Fanny Crosby
Frances Jane van Alstyne (née Crosby; March 24, 1820 – February 12, 1915), more commonly known as Fanny J. Crosby, was an American mission worker, poet, lyricist, and composer. She was a prolific hymnist, writing more than 8,000 hymns and gospel songs, with more than 100 million copies printed. She is also known for her teaching and her rescue mission work. By the end of the 19th century, she was a household name. Crosby was known as the "Queen of Gospel Song Writers" and as the "Mother of modern congregational singing in America", with most American hymnals containing her work. Her gospel songs were "paradigmatic of all revival music", and Ira Sankey attributed the success of the Moody and Sankey evangelical campaigns largely to Crosby's hymns. Some of Crosby's best-known songs include "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour", "Blessed Assurance", "Jesus Is Tenderly Calling You Home", "Praise Him, Praise Him", "Rescue the Perishing", and "To God Be the Glory". Some publishers were hesitant to have so many hymns by one person in their hymnals, so Crosby used nearly 200 different pseudonyms during her career. Crosby also wrote more than 1,000 secular poems and had four books of poetry published, as well as two best-selling autobiographies. Additionally, she co-wrote popular secular songs, as well as political and patriotic songs and at least five cantatas on biblical and patriotic themes, including The Flower Queen, the first secular cantata by an American composer. She was committed to Christian rescue missions and was known for her public speaking. |
Birth and Death Data: Born March 24, 1820 (Brewster), Died February 12, 1915 (Bridgeport)
Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1899 - 1940
Roles Represented in DAHR: lyricist, songwriter
Notes: Name also appears as Frances van Alstyne, Frances Jane Crosby, Frances J. Crosby, or F. J. Crosby.
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings (Results 76-96 of 96 records)
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OKeh | W400296 | 10-in. | 2/22/1928 | Though your sins be as scarlet | Trenton Melody Makers | Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied | lyricist | |
Brunswick | 2086 | 10-in. | approximately July 1918 | All the way my Saviour leads me | Harry McClaskey ; Marie Morrisey | Female-male vocal duet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E27963 | 10-in. | 8/3/1928 | When my life work is ended | Frank McCravy ; James McCravy | Male vocal duet, with instrumental trio | songwriter | |
Brunswick | XE26629-XE26630 | 12-in. | 2/24/1928 | Open the gate of the temple | Daniel Beddoe | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | E26979-E26980 | 10-in. | 3/14/1928 | Though your sins be as scarlet | Maury Pearson | Male vocal solo, with piano | lyricist | |
Brunswick | C3750 | 10-in. | 6/27/1929 | Open the gates of the temple | John Wahlstedt | Male vocal solo, with organ | lyricist | |
Edison | 2065 | 10-in. | 12/24/1912 | Close to Thee | Frederick J. Wheeler ; John Young | Male vocal duet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 2084 | 10-in. | 1/8/1913 | Rescue the perishing | Frederick J. Wheeler ; John Young | Vocal duet (tenor and baritone) and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 2085 | 10-in. | 1/8/1913 | Draw me nearer | Harry Anthony ; James F. Harrison | Vocal duet (tenor and baritone) and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 3527 | 10-in. | 1/20/1915 | Open the gates of the temple | Adelaide Fischer | Female vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 3771 | 10-in. | 5/11/1915 | Draw me nearer | Frederick J. Wheeler ; John Young | Vocal duet (tenor and baritone) and mixed vocal ensemble, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 4040 | 10-in. | 7/30/1915 | Open the gates of the temple | Hardy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 5449 | 10-in. | 3/17/1917 | Saved by grace | Artists vary | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 5589 | 10-in. | 5/29/1917 | Some sweet day, bye and bye | Metropolitan Quartet | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 5965 | 10-in. | between 1/10/1918 and 1/14/1918 | Safe in the arms of Jesus | Calvary Choir | Vocal chorus, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 7153 | 10-in. | 2/9/1920 | Only a step to Jesus | Fred East ; Lewis James | Vocal duet (tenor and baritone), with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 7788 | 10-in. | 2/9/1921 | Pass me not, o gentle Saviour | Metropolitan Quartet | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 7798 | 10-in. | 2/14/1921 | Never give up | Metropolitan Quartet | Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 9699 | 10-in. | 9/11/1924 | Tell me the story of Jesus | Homer A. Rodeheaver | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 9829 | 10-in. | 11/5/1924 | Open the gates of the temple | Charles Hart | Male vocal solo, with orchestra | lyricist | |
Edison | 10279 | 10-in. | 3/26/1925 | All the way my Saviour leads me | Amy Ellerman ; Olive Marshall | Vocal duet (soprano and contralto), with orchestra | lyricist |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Crosby, Fanny," accessed November 4, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102169.
Crosby, Fanny. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 4, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/102169.
"Crosby, Fanny." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 4 November 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Fanny Crosby
Discogs: Fanny Crosby
Grove: Fanny Crosby
IMSLP: Fanny Crosby
RISM: Fanny Crosby
Britannica: Fanny Crosby
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Crosby, Fanny, 1820-1915 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n50082180
Wikidata: Fanny Crosby - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q257456
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/120145970315432252297
MusicBrainz: Fanny Crosby - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9f6fbe26-6fa2-4a37-96c4-36fdd507fa70
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
Feedback
Send the Editors a message about this record.