William Steffe

William Steffe (c.1830 – c.1890), born in South Carolina, United States, was a Philadelphia bookkeeper and insurance agent. He is credited with collecting and editing the musical tune for a camp-meeting song with the traditional "Glory Hallelujah" refrain, in about 1856. It opened with "Say, brothers, will you meet us / on Canaan's happy shore?" The tune became widely known. Early in the American Civil War, this tune was used to create the Union army marching song "John Brown's Body", which begins with the lyrics "John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, but his soul goes marching on." In November 1861, Julia Ward Howe, having heard this version, used the tune as the basis of her new verse, later known as "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".

Birth and Death Data: Born 1830 (South Carolina), Died 1890

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1901 - 1937

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

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	[Pre-matrix A-]824	7-in.	5/21/1901	John Brown's body	J. W. Myers	Male vocal solo, with piano	lyricist, composer
Victor	[Pre-matrix B-]824	10-in.	4/29/1902	John Brown's body	J. W. Myers	Male vocal solo, with piano	lyricist, composer
Victor	[Pre-matrix B-]3386	10-in.	5/21/1901	John Brown's body	J. W. Myers	Male vocal solo, with piano	lyricist, composer
Victor	B-18344	10-in.	9/11/1916	Battle hymn of the Republic	Imperial Quartet	Male vocal quartet, unaccompanied	composer
Victor	B-20007	10-in.	6/1/1917	American national airs	Pietro	Accordion solo	composer
Victor	C-20388	12-in.	7/11/1917	Songs of the nation	Conway's Band	Band	composer
Victor	BVE-38076	10-in.	6/13/1927	Battle hymn of the Republic	Mark Andrews	Pipe organ solo	composer
Victor	[Trial 1924-02-28-02]	Not documented	2/28/1924	Battle hymn of the republic	Louise Homer	Contralto vocal solo, with piano	composer
Columbia	3351	10-in.	ca. 1905	Battle hymn of the Republic	George Alexander	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	19802	10-in.	3/12/1912	Battle hymn of the Republic	Columbia Mixed Quartette	Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer, lyricist
Columbia	46731	10-in.	4/21/1916	Battle hymn of the Republic	Columbia Mixed Double Quartette	Mixed vocal double quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	77180	10-in.	6/28/1917	Battle hymn of the Republic	Columbia Stellar Quartette ; Charles Harrison	Male vocal solo and male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W144682	10-in.	9/16/1927	Battle hymn of the Republic	Columbia Mixed Chorus	Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	90141	10-in.	between 1918 and 1925	Battle hymn of the Republic	Columbia Band	Band	composer
OKeh	S-71220	10-in.	January 1923	Battle hymn of the Republic	Ernest Hare	Male vocal solo, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	[Br cat 5136-b]	10-in.	approximately Aug. 1917	Battle hymn of the Republic	Mixed vocal quartet (unidentified; Brunswick Records)	Mixed vocal quartet	composer
Vocalion	21044	10-in.	4/26/1937	Here's to good old whiskey	Frank Novak Rootin' Tootin' Boys	Orchestra, with male vocal ensemble	composer

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Steffe, William," accessed April 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116641.

Steffe, William. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved April 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/116641.

"Steffe, William." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 April 2024.