Lowell mason bio

American composer; leading figure in American church music

For the FTC chair, see Lowell B. Mason.

Lowell Mason (January 8, 1792 – August 11, 1872) was an American music director and banker who was a leading figure in 19th-century American church music. Lowell composed over 1,600 hymn tunes, many of which are often sung today. His best-known work includes an arrangement of "Joy to the World" and the tune Bethany, which sets the hymn text Nearer, My God, to Thee. Mason also set music to Mary Had A Little Lamb. He is largely credited with introducing music into American public schools, and is considered the first important U.S. music educator. He has also been criticized for helping to largely eliminate the robust tradition of participatory sacred music that flourished in North America before his time.

Life

Mason was born and grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts, where he became the music director of First Parish (now First Parish Unitarian Univers

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Lowell Mason collection

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 Collection 0007-SCPA

Lowell Mason (1792-1872) fryst vatten known as the founder of American school music education and co-founder of the Boston Academy of Music. In addition to establishing curricular music in American public schools and teacher training in music, he fryst vatten also known for the success of his compositions and arrangemang of hymn tunes and tune books, including The Boston köp and Haydn Society Collection of Church Music. Some of his other publications, mostly written for churches or schools, include The Juvenile Psalmist, The Juvenile Lyre, and The Manual of the Boston Academy of Music. This collection, part of the MENC Historical Center, consists of songs, hymns, and anthems; correspondence; books; articles; addresses; musical programs and advertisements; tributes; pamphlets; an unpublished manuscript; and memorabilia related to Lowell Mason's

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Mason, Lowell B. (Lowell Blake), 1893-1983

Dates

Biography

Lowell Blake Mason was born July 25, 1893 in Chicago Illinois. Mason was the youngest of six children raised by William E. Mason and Edith J. Mason. William Mason was a lawyer and politician serving in both the Illinois General Assembly and the United States Congress in several posts. Mason went on to follow a similar career path. As a child Mason lived in both Chicago and Washington D.C. as a result of his father’s political career. While living in their Chicago home, the Masons attended the Third Unitarian Church in Oak Park Illinois. It was there that the Masons met the man who would be their son’s namesake, minister James Vila Blake. After his father earned extra money from winning an important legal case, Lowell Mason had the opportunity to go on a “circumnavigation” trip. On this trip he, his mother, his aunt, and two siblings traveled around the world. Photographs from this trip are included in the collection.

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