William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868) was an American composer of Gospel songs and hymns. He wrote the music for such familiar hymns as ...
William Batchelder Bradbury (1816-1868) was an American
composer of Gospel songs and hymns. He wrote the music for such familiar hymns
as "He Leadeth Me," Holy Bible, Book Divine," "Jesus Loves
Me," "Just As I Am," Saviour Like a Shepherd Lead Us,"
"Sweet Hour of Prayer," and "The Solid Rock." Buried in
Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield, New Jersey, USA.
William B. Bradbury, one of the pioneer American musicians,
to whom we owe much, was born at York, Maine, [United States], in 1816. He
descended from a good family, his grandfather being an old revolutionary
soldier who was highly esteemed. Both his father and his mother had a local
reputation as musicians, his father being a choir leader and singing master.
Young Bradbury thus inherited a taste for music which early manifested itself.
He was employed on his father's farm, but spent all his spare time in
diligently practicing on such musical instruments as came within his reach,
becoming quite proficient on some of them.
In 1830 his parents removed to Boston, where he saw and
heard for the first time a piano and organ, as well as various other
instruments. The effect was to lead him to devote his life to the service of
music. Accordingly he took lessons upon the organ, and as early as 1834 had
achieved some reputation as an organist. He commenced his career as a teacher
in New York, in 1840, and as a composer about the same time, meeting with the
trials and discouragements which usually fall to the lot of young and unknown
musicians.
In 1847 Mr. Bradbury and family went to Europe, traveling in
Germany and Switzerland. At Leipsic he studied for some time under the best
masters, gaining a deeper insight into music. After his return home, in 1849,
he devoted his entire time to teaching, composing, and editing various
collections of music. He was also called to various parts of the country to
conduct musical conventions, then just beginning to be held. In 1854, he, in
conjunction with his brother, E. G. Bradbury, commenced the business of
manufacturing pianos, and the Bradbury instruments were at one time quite
popular. The business is now carried on by Freeborn G. Smith.
Mr. Bradbury was one of the great trio (the other two being
Dr. Lowell Mason and Dr. George F. Root) to which church and vocal music in
this country owe so much. His music, though not classical, is far from being
puerile, and was exactly fitted to the needs of the time. He was unceasingly
active, having edited more than twenty collections of music, a large part of
which was his own. His most popular collection was "The Jubilee,"
published in 1858, which attained a sale of over 200,000 copies. Of his other
collections we have space to mention only a few, viz; "The Young
Choir" (1841), "The School Singer" (1843), "Social Singing
Glee Book" (1844), "Psalmodist" (1844), "Young
Melodist" (1845), "The Choralist" (1847), "Musical Gems for
School and Home" (1849), "Mendelssohn Collection" (1849),
"Sabbath-School Melodies" (1850), "Alpine Glee Singer"
(1850), "Metropolitan Glee Book" (1852), "Psalmista"
(1851), "The Shawm" (1853), "New York Glee and Chorus Book"
(1855), and "Sabbath-School Choir" (1856). He also composed several
cantatas, one of which is "Esther," produced in 1856, and assisted in
composing others.
Mr. Bradbury died at his residence, Montclair, N. J., Jan.
8, 1868, leaving a widow, four daughters, two of whom are married, and a son.
He will always occupy a prominent place in American musical history.
Hymns:
·
He Leadeth Me (words: Joseph H. Gilmore)
·
Holy Bible, Book Divine (words: John Burton,
Sr.)
·
Jesus Loves Me (words: Anna B. Warner)
·
Just As I Am (words: Charlotte Elliott)
·
Saviour, Like A Shepherd Lead Us (words: Dorothy
A. Thrupp)
·
The Solid Rock (words: Edward Mote)
·
Sweet Hour of Prayer (words: William W. Walford)
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