Robert Lowry

Robert Lowry (March 12, 1826 – 25 November 1899) was an American preacher who became a popular writer of gospel music in the mid- to late-19th century. His best-known hymns include "Shall We Gather at the River", "Christ Arose!", "How Can I Keep from Singing?" and "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus".

Born in Philadelphia, Lowry studied at the University at Lewisburg and entered the Baptist ministry in 1854. During the following 45 years he held a number of pastorates in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Between 1869 and 1875 he combined his pastoral work with a professorship in rhetoric at his alma mater, and later served as the University's chancellor. From 1868 he acted as hymnals editor to Biglow and Main, the country's leading publisher of gospel and Sunday School music; under his supervision more than 20 hymnals were produced by the firm, many of wide and enduring popularity.

Despite his protestations that preaching was his main vocation and that music was merely a sideline, it is as a hymnwriter that Lowry is chiefly remembered, ranking with such as W. H. Doane and Ira D. Sankey as one of the originators of a musical tradition that has lasted until the modern era of revival.

Birth and Death Data: Born March 12, 1826 (Philadelphia), Died November 25, 1899 (Plainfield)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1896 - 1949

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, lyricist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 100 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Berliner 918 7-in. 5/4/1896 Where is my boy to night Artists vary Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0357 7-in. c. 1899 I need thee every hour Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  
Berliner 0382 7-in. July 1899- Aug. 1899 Where is my wandering boy tonight Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer, lyricist  
Berliner 0667 7-in. 10/24/1899 Where is my wandering boy tonight? Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo composer, lyricist  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]605 7-in. 1/8/1901 Where is my wandering boy tonight? Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with organ composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]702 7-in. 2/23/1901 I need Thee every hour Christopher H. H. Booth Chimes solo composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix A-]1315 7-in. 3/12/1902 Where is my wandering boy to-night Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  
Victor [Pre-matrix B-]1315 10-in. 3/12/1902 Where is my wandering boy to-night Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  
Victor A-339 7-in. 8/24/1903 I need Thee every hour Walter B. Rogers ; Sousa's Band Cornet solo, with band composer  
Victor B-339 10-in. 8/24/1903 I need Thee every hour Walter B. Rogers ; Sousa's Band Cornet solo, with band composer  
Victor A-649 7-in. 11/6/1903 Where is my wandering boy tonight? Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with piano composer  
Victor A-1241 7-in. 4/21/1904 Where is my boy tonight? Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  
Victor B-1241 10-in. 4/21/1904 Where is my boy tonight? Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet composer  
Victor A-1386 7-in. 5/31/1904 I need Thee every hour Christopher H. H. Booth Chimes composer  
Victor A-1730 7-in. 10/4/1904 Where is my boy to-night? Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with organ composer  
Victor B-1730 10-in. 10/4/1904 Where is my boy to-night? Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with organ composer  
Victor B-2452 10-in. 4/6/1905 Where is my boy to-night Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor E-2452 8-in. 9/12/1906 Where is my boy to-night? Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-2591 10-in. 6/1/1905 I need Thee ev'ry hour John H. Bieling ; Harry Macdonough Male vocal duet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-2700 10-in. 8/7/1905 All the way my Saviour leads me Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with organ composer  
Victor B-6003 10-in. 3/2/1908 Christ arose Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-6740 10-in. 1/21/1909 Shall we gather at the river Haydn Quartet Male vocal quartet, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Victor B-6748 10-in. 1/25/1909 All the way my Saviour leads me Harry Macdonough Male vocal solo, with orchestra composer  
Victor B-14212 10-in. 12/18/1913 Where is my boy to-night Evan Williams Tenor vocal solo, with orchestra lyricist, composer  
Victor B-14695 10-in. 4/9/1914 I need Thee every hour Lucy Isabelle Marsh ; John McCormack Vocal duet (soprano and tenor), with orchestra composer  
(Results 1-25 of 100 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Lowry, Robert," accessed March 28, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429.

Lowry, Robert. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429.

"Lowry, Robert." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 28 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103429

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