We started this little competition on Ash Thursday with 32 saints. After today's vote, the field will have been whittled down to 16 remaining saintly souls. But in order to get there we must first make it through the Battle of the Bands as Fanny Crosby faces G.F. Handel. Who will retain the last seat in the Saintly Sixteen before the music stops? Well, that, as always, is up to you.
Yesterday, in the tightest race of Lent Madness 2017, Sarah the Matriarch barely laughed away a valiant challenge from Elizabeth Ann Seton 51% to 49%. See, what have we been saying all along? Your vote counts!
Fanny Crosby
Fanny Crosby wrote more than eight thousand sacred texts in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Referred to as the Queen of Gospel Song Writers, she is arguably the most prolific author of American hymns and gospel songs.
Born in 1820 in Brewster, New York, Fanny caught a cold as an infant and developed inflammation in her eyes, which resulted in full-scale blindness. She would later remark, “It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow, I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me.” Around her fifteenth birthday, Crosby enrolled at the New York Institution for the Blind, and she began to write hymns and gospel songs.
Crosby attended multiple churches, including an Episcopal church, but she is most closely identified with the Wesleyan Holiness movement. She formally joined Cornell Memorial Methodist Episcopal in 1887. Her hymn texts became so popular that composers of that era would seek her out to find lyrics for their melodies—a reversal of the typical hymn-writing process. Her best-known text, “Blessed Assurance,” was written in this way during a visit to Phoebe Knapp’s home after Crosby heard the tune for the first time.
Crosby described her hymn-writing process by saying, “It may seem a little old-fashioned, always to begin one’s work with prayer, but I never undertake a hymn without first asking the good Lord to be my inspiration.” Crosby could often write six or seven hymns a day, rivaling the output of prolific hymn writers Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley.
While known as a hymn-writer, Crosby was committed to helping others, often donating the proceeds from her writing to rescue missions around New York City. Known as “Aunt Fanny” by the numerous missions she contributed to around the city, she died in 1915. At her request, her tombstone reads: “Aunt Fanny: She hath done what she could; Fanny J. Crosby.”
Collect for Fanny Crosby
O God, the blessed assurance of all who trust in you: We give you thanks for your servant Fanny Crosby, and pray that we, inspired by her words and example, may rejoice to sing ever of your love, praising our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
G.F. Handel
George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel was born on February 23, 1685, in Halle, Germany. Handel showed a propensity for music at an early age. However, his father forbade him from dabbling in music, dreaming instead that his son would one day become a civil attorney. Handel did not listen. It is said that Handel (or his mother) smuggled a small clavichord into his room, and he practiced in secret.
On a visit to see his uncle (who was a valet for a duke), Handel surprised the duke with his skills on an organ. The duke persuaded Handel’s father to allow his son to continue studying music. Handel rapidly mastered the pipe organ, harpsichord, oboe, flute, and violin. That mastery led to a prolific writing life that included 42 operas, 29 oratorios, more than 100 cantatas, trios, duets, arias, chamber music, a large number of ecumenical pieces, odes and serenatas, and 16 organ concerti.
Handel initially struggled to establish himself, beginning his career as a church organist and writing pieces that are lost to the world today. Then he became a violinist, supplementing his income as a music teacher. His fame began to grow when he transitioned his main instruments to the organ and harpsichord. Following stints as a musician, he began a foray into composition. His first operatic debut, Almira, was wildly popular. Following two more operas in Hamburg, Handel became dissatisfied with the German music scene. He traveled to Italy and ultimately made his home in London.
He was commissioned to write an oratorio about the Bible, and in 1742, Handel’s Messiah debuted on the New Music Hall Stage in Dublin, Ireland. Often considered Handel’s most famous work, Messiah is frequently classified as Christmas music, out of a mistaken belief that it commemorates Christ’s birth. Messiah was in fact written as an ode to all of Christ’s life—annunciation, nativity, passion, and resurrection—proclaiming salvation for all who believe.
Handel died on April 14, 1759. At the time of his death, Handel was completely blind. His life was celebrated in a state funeral with full honors at Westminster Abbey. Handel is honored with a feast day in the Episcopal, Lutheran, and Methodist churches on July 28.
Collect for G.F. Handel
Almighty God, beautiful in majesty and majestic in holiness, you gave to your musician George Frederick Handel grace to show forth your glory in music: may we also be moved to sound out your praises as a foretaste of your eternal glory; through Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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317 comments on “Fanny Crosby vs. G.F. Handel”
Well...I can "Read the writing on the wall" as they say...(Belshazzar's Feast)...
I can see that our Blessed Mr.Handel is going to lose to our Blessed Ms.Crosby. She is indeed a worthy opponent. Both bring glory to our Lord. So be it 🙂 "mene, mene, tekel, parsin"
As a chorister, I love both of them. What shines in Handel is his gorgeous melodies and complex harmonies. But Fanny's great faith shines forth in her amazing hymns of prayer and praise. My favorite is "In the Cross". Our church has an anthem arrangement that is just wonderful. I voted for Fanny.
I didn't grow up with Fanny Crosby. She wasn't in the Hymnal 1940. Many years later: My late husband, Bill, organist here at Christ Church, was a former Southern Baptist. He introduced me to hymns, including many by Fanny, that we're new to me and that touched my heart. As a church organist myself, I am in love with the glories of Handel, beyond our understanding. But as I play in a small church each Sunday, I hear Fanny's words resonating with the people gathered in the pews to worship. She's got my vote.
"Handel surprised the duke with his skills on an organ."
Hey! That's dirty!
A very hard choice today! In the end, Handel won!
The Celebrity Blogger for Handel is totally brilliant!!!
I just re-read both collects, and in the one for Handel, the blogger has included a reference to the Fanny Crosby hymn that so many of the comments referenced, "Blessed Assurance." In case you don't know this hymn, it starts with the words:
Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.
Now note the segment I've highlighted with capitalization from the collect for Fanny's competition:
Collect for G.F. Handel
Almighty God, beautiful in majesty and majestic in holiness, you gave to your musician George Frederick Handel grace to show forth your glory in music: may we also be moved to sound out your praises as
A FORETASTE OF YOUR ETERNAL GLORY;
through Jesus Christ our Savior; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
MY, MY, MY!!!!! I can't believe no one commented on such clever writing earlier in the day.
Kudos to Anna Fitch Courie!
This was a difficult one for me in more ways than one. Besides the two very different, but great, types of music each dealt with....
Fanny Crosby is related to my husband in three different ways according to my genealogy program's relationship calculator, and probably actually twice that, since Fanny's parents were first cousins.
But in Dublin in 1742, people were putting together the premier of Messiah and wanted the choirs of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church Cathedral to sing. Jonathan Swift (perhaps better known for his writing) was Dean of St. Patrick's and didn't want to have their choir perform. Luckily, the assistant dean, Gabriel James Maturin, persuaded Swift to allow St. Patrick's choir to participate. Gabriel James Maturin was my husband's 6th great grandfather. [Such a great crowd was expected for this premier that, in order to accommodate as many people as possible, men were asked not to wear swords, and women were asked not to wear hoops in their dresses!]
So which branch of the family to I go with when choosing for whom to vote? Decisions, decisions.....
Very tough choice today. I voted for Handel because I found my singing voice at a "Messiah" sing at church-twice. Also to honor the people of London today.
Oh no! Handel is losing! He is absolutely one of my favorite composers! I have sung much of his music and never tire of it!
Thou wicked, wicked SEC. How dare you pitch these two against other? One warms my Protestant heart. The other makes my soul soar. Scott, you and Tim really are masochists, aren't you?
Oops! "Sadists" would have been the correct term, blessed SEC.
Fanny J. Crosby's hymns were a huge part of my upbringing. Several are favourites that I can sing all the verses from memory decades later.
Fanny was also very active in promoting education for the blind and disabled and was said to be the first woman to access Congress. I go to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Brewster, so she is the hometown girl for me.
I vote for Handel, whose music has been a lifelong inspiration.
People sing Crosby. Nobody sings Handel.
I voted for her, but I have heard a full Cathedral choir sing the entire Messiah and have sang the H_________ Chrous as part of a different smaller choir myself.
Oh man, I can't believe I missed this vote. I would have voted for Handel 1000 times over. I cannot imagine any soul who gave more to the glory of God through the gift of music. Did you know he completed Messiah in 28 days? And that he did it as a fund-raiser to keep people out of debtor's prisons? Sorry, George. We have taken you for granted.
Oh man, I can't believe I missed this vote. I would have voted for Handel 1000 times over. I cannot imagine any soul who has given more to the glory of God through the gift of music than he. What should have been added about Messiah: When he was originally given the libretto by an Anglican friend, he estimated it would take him 18 months to complete the score. Then he was commissioned by a Dublin Charity to write a work to support the cause of keeping people out of debtor's prisons. Himself facing bankruptcy due to the failure of his opera company, he realized the Messiah libretto was providential and could be scored to support this cause that meant so much to him. He completed the ENTIRE work in 28 days. The Holy Spirit just poured out of him in this work. Sorry, George. We have taken you for granted.