Mason, O Look to Golgotha

Lowell Mason (1792-1872) figures prominently in the history of American music. You are most likely to know him as a hymnodist: composer of Nearer My God to Thee, My Faith Looks Up to Thee, Jesus Shall Reign Where’re the Sun and for the arrangement of Joy to the World used commonly today.

Born in Medfield, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston), as a young man he spent several years in Savannah, Georgia, and was employed there at a dry-goods store. He became an accomplished amateur musician and served churches in Medfield and Savannah as music director. In Savannah he took up composition and compiled a hymn book that emphasized works of European classical composers. That hymn book was published by a fledging Massachusetts organization, The Handel and Haydn Society, which shared his mission of promoting the more learned European styles. Mason later returned to Massachusetts where he spent most of his professional career and headed up The Handel and Haydn Society.

Mason thus became something of a figurehead of a camp that stood in opposition to the more ecstatic styles of American music represented by William Billings and others. We discuss this musical divide at some length in our Discovering Music course and our courses in American music. Mason also championed music education in the schools and is often referred to as the Father of American music education.

If you have watched our Exploring America’s Musical Heritage series, you will have seen Professor Carol in Medfield interviewing the director of the The Handel and Haydn Society (still going strong) and the successful effort by local residents to move Mason’s house to a new location in order to preserve it.