Lowell Mason

The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Lowell Mason wrote neither the music nor the lyrics to Joy to the World , but he is the main reason Americans have been singing the Christmas carol for nearly 200 years. But he was always drawn to music, and he continued to study it as an adult. Working with a German teacher perhaps explains his preference for European-style hymns over home-grown, American music. He came out with his first collection of hymns in 1822, but he had to get over some hurdles. A number of publishers rejected the 350-page volume. The Boston Handel and Haydn society finally agreed to publish it as The Handel and Haydn Society’s Collection of Church Music . Mason didn’t attach his name to the book, perhaps out of fear that it would hinder his banking career. But the book immediately succeeded. Mason drew the tunes from classical composers such as Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, and Americans ate it up. He and others helped use the success of the collection to push for inclusion of music education in public schools. Mason then became a music teacher and founded his own music school. By the 1830s, Mason had moved beyond being a simple banker with an interest in music. He had become a tastemaker and director of the Handel and Haydn Society – and he had decidedly European tastes. While America had produced its own musical styles , Mason looked to Europe for inspiration. And his Better Music Movement gradually pushed American composers and musical styles aside – a development mourned by many music historians. The lyrics to Joy to the World were written by English minister Isaac Watts . He based them on the 98th Psalm from the Bible . The origins of the tune, called Antioch , aren’t clear. Mason attributed the music to German composer George Frederic Handel . While Handel probably didn’t write the song in the form it is performed, it does lift passages from his music arranged into the tune we now know. But exactly who did the arranging is not clear. Regardless, the song quickly become a classic in churches across America. The Dictionary of North American Hymnology reports that is far and away the most frequently published Christmas hymn, appearing in 1400 hymnals. You may feel as if you’ve heard it that many times already this holiday season. "This page includes affiliate links. If you buy something through them, we get a commission at no extra cost to you. These earnings support our work