Composer - Lyricist: Lowell Mason
From HymnsWithoutWords
Biography
Lowell Mason (1792 - 1872) was a leading figure in American church music, the composer of over 1600 hymns, many of which are often sung today. He was born in Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts and died in Orange, New Jersey.
He was also largely responsible for introducing music into American public schools, and is considered to be the first important music educator in the United States. In the last part of his career, as music director of the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, he radically transformed American church music from a practice of having professional choirs and accompaniment to congregational singing accompanied by organ music.
