Fanny Crosby

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Fanny Crosby

Fanny Crosby (actually Frances Jane Van Alstyne ; born March 24, 1820 in Brewster , Southeast , New York , USA ; † February 12, 1915 in Bridgeport , Connecticut ) was an American poet of spiritual texts , also known as songs of revival in Germany were. She wrote over 8,000 texts, making her one of the leading gospel lyricists .

The blind Fanny Crosby was initially known as a poet of secular texts and then turned to spiritual poetry.

Life

Fanny Crosby was born into a poor family. When she was six weeks old, she developed an eye infection from a cold. On the advice of an alleged doctor, her parents treated the inflammation with hot compresses, which led to her blindness. Fanny's father died when she was only a year old. Through her mother's upbringing, and above all her grandmother, Fanny developed a solid relationship with the Protestant faith at an early age. For example, she memorized entire passages from the Bible and her disability did not stop her from actively participating in her church.

At the age of 15, Fanny Crosby came to a special school for the blind that is now called the New York Institute for Special Education . During her seven years at school, she learned various musical instruments and took singing lessons. In 1843 Crosby became a member of a politically active group in Washington, DC , which advocated education for the blind. From 1847 to 1858 she taught English and history at a New York school.

In 1858 Fanny Crosby married an equally blind musician and teacher colleague named Alexander van Alstyne. However, this insisted that Crosby keep her maiden name. Their only child, a girl named after their mother Frances, died at an early age. Alexander van Alstyne died on July 19, 1902. Fanny Crosby died on February 12, 1915. On her tombstone is the affectionate designation “Aunt Fanny” (Aunt Fanny) and the text “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine “- the beginning of her most famous song Blessed Knowledge, Jesus is mine. Oh, what a foretaste of divine glory - engraved.

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Fanny Crosby started writing poetry at the age of eight. In 1844 her first collection of poems was published, entitled A Blind Girl and Other Poems . Crosby also wrote lyrics to music by secular popular composers such as George F. Root , which earned her a lucrative business and national fame. In fact, she was one of the most famous women in America during her lifetime. She had personal contact with numerous influential figures, including the American President. For example, in 1885 she played her song Safe in Jesus' arms at the funeral of President Ulysses S. Grant .

However, it is mainly her spiritual poetry for which Fanny Crosby is known to this day. Your first text for a hymn, titled There's a Cry from Macedonia (in the German translation It resounds a call ), she wrote in 1863 for the well-known Christian composer and journalist William B. Bradbury . Over the years Fanny has worked with other influential composers from the Awakening Movement. They include u. a. Philip Phillips, Hubert P. Main, Robert Lowry , William H. Doane , Ira D. Sankey , Philip P. Bliss , WF Sherwin and Phoebe Knapp. Her life's work includes at least 8000 revival songs , which had a decisive influence on the development of the revival movement and which have also been translated into other languages. In Germany, Ernst Gebhardt and Dora Rappard were primarily responsible for this.

Fanny Crosby's most successful works include a .:

  • Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine , German by Heinrich Rickers as Blessed Knowledge, Jesus is mine , set to music by Phoebe Knapp
  • Come With Thy Sins to the Fountain , German by W. Appel as Come to the source of life , set to music by George Coles Stebbins
  • Redeemed, How I Love to Proclaim It! , German by Chr. Reuss as Redeemed I am, blessed in Jesus , set to music by William J. Kirkpatrick
  • Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home
  • Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross , German by Walter Rauschenbusch as Jesus, pull me to the cross , set to music by William H. Doane
  • Safe in the Arms of Jesus , 1868 , German of Dora Rappard as safe in the arms of Jesus , set to music by William Howard Doane
  • Thou My Everlasting Portion , German by Dora Rappard as Herr, mein Heiland und mein Hirte , set to music by Silas Jones Vail
  • To God Be the Glory , German by Lotte Sauer as O God, be honor to you
  • Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior , German by C. Ott as Don't go past, O Savior
  • Praise Him, Praise Him

literature

  • Bernard Ruffin: O God, be glory to you! The life of the blind songwriter Fanny Crosby. Verlag der Liebenzeller Mission, Lahr 1999. ISBN 3-88002-689-0

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ J. Gordon Melton: Crosby, Fanny (1820-1915) . American hymn writer. In: Encyclopedia of World Religions . Encyclopedia of Protestantism, No. 6 . Facts of File, New York 2005, ISBN 978-0-8160-5456-5 , pp. 173 (English).
personal data
SURNAME Crosby, Fanny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Alstyne, Frances Jane Van (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American poet of sacred texts
DATE OF BIRTH March 24, 1820
PLACE OF BIRTH Brewster , Southeast , New York
DATE OF DEATH February 12, 1915
Place of death Bridgeport (Connecticut)