William Batchelder Bradbury (October 6, 1816 – January 7, 1868) was a musician who composed the
tune to "
Jesus Loves Me" and many other popular hymns.
Biography
He was born on October 6, 1816, in
York, Maine
York is a town in York County, Maine, United States, near the southern tip of the state. The population in the 2020 census was 13,723. Situated beside the Atlantic Ocean on the Gulf of Maine, York is a well-known summer resort town. It is home ...
, where his father was the leader of a
church choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which sp ...
. He had a brother,
Edward G. Bradbury.
He moved with his parents to
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
and met
Lowell 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 1600 hymn tunes, many of which are often sung today. His best-known ...
, and by 1834 was known as an organist. In 1840, he began teaching in
Brooklyn, New York
Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. In 1847 he went to Germany, where he studied harmony, composition, and vocal and instrumental music with the best masters.
In 1854, he started the
Bradbury Piano Company, with his brother,
Edward G. Bradbury in New York City.
[ William Bradbury is best known as a composer and publisher of a series of musical collections for choirs and schools. He was the author and compiler of fifty-nine books starting in 1841.]Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 53,105. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.
History
The initial patent for the land that w ...
(now Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair () is a township in Essex County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Situated on the cliffs of the Watchung Mountains, Montclair is a wealthy and diverse commuter town and suburb of New York City within the New York metropolitan area. ...
) at age 51.[ He was buried in Bloomfield Cemetery in ]Bloomfield, New Jersey
Bloomfield is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 53,105. It surrounds the Bloomfield Green Historic District.
History
The initial patent for the land that w ...
.
Works
He composed many tunes, including those for "He Leadeth Me"; " Just As I Am"; "Sweet Hour of Prayer" (attributed to William W. Walford, 1772–1850);
Publications
*''The Shawm'' (1853)
*''The Jubilee'' (1858)[
*''Cottage Melodies'' (1859)
*''The Golden Chain'' (1861)
*" Hold On Abraham!" (1862)
*''The Key-Note'' and ''Pilgrims' Songs'' (1863)
*''The Golden Censer'' (1864)
*''Golden Trio'' (1864)
*''Temple Choir'' and ''Fresh Laurels'' (1867)
*''Clairiona'' (1867) compilation of previous works
]
References
External links
*
Free scores
Mutopia Project
More scores and biographical information
at Hymnary.org
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bradbury, William Batchelder
1816 births
1868 deaths
American male composers
People from Montclair, New Jersey
19th-century American composers
Musicians from New Jersey
People from York, Maine
Musicians from Maine
American hymnwriters
19th-century American male musicians