Richard Storrs Willis, graduate of Chauncey Hall, Boston Latin School, and Yale University, friend of Felix Mendelssohn, was born in Boston on this date in 1819. Some of his music is deeply familiar to you: It Came Upon The Midnight Clear is set to his composition "Carol."



Willis is also familiar in his arrangement of a Silesian folk melody under the title of "Crusader's Hymn." That setting is used as the music for Fairest Lord Jesus.



Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature,

O Thou of God and man the Son,

Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor,

Thou, my soul’s glory, joy and crown.



Fair are the meadows, fairer still the woodlands,

Robed in the blooming garb of spring;

Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer,

Who makes the woeful heart to sing.



Fair is the sunshine,

Fairer still the moonlight,

And all the twinkling starry host;

Jesus shines brighter, Jesus shines purer

Than all the angels heaven can boast.



All fairest beauty, heavenly and earthly,

Wondrously, Jesus, is found in Thee;

None can be nearer, fairer or dearer,

Than Thou, my Savior, art to me.



Beautiful Savior! Lord of all the nations!

Son of God and Son of Man!

Glory and honor, praise, adoration,

Now and forever more be Thine.



Among the most beautiful renditions of the hymn available on recording is by Leontyne Price, one of the great voices of the century, who was also born on this date, in 1927 in Laurel, Mississippi. I've paid brief tribute to this great artist before, but it will never be to the extent of the debt.