“America the Beautiful (pairing of words to the music of “Materna”)
The words to the poem “America the Beautiful” were composed by Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1928) in 1893, after a visit to Pike’s Peak in 1893. The poem, titled “America,” was printed in The Congregationalist (Boston, MA) on July 4, 1895, with this first stanza:
“O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!”
A revised version of the poem, titled “America the Beautiful,” was published in the Buffalo (NY) Illustrated Times on November 9, 1902, and in the Boston (MA) Evening Transcript on November 16, 1904. The poem became immediately popular, and there were over 60 attempts to pair it with music. The music of the Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne was used. American composer Silas G. Pratt (1848-1916) composed original music.
The most popular song version uses the music of “Materna” (1882) by Samuel Augustus Ward (1848-1903), an organist in the Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey. Ward intended “Materna” as a setting for the hymn “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem.” Ward was inspired to write “Materna” after a visit to Coney Island, in Brooklyn. Samuel Ward never met Katharine Lee Bates, and he never knew that his music would be used with her words.
In 1904, Rev. Clarence A. Barbour (1867-1937) of the Lake Avenue Baptist Church in Rochester, New York, saw “America the Beautiful” printed in the Boston newspaper. Together with his wife Florence, they went through the church hymnal for a musical match, which they found in Samuel Ward’s “Materna.” The Barbours first performed it at their home, and then at the church.
“America the Beautiful” was popularly introduced on November 9, 1909, at the Seneca Hotel (which had opened in 1908), for the annual meeting of the New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs. In 1910, Clarence Barbour included “America the Beautiful” in his book, Fellowship Hymns. In 1922, the American Federation of Women’s Clubs made “America the Beautiful” the official song of the organization.
In the 1980s, some people had believed that William Penn Brooks (1851-1938), president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts-Amherst) 1905-06, had first paired the words of “America the Beautiful” to the tune of “Materna” in 1912. This is clearly incorrect.
American country music singer Charley Pride (1934-2020) first performed “America the Beautiful” along with “The Star Spangled Banner” in football’s Super Bowl VIII on January 13, 1974. “America the Beautiful” became a regular feature of the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.
Wikipedia: America the Beautiful
“America the Beautiful” is an American patriotic song. Its lyrics were written by Katharine Lee Bates and its music was composed by church organist and choirmaster Samuel A. Ward at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, New Jersey, though the two never met.
Bates wrote the words as a poem, originally titled “Pikes Peak”. It was first published in the Fourth of July 1895 edition of the church periodical, The Congregationalist. At that time, the poem was titled “America”.
Ward had initially composed the song’s melody in 1882 to accompany lyrics to “Materna”, basis of the hymn, “O Mother dear, Jerusalem”, though the hymn was not first published until 1892. The combination of Ward’s melody and Bates’s poem was first entitled “America the Beautiful” in 1910.
Wikipedia: Clarence Barbour
Clarence Augustus Barbour (April 21, 1867 – January 16, 1937) was an American Baptist clergyman and educator most notable for having served as the president of Brown University. He and his wife, Florence, put together the tune from the hymn “Materna” by Samuel A. Ward and the poem “America the Beautiful” by Katherine Lee Bates to create the standard anthem we all love now. This was in 1904. People had fallen in love with the poem but always sang to a different tune.[citation needed]
(...)
His wife, Florence Newell Barbour, was a musician and composer.
Google Books
The World’s Best Music:
Famous Songs and Those Who Made Them
Vol. I
Edited by Helen Kendrick Johnson, Frederic Dean, Reginald DeKoven and Gerrit Smith
New York, NY: The University Society
1904
Pg. 68:
AMERICA.
SILAS G. PRATT, the composer of America, was born in Addison, Vermont, August 4th, 1846. (...) The writer of the words of this stirring song is KATHERINE LEE BATES.
Newspapers.com
30 November 1904, Boston (MA) Evening Transcript, pg. 16, col. 5:
“The Listener may be glad to know that the poem ‘America,’ by Professor Katharine Lee Bates of Wellesley College, was set to music several years ago by Mr. Silas G. Pratt and published in ‘Famous Songs and Those Who Made Them.’ Mr. Pratt was born in Addison, Vt., Aug. 4, 1846. He studied music abroad and is the composer of several symphonies and the grand opera ‘Zenobia.’”
Google Books
9 February 1907, The Congregationalist and Christian World (Boston, MA), pg. 108, col. 1:
A New National Hymn
BY REV. WILLIAM A. KNIGHT
(...)
The words are by Professor Katherine Lee Bates, of Wellesley College. The tune used by the children was written during the year just ended, by Charles S. Brown, and words and music were sung from Junior Carols, issued by the United Society of Christian Endeavor.
Newspapers.com
7 November 1909, Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, pg. 26, col. 6:
MUCH NEW MUSIC WILL BE HEARD
Latest National Anthem Will Be Sung Here.
AT CONVENTION OF WOMEN
Mrs. Clarence A Barbour Will Play Her Own Music, as Yet Unpublished—Chorus of 1,200 Children’s Voices at West High School
When the patriotic hour is reached at the opening session at the convention of the New York State Federation of Women’s Clubs in the ballroom of the Seneca Hotel on Tuesday morning, the new national anthem will be sung in Rochester for the first time. This is the song written by Catherin Lee Bates, professor of literature at Wellesley College, and set to the music of “Materna,” from the Church Hymnal.
This is intended to be the purely American national anthem. The words are said to be of patriotic uplift. While “The Star Spangled Banner,” will have its own place, the music is so difficult that few are able to sing it. The singing on Tuesday morning will be led be several women qualified for such work.
Mrs. Clarence A. Barbour, whose compositions are growing in popularity, has arranged a programme to precede the address to be given on Thursday night in the Seneca ballroom by Mrs. Philip Snowden.
Newspapers.com
8 November 1909, The Post Express (Rochester, NY), “Women Begin to Assemble,” pg. 9, col. 2:
In addition to Mrs. Barbour’s compositions, which include a group “Birds of Passage,” a new national anthem written by Catherine Lee Bates, a professor at Wellesley college, will be sung to the tune of “Materna” from the church hymnal.
Newspapers.com
9 November 1909, The Post Express (Rochester, NY), “First Business Session of Women’s State Federation,” pg. 6, col. 2:
This was followed by the singing of a new national hymn written by Miss Katharine Lee Bates.
Newspapers.com
9 November 1909, Rochester (NY) Herald, “Prominent Club Women Assemble,” pg. 8, col. 2:
The convention proper will open this morning, with Mrs. Blair presiding. One of the special features of the session will be the singing of a new national hymn, followed by an address of welcome by Mayor Hiram H. Edgerton.
Newspapers.com
9 November 1909, The Union and Advertiser (Rochester, NY), “State Federation of Women’s Clubs Opens Convention Here To-day,” pg. 9, col. 1:
New National Anthem.
After the invocation, the new national hymn, written by Katherine Lee Bates, was sung by those present. Miss Curley of Rochester sang the first two verses and the assemblage joined her in the last two. The words of the hymn follow:
O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thy every flaw
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.
O beautiful for glorious tale
Of liberating strife
When valiantly, for man’s avail,
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
May God they god refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And every gain divine!
O beautiful for patriot’s dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
Newspapers.com
10 November 1909, Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, “Women of Many Interests at Federation Convention (...) New National Anthem Sung,” pg. 11, col. 1:
New National Hymn Sung.
After the invocation had been offered by Dr. Charles C. Albertson, pastor of Central Presbyterian Church, and the new national hymn, by Katharine Lee Bates, had been sung by Mrs. Herbert Koehnle, Mrs. Elo H. Gray, chairman of the Arrangements Committee, presented to the state president, Charles E. Ogden, secretary to Mayor H. H. Edgerton, whom he represented in welcoming the women to the city.
Newspapers.com
17 March 1910, Rome (NY) Daily Sentinel, “Daughters of Revolution,” pg. 2, col. 5:
The business session, with Mrs. T. J. Mowry, the regent, presiding, was opened by Mrs. G. W. Turney signing a new national hymn, composed by Katharine Lee Bates, professor of literature at Wellesley College. The hymn was sung at the meeting of the Federation of Women’s Clubs in Rochester last fall, but never before had it been rendered in this city. Mrs. Turney’s excellent rendition of the song was to the tune of “Materna.”
Newspapers.com
1 June 1912, Fitchburg (MA) Daily Sentinel, “America the Beautiful,” pg. 7, col. 2:
The first musical setting was that of Silas G. Pratt, which appeared in “Famous songs” issued in 1895 by the Baker & Taylor company. (...) Oberlin uses the setting of Professor A. Arthur Demuth of its conservatory of music, published by A. P. Schmidt of New York in “Oberlin’s favorite hymns.” Dr. Parker, who has been called “the best composer of choral music today,” has written a strong and original setting which appears, we understand, in the “Methodist Sunday school hymnal.” The Society of Christian Endeavor published a tune by Charles S. Brown. The tune has always been sung with excellent effect to the old air of “All saints new” and “Materna.” (“The Son of God goes forth to war” and “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem.”) But as yet no one tune has met with universal acceptance. It would seem most desirable that the country should agree on one setting, thus rendering the new treasure complete.
Newspapers.com
30 November 1922, Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, “Over the Percolator—America the Beautiful,” pg. 12, col. 4:
The words were discovered in a Boston newspapers eighteen years ago by Rev. Dr. Clarence A. Barbour, and he believed they would make a hymn suitable for any occasion. After searching several church hymnals he came upon the tune, “Materna.”
Dr. Barbour had been preaching a series of sermons on great hymns and used this for a subject one Sunday evening in the Lake Avenue Baptist Church, of which he was pastor.
The following Wednesday evening the verses were sung at an entertainment in the No. 6 School, and from that time have been popular throughout the country.
Newspapers.com
21 November 1924, Rochester (NY) Democrat and Chronicle, “Over the Percolator—America, the Beautiful,” pg. 14, col. 3:
I noticed that some one asked for the words of “America, the Beautiful,” the recognized popular version. This was sung at the Thanksgiving services at the Eastman Theater in past years. It is believed that eventually it will be adopted as the national anthem. A word of its history may be of interest.
The words of “America, the Beautiful” were discovered in a Boston newspaper twenty years ago by Rev. Clarence A. Barbour, D. D., and he believed they would make a hymn suitable for any occasion. After searching several church hymnals he came upon the tune, “Materna.” Dr. Barbour had been preaching a series of sermons on great hymns and used this for a subject one Sunday evening in the Lake Avenue Baptist Church, of which he was pastor.
The following Wednesday evening it was sung at an entertainment in No. 6 School and from that time has been popular throughout the country.
Newspapers.com
21 October 1935, Paterson (NJ) Morning Call, pg. 5, col. 1:
Drew Celebrates Sixty-Ninth Year
President Barbour, Brown, Gives Convocation Address
President Clarence A. Barbour, D. D., LL. D. of Brown University, delivered the convocation address in Seminary chapel, Drew University, on Founders Day, Oct. 17, at 2:30 p. m.
(...)
President Arlo Ayers Brown, B. D., D. D. LL. D., Litt. D. of Drew mentioned in his introduction of President Barbour a coincidence concerning “America the Beautiful” as the opening hymn. Having chosen the hymn, he learned that President Barbour was responsible for arranging Katharine Lee Bates’ verse to the tune of “Materna” as it is now sung.
President Barbour related this experience before beginning his address. He said that in the library of Brown University there is a copy of the “Congregationalist” which was published about 35 years ago. In this magazine he first read the verse of “America the Beautiful” and decided that it should be set to music. He was then pastor of the Lake Avenue Baptist church of Rochester, N. Y. Observing the meter of the verse, he found appropriate tunes listed in the metrical index of his hymnal. His wife played each of these until he came upon the tune “Materna”. When he heard that, he believed that it was predestined to accompany the verse.
“We sang it together,” he said, “there in our home by the piano—the first time it was ever sung in the world.” It gradually came to be sung widely in public. He stated that he considers the arrangement of these words to music one of the greatest experiences for which he has been responsible. Katharine Lee Bates complies with President Barbour’s request not to change a portion of the verse as she had later planned.
Newspapers.com
5 August 1951, The Pueblo Star-Journal and Sunday Chieftain (Pueblo, CO), sec. 3, pg. 15, cols. 1-6:
COLARADO’S PIKES PEAK BIRTHPLACE OF “AMERCA, THE BEAUTIFUL”
(...)
But within a short time, “America, the Beautiful had 60 different musical settings. (...) The words were also fitted to various old tunes, such as “Auld Lang Syne,” and “The Son of God Goes Forth to War.”
(...)
The American Federation of Women’s clubs in 1922 made it the official song of the organization.
12 August 1984, The Sunday Denver Post (Denver, CO), “Out West” by Mike Flanagan, Magazine sec., pg. 26, col. 4:
The piece of music Bates finally chose, “Materna” (Latin for “motherly”), had been composed by New Jersey music dealer Samuel A. Ward for a composition called “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem.” Some sources credit the ultimate match as being the handiwork of Dr. William Penn Brooks, president of Massachusetts Agricultural College, in 1912.”
Newspapers.com
22 July 1993, Boston (MA) Globe, “A century of ‘spacious skies’” by Jeff McLaughlin, pg. 28, cols. 2-3:
There’s confusion about how and when the tune (“Materna”—ed.) was first appropriated for Bates’s lyrics, but Bidwell thinks the evidence points to 1912 and William Penn Brooks, president of Massachusetts Agricultural College (now UMass-Amherst), who saw a perfect match.
Newspapers.com
2 November 2000, Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, NY), “‘America the Beautiful’ too melodic flight in Rochester” by John Handy, pg. 13A, cols. 1-5:
Rev. (Clarence A.—ed.) Barbour secured Bates permission to proceed, and so in 1904 for the first time the familiar lyrics to the now famous melody were sung by the Choir of the Lake Avenue Baptist Church in Rochester in the very location at the triangle of Jones Avenue and Ambrose Street where the present church (the fourth building) now stands.
(...)
When he left the church in 1909 he spent several years with the International Committee of the YMCA and was responsible for publishing the book Fellowship Hymns, The first hymn selected was America the Beautiful.
Newspapers.com
11 July 2002, Oskaloosa (KS) Independent “America the Beautiful” by Allen Gardiner, pg. P-2, col. 6:
On one glorious summer day in 1882 (Samuel—ed.) Ward and his friend Harry Martin and possibly Ward’s wife, Virginia, went to Coney Island. After a pleasant excursion the party was taking a side-wheeler back to Manhattan when (Ward’s son-in-law recounted):
“‘Harry,’ (Ward) said to his friend, ‘If I had something to write on, I’d put down a tune that has just come to me.’ Harry dug in his pockets. He fumbled through his coat, his trousers, his vest, searching for some paper. Finding none, he took off a starched linen cuff and gave it to his friend who, leaning on a boat rail, drew a staff and clef and wrote the melody to America the Beautiful.”