Philip P. Bliss

Philip Paul Bliss

Philip Paul Bliss (born July 9, 1838 in the village of Rome , Clearfield County , Pennsylvania , † December 29, 1876 in Ashtabula , Ohio ) is one of the most famous American composers of revival songs . He also wrote his own lyrics.

Life

Philip Paul Bliss was born into a poor Christian home in the village of Rome , Clearfield County . He began to look after himself very early; he lived as a woodcutter and earned his living on sawmills. His musicality and beautiful voice soon showed up. From 1857 on he received musical lessons a. a. at the JG Towners Music School in Towanda , Pennsylvania ; In 1860 he attended a six-week course at the Normal Academy of Music of New York . Bliss married Lucy Jane Young in 1859 and had sons Philip Paul Bliss, Jr. (1872-1933) and George Goodwin Bliss (1874-1933) with her.

Bliss began attending Methodist camp meetings and other revival events, and worked as a traveling music teacher on horseback. 1864 gave Bliss music lessons in Chicago and thus became acquainted with the leading evangelist and poets and composers of hymns of American revivalism of his day such as George Frederick Root and William Batchelder Bradbury . In 1871 Bliss became a choir member and Sunday School Superintendent at the Main Congregationalist Church in Chicago. He has been involved in organizing numerous musical gatherings in the northwestern United States.

At the instigation of evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody , Bliss entered the evangelism work. However, Bliss turned down the offer of musical collaboration with Moody, and Moody then chose Ira David Sankey as his musical partner. Bliss instead allied with preacher Major Daniel Webster Whittle in 1874 . As its music director , he directed the musical performances at evangelism events and sang solo chants.

On December 29, 1876, Bliss and his wife were killed in the Ashtabula railway accident when a passenger train fell through a bridge and fell into a gorge 21 meters deep. 92 people died.

plant

Bliss put together seven volumes of gospel and revival hymns , which initially achieved great popularity in the USA and are still present in hymn books in Germany to this day . In addition to composing the sacred songs , Bliss also composed his own sacred texts as templates.

The first of his song collections, the Gospel Songs published by Bliss in 1874 , which gave the new genre of sacred singing its name - also known as Evangeliumslied in German - became particularly well known . The collection contained songs that were tried and tested at revivals, including over fifty own compositions. Together with Ira David Sankey , Bliss published the Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs in 1875 .

The following poems and settings, among others, are from Bliss:

Whosoever Heareth , 1870, German by Theodor Kübler as Whoever wants to come
Sing Them over again to me , 1874, German by Ernst Heinrich Gebhardt as a sound again in the higher choir
Will You Meet Me at the Fountain , 1874, German by Ernst Heinrich Gebhardt as I would like to meet you at the source
At the feet of Jesus , 1876, German by Theodor Kübler as Zu des Heilands feet
Almost persuaded , German by Ernst Heinrich Gebhardt as almost converted

Bliss has set the following texts by other poets, among others:

Precious Promise (text by Nathanie Niles , German as Reiches Promise )
It Is Well with My Soul (When Peace like a River Attendeth My Way) (text by Horatio Gates Spafford , German by Theodor Kübler as Wenn Friede mit Gott penetrates my soul )
Hallelujah! What a savior
Often times you scatter seeds the hard way

In terms of their rhythmic structure, Bliss' revival songs can be divided into two categories: on the one hand, rather calm songs with three-part subdivision (in 6/8 or 9/8 time or with triplets ), on the other hand, songs that are characterized by dotted notes. They are in major , occasionally extended to include chromatics . The melody is based on a simple harmony from the basic functions . Repetitions of notes, alternating notes and jumps in the triad area alternate with excerpts from the scale. Long jumps, such as sixth or octave up, and jumped-in leads (e.g. sixth lead) occur frequently. The individual lines of the song are usually composed of a few melodic motifs in repetition, sequencing or reversal to form quite long stanzas (8 lines); occasional minor sections occur. Typically there is a refrain of short lines with motifs familiar from the verse.

In Bliss' texts the concept of mission is in the foreground. They call for repentance or sing about the closeness to Savio (u) r ( Savior ) Jesus Christ.

literature

Philip Paul Bliss (Ed.): Gospel Songs (1874)
Philip Paul Bliss, Ira David Sankey (Eds.): Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs (1875)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Bliss, Philip P.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Bliss, Philip Paul
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American composer and gospel poet
DATE OF BIRTH	July 9, 1838
PLACE OF BIRTH	Rome , Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
DATE OF DEATH	December 29, 1876
Place of death	Ashtabula , Ohio