♪ Music notes ♪

“LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING” is a poem originally written by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) in 1900. It was later set to music by his brother J. Rosamond Johnson (1873-1954), for the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday in 1905. The song is often referred to as “the Black national anthem” in the United States, for its power in voicing a cry for the liberation and affirmation of African-American people.

JOHN GOSS (1800-1880) was an English organist, composer, and teacher. Born into a musical family, Goss was a boy chorister of the Chapel Royal, London, and later a pupil of Thomas Attwood, organist of St. Paul’s Cathedral. As a composer, Goss wrote little for the orchestra, but was known for his vocal and choral music. Among his best known compositions are his hymn tunes Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven and See, Amid the Winter’s Snow. A music critic of “The Times” newspaper described him as the last of the line of English composers who confined themselves almost entirely to ecclesiastical music.

HENRY FRANCIS LYTE (1793-1847) was an Anglican minister, hymnodist, and poet. He was born in Scotland, of English parentage. After abandoning his intention to study medicine, he studied at Trinity College, Dublin, and with very limited training for the ministry, he took Anglican holy orders in 1815. Lyte was described as “slightly eccentric but of great personal charm, a man noted for his wit and human understanding, a born poet and an able scholar.” He was also an expert flute player and spoke Latin, Greek, and French. Lyte’s two most well known hymn texts are “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” and “Abide with Me”.

GEORGE N. ALLEN (1812-1877) was an American composer and geologist, who was associated with Oberlin College, where he taught for many years. He also served on the first geological survey of Yellowstone National Park. In 1844, Oberlin published Allen’s Social and Sabbath Hymn Book. One of the melodies in this book, entitled Maitland, was used as the setting for Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone. Many years later, Thomas A. Dorsey used the melody as the setting to his own hymn text “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”, which became popular through its association with Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement.

THOMAS A. DORSEY (1899-1993) was an American musician, composer and Christian evangelist influential in the development of early jazz, blues and 20th century gospel music. Born in rural Georgia, Dorsey gained most of his musical experience playing blues at barrelhouses and parties in Atlanta. After a spiritual awakening, he began concentrating on writing and arranging religious music. Aside from the lyrics, he saw no real distinction between blues and church music, and viewed songs as a supplement to spoken word preaching. Dorsey served as the music director at Chicago’s Pilgrim Baptist Church for 50 years, and many of the first generation of gospel singers in the 20th century, including Mahalia Jackson, worked or trained under him. He penned some 3,000 songs, including the hymn “Precious Lord, Take My Hand” – the text of which was written by Dorsey, with music adapted from a melody written some 90 years earlier by George N. Allen.

CYRIL VINCENT TAYLOR (1907-1991) was born in Wigan, Lancashire, England. A chorister at Magdalen College School, Oxford, he later studied at Christ Church, Oxford, and Westcott House, Cambridge. Ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1932, he served as both pastor and musician. During World War II, Taylor was BBC’s producer of Religious Broadcasting, and, while stationed in Abbot’s Leigh, he composed his famous hymn tune of the same name.

WALTER FARQUHARSON (b. 1936) is a teacher, preacher, orator and noted hymn-writer. He was Moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1990-1992, during which time he gave his support to the creation of the Moderator’s Task Group on Residential Schools. Born near Rosetown, Saskatchewan, he was educated at the University of Saskatchewan and St. Andrew’s College at the University of Saskatchewan. After his ordination in 1960 he did a year of post-graduate study in Edinburgh, where he was also assistant minister at Morningside Parish Church. Returning to Canada he became the minister of the United Church in Saltcoats, Saskatchewan, where he remained until his retirement, and also, believing that ministry involves the whole of life, an English teacher in the local high school. Farquharson received an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from St. Andrew’s College in 1975 for his work as a rural pastor, educator and hymn-writer. Voices United contains thirteen of his hymns.

MOSES HOGAN (1957-2003) was an American pianist, conductor, composer and arranger of choral music, best known for his setting of spirituals. His works are celebrated and performed by high school, college, church, community and professional choirs across the globe. Hogan received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and also studied at the Julliard School of Music, and later, in Vienna. In 1997, he founded the “Moses Hogan Singers”; their first album was released in 2002. A year later, he tragically died of a brain tumour at the age of 45.

FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL (1836-1879) was an English religious poet and hymnwriter. “Take My Life, and Let it Be” is one of her best known hymn texts. She also wrote hymn melodies, religious tracts, and works for children. Havergal College, a private girl’s school in Toronto, is named after her.