Church Music, its composers and sources by James Love; William Blackwwod and Sons, Edinburgh and London, 1891

William Tans'ur

1699 - 1783 Person Name: William Tansur Composer of "ROTHWELL" in Hymn and Tune Book of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Round Note Ed.) William Tansur, b. about 1700, Dunchurch of Barnes; d. 1783, St. Neots Evangelical Lutheran Hymnal, 1908 Also known as Tansur; Tanzer; le Tansur

Wolfgang Christoph Dessler

1660 - 1722 Person Name: Dessler Author of "I thirst, Thou wounded Lamb of God" in The Song Companion to the Scriptures Dessler, Wolfgang Christoph, son of Nicolaus Dessler, jeweller, at Nürnberg, was born at Nürnberg, Feb. 11, 1660. His father wished him to become a goldsmith, but, as he was not physically suited for this, he was permitted to begin the study of theology at the University of Altdorf. His poverty and bodily weakness forced him to leave before completing his course, and, returning to Nurnberg, he supported himself there as a proof reader. Becoming acquainted with Erasmus Finx or Francisci, then residing in Nürnberg, he was employed by Finx as his amanuensis, and at his request translated many foreign religious works into German. In 1705 he was appointed Conrector of the School of the Holy Ghost at Nürnberg, where he laboured with zeal and acceptance till 1720, when, by a stroke of paralysis, he was forced to resign. Finally, after an illness which lasted about 35 weeks, he died at Nürnberg, March 11,1722. Of his hymns, in all over 100, the best appeared, many with melodies by himself, in his volume of meditations entitled:— Gottgeheiligter Christen Nützlich Ergetzende Seelenlust unter den Blumen Gottliches Worts, oder andächtige Betrachtungen und Gedanken über unterschiedliche erläuterte Schriftspruche, &c. Nürnberg, 1692 [Berlin] (Koch, iii. 531-535, and iv. 566-567). From this work (the references to which have been kindly supplied by Dr. Zahn of Altdorf, from his copy), five hymns have been translated into English, viz.:— Hymns in English common use:— i. Ich lass dich nicht, du musst mein Jesus bleiben. [Constancy to Christ.] Founded on Genesis xxxii. 36. First published 1692, as above, p. 553, along with Meditation xviii., which is entitled "The striving love." Wetzel (A. H., vol. i., pt. iv., p. 20) says it was sung, at her re¬quest, Sept. 5, 1726, at the deathbed of Christiana Eberhardina, a pious Queen of Poland. In the Berlin Geistliche Liedersegen

Lewis Edson

1748 - 1820 Person Name: Edson Composer of "BRIDGEWATER" in Songs of Joy and Gladness Lewis EdsonBorn in Massachusetts,he began working as a blacksmith and farmer. After marrying, he became a singing teacher, notable in his day. He taught singing in MA NY and CN, moving to NY in 1817. He was also an author. His 35 works consist of tunebooks, anthems, Psalm music, music scores and chants for choir use. John Perry

Anna Nitschmann

1715 - 1760 Person Name: Anna Nitschman Author of "I thirst, Thou wounded Lamb of God" in The Coronation Hymnal Nitschmann, Anna, daughter of David Nitschmann, cartwright, at Kunewald, near Fulnek, Moravia, was born at Kunewald, Nov. 24, 1715. Her cousin, David Nitschmann (the first Bishop, 1735, of the renewed Brethren's Unity) while on a visit to Kunewald in the beginning of 1725, persuaded her father to remove to Herrnhut, where the family arrived on Feb. 25, 1725. On March 17, 1730, Anna was appointed Unity-Elder, with the care of the unmarried sisters; on May 4, 1730, joined with Anna Dober in founding the Jungfrauenbund (see p. 304, ii.); and in 1733 entered the unmarried sisters' house at Herrnhut. In 1735 she became companion to Zinzendorf s daughter, the Countess Benigna, and accompanied her, in 1737, to England. During the summer of 1740 she went with her own father to America, arriving in Pennsylvania Dec. 5, 1740. After the arrival of Zinzendorf and the Countess Benigna, in 1741, Anna joined with them in work among the Indians. She returned to Germany in 1743. After the death of his first wife on June 19, 1756, Zinzendorf married Anna at Berthelsdorf on June 27, 1757. When on May 5, 1760, Zinzendorf felt his fatal illness, she also succumbed, and after his death, on May 9, gradually sank and died, May 21, 1760, at Herrnhut (Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie xxiii. 709; MS. from Diaconus J. T. Muller, Herrnhut, &c). Her hymns were written 1735-1748; the earlier in Herrnhut, some in Pennsylvania, others from 1743 to 1748. They appeared in the various Appendices to the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch of 1735. Only two have passed into use outside of the English Moravian Hymn Book. These are:— i. Ich bin das arme Würmlein dein. Humility. First published as No. 1592 in Appendix x. circa l741 to the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch, 1735, in 12 stanzas of 4 lines. When repeated in the Brüder Gesang-Buch, 1778, No. 851, st. i., 11. 1, 2; iv., 11. 1, 2; ii.; iii.; xii. were selected with alterations, and a stanza by C. Gregor (which begins “Mein Heiland! dass ich ohne dich") was prefixed. The translation in common use is:— My Saviour, that I without Thee. Translated in full by F. W. Foster, from the text of 1778, and given as No. 450 in the Moravian Hymn Book , 1189 (1886, No. 580). Included, omitting st. v., in J. A. Latrobe's Collection, 1841. ii. Mein König, deine Liebe. Christian Work. Appeared as No. 1233 in Appendix vii. circa 1737 to the Herrnhut Gesang-Buch, 1735, in 14 st. of 6 1. In the Brüder Gesang-Buch,1778, No. 1355, reduced to 6 stanzas (st. v. in 1778 is by N. L. Zinzendorf). Another translation is: "Thou our exalted first-born Brother." This is a tr. of st. xiv. in the Moravian Hymn Book, pt. ii., 1746, p. 798. In 1754, pt. ii., p. 365, altered to "0 Thou our first-born Brother " (1849, No. 852, st. ii.). [Rev. James Mearns, M.A.] --John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

William Dressler

1826 - 1914 Person Name: Dessler Transaltor of "I Thirst, Thou Wounded Lamb of God" in Hymns of Consecration and Faith Prof. William Dressler was born in Nottingham, England and his father was at one time court flutiest to the King of Saxony. Mr. Dressler was graduated from the Cologne Conservatory of Music in 1847. Shortly after, he was first violinist of the Opera House in Wiesbaden and then became conductor. He came to this country in the early fifties as solo pianist and accompanist to Ole Bull. After traveling several seasons with concert companies Mr. Dressler settled in New York and devoted himself to teaching, playing in churches and composing. He was a former choirmaster and organist of the Fourth Avenue Presbyterina Church. He played in other churches, among them St. Charles Borromeo’s, St. Peter’s Roman Catholic in Brooklyn, and St. Peter’s iin Jersey City, where he remained for eighteen years . This long term in Catholic churches let him to compose much music for their services and many of his compositions have been used all over the world. Prof. Dressler was for many years musical editor for the old publishing house of William Hall & Son & J. L. Peters. He is survived by three children, all musicians. excerpts from New York Times Obituary, July 3, 1914