Robert Lowry (hymn poet)

Robert Lowry

Robert Lowry (born March 12, 1826 in Philadelphia , Pennsylvania , † November 25, 1899 in Plainfield , New Jersey ) was an American literature professor, Baptist clergyman and composer of numerous revival songs .

Life

Robert Lowry studied theology at what is now Bucknell University in Lewisburg. After graduating in 1854, he was ordained as a Baptist minister. He led various churches in New York, Brooklyn, West Chester, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, among others. From 1880 to 1886 he was also President of the New Jersey Baptist Sunday School Union .

In 1869 he returned to Lewisburg University to teach there.

For the most part, however, Lowry is known as a composer of sacred music for the revival movement. Many of his 500 or so revival songs have also been translated into German and other languages. Lowry also worked as a musical editor for the Biglow Publishing Company . Despite his musical success, Robert Lowry wanted to see himself understood more as a preacher and less as a musician. In terms of content, he once said: “Music was always only a minor matter. I would rather preach the gospel in a service to a willing audience than write a song. I always saw myself as a preacher and was a bit disappointed that I am now better known as a composer. ”However, it is precisely this musical legacy that has made Lowry known to this day. For example, his song Shall We Gather at The River has already been used repeatedly in films, some of which have won awards (e.g. in the western " Hang him higher ").

Robert Lowry was married and had three sons. He died on November 23, 1899 in Plainfield, New Jersey.

plant

Robert Lowry wrote around 500 gospel songs , making him one of the most important composers of this genre. His compositions include:

• Shall We Gather at the River
• One more Day's Work for Jesus , text by Anna Bartlett Warner , German by Theodor Kübler as Ein Tagwerk für den Heiland
• Fresh from the Throne , text by Horatius Bonar , German by Theodor Kübler as Frisch von dem Throne des Lammes
• I Need Thee Every Hour , text by Annie Sherwood Hawks , German by Ernst Gebhardt as I need you all time
• Up From the Grave He Arose , text by an unknown author, in German by Walter Rauschenbusch as he was lying in a gloomy crypt

Lowry's songs have appeared in numerous anthologies of revival songs, some of which were edited in collaboration with the composers William H. Doane and Ira D. Sankey . They include:

• Happy Voices (1865)
• Gospel Melodies (1868)
• Bright Jewels (1869)
• Pure Gold (1871)
• Royal Diadem (1873)
• Temple Anthems (1873)
• Tidal Wave (1874)
• Good as Gold (1880)
• Our Glad Hosannas (1882)
• Joyful Lays (1884)
• Glad Refrain (1886)