William Augustine Ogden: revival hymns from Ohio

William Augustine Ogden was born in Franklin County, Ohio, on 10 October 1841 and moved to Indiana at six. He began singing-school lessons at eight, became a chorister in his home church at eighteen, and after the Civil War studied with Lowell Mason and B. F. Baker. The catalogue holds 101 Ogden scores, about 55 minutes of music and 30,379 notated notes.

Sixty-seven scores carry lyrics. Seeking the Lost is the most-viewed title by a wide margin, followed by Where He Leads I'll Follow and All Things Are Ready: invitation hymns written for revival meetings, Sunday schools and small choirs.

101Scores
55 minutesMusic (approx.)
30,379Notated notes
67Scores with lyric notation

About William Augustine Ogden

Ogden's education was practical: district schools in Indiana, singing schools from the age of eight, and later lessons in voice, counterpoint and fugue with B. F. Baker, president of the old Boston Music School. He served in the Union army during the Civil War, where he organised a male choir known through the Army of the Cumberland, then returned to Indiana and resumed his musical studies. His first songbook, Silver Song (1870), was also published in England and sold some 500,000 copies. In 1881 he moved to Toledo, Ohio, and from 1887 was superintendent of music in the city's public schools until his death there on 14 October 1897.

Ogden wrote words as well as music, and his output reached beyond the hymn: two oratorios, Josiah and The Birth of Christ, two cantatas and two comic operas. Among his songbooks were Crown of Life, Way of Life, Joy Bells and Notes of Victory, the Gathered Jewels collections with E. S. Lorenz, and Spirit of Song and Happy Day with W. T. Giffe. He also issued anthem collections, including Anthem Choir, Royal Anthems and Bright Anthems. In 1894 he trained 3,000 children for the Sängerfest held in Toledo.

The 101 scores here come to about 55 minutes and 30,379 notated notes, 67 with lyrics. Difficulty is low: 46 entries at complexity index 0, 39 at index 1 and 16 at index 2. Most are short four-part settings of hymn texts, and duplicate titles appear where the same song was reprinted under different credits or spellings.

Listening and playing notes

Ogden's hymns are built for singing, not display. Expect four-part strophic settings, a refrain that fixes the title phrase in the ear, and melodies that move mostly by step. The harmony stays diatonic, with occasional chromatic passing notes in the inner voices, and the keyboard part usually doubles the choir. Tempo markings are few, so choose a pace that lets the words be understood. Keep the refrain crisp, shape the last verse as a climax, and resist slowing at every cadence.

Selected scores

Seeking the Lost
His best-known invitation hymn, and by far the most-viewed score on this page.
Where He Leads I'll Follow
A hymn of discipleship that Hall lists among the popular gospel songs of his generation.
All Things Are Ready
An invitation hymn drawn from the parable of the great supper in Luke 14.
I've a Message from the Lord
A testimony chorus with a repeated hallelujah refrain.
The Eye of Faith
A devotional hymn built around the image of seeing beyond the present.
More Than Conquerors
A confident setting of the Romans 8 phrase, with the assurance carried in the refrain.
He Is Able to Deliver Thee
A short assurance hymn, suited to an evangelistic service.
Searching the Scriptures
A Bible-study hymn, one of several he wrote for Sunday-school use.
Keep Step with the Master
A march-like children's hymn with a steady, walkable pulse.

Questions about William Augustine Ogden

How many Ogden scores are in the catalogue?

There are 101, about 55 minutes of music and 30,379 notated notes.

Did Ogden write the words as well as the music?

For many of his gospel songs he did; Hall describes him as a prolific composer of both words and music. The catalogue does not record a separate lyricist.