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19 Dec 08 - 05:44 PM (#2520156) Subject: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey From: Gervase Extraordinary really - here we are, at the arse of 2008, and I've only just twigged that it's the centenary of Sankey's death. I don't seem to be alone, however. One would think that such a remarkable songwriter would have had some fanfare in his centenary year, but if there has been some such, it's certainly passed me by. I was prompted to Google his details after listening to Eliza Carthy's fantastic rendering of Gloryland on "Holy Heathens and the Old Green Man" (just downloaded from Amazon as an early Christmas present to myself), and after I started musing on his influence on folk music. I sing Only Remembered and I Bid You Goodnight, but I've heard many of his other hymns sung, and they have nearly always been terrific, particularly when set to Moody's music. So, from a curmudgeonly old atheist, here's hats off to Ira Sankey. Anyone else got any favourites of his? |
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19 Dec 08 - 05:53 PM (#2520165) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey From: Joe Offer Sankey is indeed one of the greatest of the hymn writers. I think it's worth posting the Wikipedia article: Ira D. Sankey (August 28, 1840 - August 13, 1908), known as The Sweet Singer of Methodism, was an American gospel singer and composer, associated with evangelist Dwight L. Moody. Ira David Sankey, son of David Sankey, known as the father of Lawrence County, and Mary Leeper Sankey, was born August 28, 1840, in Edinburg, on the outskirts of New Castle, Pennsylvania. At age 16 he was converted at a revival meeting at the King's Chapel Church, about three miles from his home. As a young man, Sankey served in the Civil War as a soldier for the Union. After the war, he joined the IRS, and also worked with the YMCA. He became well known as a Gospel singer, and eventually came to the attention of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. The two men met at a YMCA convention in Indianapolis, Indiana, in June, 1870. Some months later, Sankey attended his first evangelistic meeting with Moody, and resigned from government service shortly thereafter. Sankey married Fanny V. Edwards, one of his choir members, in September, 1863. They had three sons. In October 1871, Sankey and Moody were in the middle of a revival meeting when the Great Chicago Fire broke out. The two men barely escaped the conflagration with their lives. Sankey ended up watching the city burn from a rowboat far out on Lake Michigan. In 1883, Sankey and Moody visited the UK. Sankey's hymns were promoted by the famous London Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, long afterwards. While in Edinburgh, they raised £10,000 for the purpose of building a new home for the Carrubbers Close Mission. During their time in Edinburgh, the foundation stone was laid and the building remains one of the few on the Royal Mile which today serves the same purpose for which it was built. Sankey composed and collected about 1,200 songs in his lifetime. These he compiled in the popular volume Sacred Songs and Solos which is still used today. From 1895 to 1908, he was president of the Biglow and Main publishing company. He was blind from glaucoma the last five years of his life, and no doubt found a kindred spirit in his friend and music making partner, blind hymnist Fanny Crosby. Ira D. Sankey died August 13, 1908 in Brooklyn. What do you think are Sankey's Greatest Hits? |
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19 Dec 08 - 05:59 PM (#2520169) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey From: GUEST,Ebor.Fiddler Shal we gather at the river? |
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20 Dec 08 - 05:19 AM (#2520440) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey (1840-1908) From: Newport Boy 'When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound.' No good as a solo, it needs the four parts. And for a really corny story - 'The Sinner and the Song' (I think that's the title). I sang the solo part in this, more than 55 years ago. Phil |
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21 Dec 08 - 05:28 AM (#2521192) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey (1840-1908) From: Gervase I almost forgot 'Stars in my Crown', as sung by Waterson:Carthy and Keith Kendrick and Lynne Heraud. There's something about the songs that just hits the spot musically - it's certainly something that today's Tin Pan Alley writers could learn from, when so much of the Stock,Aiken, Waterman/Simon Cowell inspired stuff sounds so bloody mediocre. |
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21 Dec 08 - 05:40 AM (#2521203) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey (1840-1908) From: greg stephens "I bid you goodnight" has become a folk classic, what with Joseph Spense, Eliza Carthy, Incredible String Band and a lot of others. |
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21 Dec 08 - 07:47 AM (#2521257) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey (1840-1908) From: Gervase There's a video of Waterson:Carthy singing 'Stars in my Crown' here. Fabulous! And Sleep on Beloved has been seen in so many incarnations, including its Bahaman version, beyond the folk world; from The Grateful Dead to the The Soweto Gospel Choir to The Dixie Hummingbirds and many others. |
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21 Dec 08 - 08:42 AM (#2521292) Subject: RE: Obit: (Belated) Ira D Sankey (1840-1908) From: RangerSteve Thanks, Gervase for bringing this up. And thanks to everyone for the links. The Watersons video is beautiful. |