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160:. In July 1860, the Normal Academy of Music was held in Geneseo, New York was being held for the music community. Musicians of renown were administrating the six-week event. Bliss was excited about it, but when he realized that he could in no way afford the expense of the school, he was heartbroken. He knew it would be a great experience for him, but he had no money. When (Bliss' wife's) Grandma Allen noticed his sad demeanor she was full of sympathy. She asked him what it costs, he replied that it would "cost as much as thirty dollars". After telling him that thirty dollars "was a good deal of money", she told him of her old stocking into which she had been "dropping pieces of silver for a good many years.” She had Bliss count the amount of money in the stocking and realized it had more than the amount needed. "And Bliss spent six weeks of the heartiest study of his life at the Normal". Bliss was now recognized as an expert within his local area. He continued the itinerant teaching.
235:. When the train was nearly across the bridge it collapsed and the carriages fell into the ravine below. It was stated in many newspaper accounts of the time that Bliss escaped from the wreck, but the carriages caught fire and Bliss returned to try to extricate his wife. This account was only given by J.E. Burchell. As mentioned in the P.P. Bliss Memoirs, written in 1877 by D.W. Whittle this account by J.E. Burchell was only his conjecture. In fact, Mr. Whittle showed a picture of Bliss to all surviving passengers and no one recognized Mr. Bliss but only one lady who gave no account of seeing him during the accident. No trace of either Mr. Bliss or his wife, Lucy, was discovered. Ninety-two of the 159 passengers are believed to have died in what became known as the
370:"Watching the vessel closely, it was seen from time to time that this submergence forward was increasing. No one in our boat, however, had any idea that the ship was in any danger of sinking. In spite of the intense cold, a cheerful atmosphere pervaded those present, and they indulged from time to time in jesting and even singing 'Pull for (the) Shore' ..."
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Following this, Bliss went on another concert tour, but this failed. He was, however, offered a position at Root and Cady
Musical Publishers, at a salary of $ 150 per month. Bliss worked with this company from 1865 until 1873. He conducted musical conventions, singing schools and concerts for his
300:, Sankey being associated with him as editor. These last two books are published by John Church and Co. and Biglow and Main jointly - the work of Mr. Bliss in them, under the copyright of John Church and Co. The gospel songs were popular fetching $ 30,000 shortly before his death.
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P. P. Bliss was born in
Hollywood, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania in a log cabin. His father was Mr. Isaac Bliss, who taught the family to pray daily, and his mother was Lydia Doolittle. He loved music and was allowed to develop his passion for singing. His sister was
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Found in his trunk, which somehow survived the crash and fire, was a manuscript bearing the lyrics of the only well-known Bliss Gospel song for which he did not write a tune: "I Will Sing of My
Redeemer." Soon thereafter, set to a tune specially written for it by
342:(#235) (words by an anonymous writer put to the tune of "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy"}. James McGranahan's tune for "I Will Sing of My Redeemer"—known simply as "My Redeemer" is also used, paired with the text of
45:. He wrote many well-known hymns, including "Hold the Fort" (1870), "Almost Persuaded" (1871); "Hallelujah, What a Saviour!" (1875); "Let the Lower Lights Be Burning"; "Wonderful Words of Life" (1875); and the tune for
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296:. She brought many Methodist hymns in her suitcase with across the Atlantic. One of her most repeated by Bliss was "Man of Sorrows! What a name". In 1876, his last work was the preparation of the book known as
367:", some while rowing. During a 11 May 1912 luncheon talk at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco, just a few weeks after his family and he survived the sinking of the ocean liner, Dodge recounted:
202:. In 1874, Bliss decided he was called to full-time Christian evangelism. Bliss made significant amounts of money from royalties and gave them to charity and to support his evangelical endeavors.
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At age 10, while selling vegetables to help support the family, Bliss first heard a piano. At age 11, he left home to make his own living. He worked in timber camps and
146:, who persuaded him to become a music teacher. His first musical composition was sold for a flute. In 1858, he took up an appointment in Rome Academy, Pennsylvania.
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In 1858, in Rome, Bliss met Lucy J. Young, whom he married on June 1, 1859. She came from a musical family and encouraged the development of his talent. She was a
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175:. Bliss was then 26. He became known as a singer and teacher. He wrote a number of Gospel songs. Bliss was paid $ 100 for a concert tour which lasted only a
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In 1857, Bliss met J. G. Towner, who taught singing. Towner recognized Bliss's talent and gave him his first formal voice training. He also met
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was almost over, his notice was canceled after a few weeks. The unit he served with was the 149th
Pennsylvania Infantry.
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At age 22, Bliss became an itinerant music teacher. On horseback, he went from community to community accompanied by a
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The
Blisses were survived by their two sons, George and Philip Paul, then aged four and one, respectively.
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for Gospel meetings and Sunday schools (1874). All of these books were copyrighted by John Church and Co.
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According to the Philip P. Bliss Gospel
Songwriters Museum, the books of songs by Bliss are as follows:
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disaster, including Dr. Washington Dodge, reported that passengers in lifeboats sang the Bliss hymn "
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On 29 December 1876, the
Pacific Express train on which Bliss and his wife were traveling approached
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At 17, Bliss finished his requirements to teach. The next year, in 1856, he became a schoolmaster at
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employers. He continued to compose hymns, which were often printed in his employer's books.
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Peace Like a River / It is Well with my Soul - as originally penned by
Horatio Spafford
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In addition to these publications, in 1875, Bliss compiled, and in connection with
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At this time he turned to composition. None of his songs were ever copyrighted.
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37:(9 July 1838 – 29 December 1876) was an American composer, conductor, writer of
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American composer, conductor, writer of hymns and bass-baritone Gospel singer
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116:. Bliss had little formal education and was taught by his mother, from the
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For the 19th-century
Registrar of the University of Oxford, see
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Appletons' Cyclopedia of
American Biography pages 293 & 294
198:. Moody and others urged him to give up his job and become a
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Twilight alley : operetta for treble voices in two acts
471:"Memoir of PP Bliss"; by D.W. Whittle 1877; Pages 23 &24
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Song victories of "The Bliss and Sankey hymns" page 139-156
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A monument to Bliss was erected in Rome, Pennsylvania.
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for conventions and for church choir music (1873); and
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on his way to one of Moody's meetings. An outspoken
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517:Hymns and History: An Annotated Survey of Sources
57:, the famous Chicago preacher. Bliss died in the
448:. Chicago: A. S. Barnes & Company. p.
324:the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
253:, it became one of the first songs recorded by
139:, and during the summer he worked on a farm.
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661:Railway accident deaths in the United States
686:People from Clearfield County, Pennsylvania
100:When he was a boy, Bliss's family moved to
53:" (1876). Bliss was a recognized friend of
606:Compositions by Philip Paul Bliss on IMSLP
303:Many of his pieces appear in the books of
194:In 1869, Bliss formed an association with
593:Philip P. Bliss Gospel Songwriters Museum
82:Philip P. Bliss Gospel Songwriters Museum
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108:in 1847, settling first in Espyville,
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646:19th-century American male musicians
413:Wakeman Publishers Ltd, London,1973
340:Should You Feel Inclined to Censure
651:19th-century American male writers
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696:19th-century American songwriters
618:, 1919 publication, digitized by
383:, New York: Abingdon Press, 1921.
328:Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy
318:Three of his hymns appear in the
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59:Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster
332:Let the Lower Lights Be Burning
153:, and Bliss joined her Church.
666:American Christian hymnwriters
588:The Music of Philip Paul Bliss
554:Works by or about Philip Bliss
381:The Story of the American Hymn
171:In 1864, the Blisses moved to
104:in 1844, and then returned to
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706:Songwriters from Pennsylvania
578:Christian Biography Resources
504:'Bliss Monument Information'
294:Gospel Hymns and Sacred Songs
213:narrate an experience in the
205:Bliss wrote the gospel song "
691:Musicians from Pennsylvania
515:McCann, Forrest M. (1997).
277:for Sunday Schools (1873);
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445:Memoirs of Philip P. Bliss
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440:Whittle, Daniel Webster
51:It Is Well with My Soul
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330:(#335) (also known as
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209:" after hearing Major
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388:A Treasure of Hymns
144:William B. Bradbury
530:2008-01-12 at the
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365:Pull for the Shore
298:Gospel Hymns No. 2
215:American Civil War
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486:Bible Study Tools
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344:O My Father
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630:Categories
491:2012-07-18
455:2012-07-19
395:References
181:Union Army
167:Evangelist
88:Early life
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525:ACU Press
313:The Prize
292:, edited
267:The Charm
185:Civil War
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352:Titanic
279:The Joy
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