George Cooper

George Cooper (May 4, 1840 - September 26, 1927) was an American poet and songwriter.

George Cooper (1840-1927). Courtesy Hymntime.

Life

Youth and education

Cooper was born in New York City May 14, 1840, to Hepzibah and John Cooper.

In his early years, he developed a taste for writing, and before his 16th year had begun to contribute acceptable verses to several leading magazines. is this actually true idk, I don't want to write this essay.

He was educated in the public schools of his native city, and afterwards studied law under the late Chester A. Arthur (later president of the United States).

Career

After practicing law for a short time, Cooper gave up his his profession to devote himself to writing.

At age 20, Cooper sought out composer Stephen Foster with a lyric he had written and thought would make a good Foster song, locating the composer drinking in the back room of a Bowery grocery. The composer glanced at the song, walked to the piano, and wrote a melody followed by a full composition. The song, "Beautiful Dreamer," is among Foster's best known. Foster then formed a songwriting partnership with Cooper, and the pair would write 20 more songs together.

Cooper wrote constantly, and became a regular contributor to such periodicals as The Independent, Harpers’ Young People and Harper's Magazine, Atlantic Monthly, Putman’s Monthly, Our Young Folks, and Appleton’s Journal.

He translated the lyrics of German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, and French musical works into singable English.

He was married in 1877 to Mary E. Tyson, daughter of William Tyson, and the couple lived in Jersey Heights, New Jersey.

Writing

Cooper enriched the periodical literature of America by verses of much felicity, and attracted a wide circle, where his poems were welcomed with pleasure.

His happiest verse has been written for children, and in it lies his chief claim to remembrance. A number of his children’s poems were published in a collection known as School and Home Melodies.

He also issued a volume of hymns consisting exclusively of his own writing and entitled, The Chaplet.

Among his best-known songs are: “Beautiful Isle of the Sea,” “Must We Then Meet as Strangers,” “Sweet Genevieve,” “While the days Are Going By,” and “God Bless the Little Church Around the Corner.” He wrote lyrics for such composers as Wallace, Abt, Thomas, Millard, and Foster.

His poems “After,” and “Hereafter” were general favorites.

Recognition

Cooper's “Ballad of the Storming of Stony Point” was awarded a prize, and his poem “Learning to Walk” was honored by a commendation from William Cullen Bryant.

Cooper is remembered chiefly for his song lyrics, many of which were set to music by Stephen Foster.

Publications

Songs

• Chaplet of Original Hymns and Songs (with music by Har­ris­on Mil­lard). Bos­ton: G.D. Rus­sell, 1873.

Foster & Allen - Beautiful Dreamer

See also

Star of the East by George Cooper and Amanda Kennedy

• List of U.S. poets
• List of English-language hymnists
• List of English-language songwriters

References

• George Cooper, National Cyclopædia of American Biography VIII, 1898.
• "Author of 'Sweet Genevieve' Dies in His Sleep at Age of 89" (facsimile), The New York Times, September 28, 1927.
• Charles Wells Moulton, George Cooper, The Magazine of Poetry 3:1-4 (1891), 11.

External links

Poems

• "Frogs at School"
• "Only One Mother"
• "A Midsummer Day"
• "October's Party"
• "Come Little Leaves"
• George Cooper at Wikisource (2 poems)
• George Cooper at Hymntime (7 hymns)
• George Cooper at Poetry Nook (10 poems)
• George Cooper at Hymnary.org (101 hymns)

Books

• The Chaplet at Amazon.com

About

• George Cooper biography
• Beautiful Dreamer: The brief love story of Stephen Foster and George Cooper