Philip Bliss
Philip Paul Bliss (* July 9, 1838 in the village of Rome, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, † December 29, 1876 in Ashtabula, Ohio ) is one of the most famous American composer of gospel songs. He also wrote his own lyrics.
Life
Philip Paul Bliss was born in the village of Rome in Clearfield County in a poor Christian parents house. Very early he started to take care of themselves; he lived as a lumberjack and earned his living on sawmills. His musicality and his beautiful voice soon revealed themselves. From 1857, he received musical instruction, among other things at the Music School JG Towners in Towanda, Pennsylvania; In 1860 he attended a six-week course at the Normal Academy of Music of New York. Bliss married Lucy Young and had with her sons George and Philip Paul.
Bliss began to attend Methodist camp meetings and other revival events and worked as a horse traveling music teacher. 1864 Bliss gave music lessons in Chicago and so made the acquaintance of the leading evangelists as well as poets and composers of hymns of American revivalist of his time such as George Frederick Root and William Batchelder Bradbury. 1871 Bliss choir member and Sunday School Superintendent at the main church of the Congregationalists in Chicago. He was involved in the organization of many musical gatherings in the Pacific Northwest.
At the instigation of the evangelist Dwight Lyman Moody Bliss joined the work of evangelism. The range of musical collaboration with Moody, however, refused Bliss, Ira David Sankey Moody chose then as his musical partner. Bliss allied himself instead in 1874 with the preacher Major Daniel Webster Whittle. As the music director, he directed the musical performances at the evangelistic meetings and sang solo songs.
On December 29, 1876 Bliss and his wife arrived at the railway accident in Ashtabula killed when a passenger train fell through a bridge collapse in a 21 meter deep gorge. In this case, 92 people died.
Work
Bliss put together seven volumes of the Gospel and Erwecklungsliedern, the first in the U.S. reached a high popularity and today in hymnals are also present in Germany. In addition to the composition of the hymns Bliss wrote their own spiritual texts as a composition templates.
Especially famous was the first of his collections of songs, 1874, edited by Bliss gospel songs that were eponymous for the new genre of the spiritual song - as in the German, the term gospel song. The collection contained in revivals best songs, including their own fifty compositions. Together with Ira David Sankey was Bliss 1875 Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs out.
Among other things, the following seals and setting come from Bliss:
- Whosoever heareth, 1870, German by Theodor Kübler than Whosoever will, let him come
- Sing Them over again to me, 1874, German by Ernst Heinrich Gebhardt sounds back of ascents
- At the feet of Jesus, 1876, German by Theodor Kübler as to the Saviour's feet
- Almost Persuaded, German turn from Ernst Heinrich Gebhardt Almost
Among other things, the following texts of other poets Bliss has set to music:
- Precious Promise (Text nathanie Niles, as German Empire promises)
- When Peace like a River attendeth My Way (Text by Horatio Gates Spafford, German by Theodor Kübler as if peace with God permeates my soul )
- Hallelujah! What a savior
- Often you sprinkle seeds on hard way
From the rhythmic structurally they can be Bliss ' gospel songs into two categories: on the one hand rather calm songs with triple subdivision ( in 6/8- or 9/8-Takt or triplets), on the other hand, songs that are marked by dotted notes. They are in major, occasionally extended by chromaticism. The melody is based on a simple harmonic of the basic functions. Repeated notes, currency notes and jumps in the triad area change with scale cut-outs. Long jumps, about sixth or octave up, and eingesprungene suspensions (eg, sixth - owning ) are common. The individual song lines are usually made of a few melodic motifs in repetition, sequencing, or reversal to rather long stanzas composed ( 8 lines ); few show minor sections. Typically, there is a chorus of short lines of verse from the familiar motifs.
In Bliss ' texts of the mission remained at the fore. Call to repentance or sing the proximity to the Savior ( Saviour ) Jesus Christ.