|
Brighten the Corner Where You Are
Public Domain, Old-Time Gospel; Words- Ina Ogdon and Music- Charles H. Gabriel 1912
ARTIST: From Ina Ogdon and Music- Charles H. Gabriel 1912
CATEGORY: Traditional and Public Domain Gospel
DATE: 1912; First recorded by Homer Rodeheaver,vocal, and brass band; Recorded 1915
RECORDING INFO: Brighten the Corner Where You Are [Me II-P27] - Ogden, Ina/Gabriel, Chas H.
Welling, Frank; and Bill Shannon. Paramount Old Time Recordings, JSP 7774A-D, CD( (2006), trk# C.05 [1928/11ca]
Kanawha Singers/ Brunswick NYC 1929
Homer Rodeheaver,vocal,and brass band; Recorded 1915 in Camden, New Jersey.
Originally issued on Victor 17763.
OTHER NAMES: "Brighten the Corner,"
SOURCES: Folk Index; Meade
NOTES: "Brighten the Corner Where You Are" was written by Ina Ogdon and Charles H. Gabriel in 1912. Gabriel also wrote "Will The Circle Be Unbroken."
Nondoctrinal and entertaining, “Brighten the Corner Where You Are” became the equivalent of “The Glory Song” during the evangelistic meetings of Billy Sunday and Homer Rodeheaver. The words are by Mrs. Ina Duley Ogdon (1877-1964), an Ohio
schoolteacher who wrote several hundred hymn texts.
Rodeheaver introduced “Brighten the Corner” at revival meetings in 1912, and it
achieved immediate popularity. Gabriel's setting has prominent syncopated rhythms and an enjoyable arpeggio (“Shine for Jesus where you are”) for the basses on the chorus. Rodeheaver described how this hymn was used to warm up the audiences in the Sunday tabernacle services:
“Brighten the Corner” was a general favorite as a congregational song because of the
stunts it made possible. When the tabernacle was filled we would have one section on
one side sing the first phrase of the chorus, then, jumping across the tabernacle, the section on the opposite side sing the second phrase, the chorus choir would sing the third phrase, and then we would pick out the ten back rows of the tabernacle, often nearly a short city block away, to sing the last “Brighten the Corner.” We used this antiphonal idea effectively with many other songs, but none were as universally
popular as “Brighten the Corner Where You Are.”
Biography From Wikipedia: Charles H. Gabriel
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel (August 18, 1856, Wilton, Iowa – September 14, 1932, Hollywood, California) was a writer of gospel songs and composer of gospel tunes. He is said to have written and/or composed between 7,000 and 8,000 songs[1], many of which are available in 21st century hymnals. He used several pseudonyms, including Charlotte G. Homer, H. A. Henry, and S. B. Jackson.
Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was born in Wilton, Cedar County, Iowa, and raised on a farm. His father led singing schools in their home, and young Charles developed an interest in music. It is said that he taught himself to play the family’s reed organ. Even though he never had any formal training in music, he began to travel and lead his own singing schools in various locations around the age of 17.
His musical talent was well recognized in his boyhood home of Wilton. There is one folklore story, that the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Wilton (Pastor Pollock or McAulay) once saw Gabriel walking in town early in the week. He asked Gabriel if he knew a good song to go along with his sermon. The pastor shared the sermon topic and by the end of the week the boy had written a song for that Sunday, words and music. The Rev. N. A. McAulay was a pastor at the Wilton church for many years, and it is also said that young Gabriel wrote the music for one of McAulay’s songs. The song, “How Could it Be,” was later published in Songs for Service, edited by Gabriel, with the music being credited to “Charles H. Marsh,” possibly one of Gabriel’s pseudonyms.
Eventually he served as music director at Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, San Francisco, California (1890-2). While working at Grace Church, he was asked to write a song for a mission celebration. He wrote "Send the Light," which became his first commercial song. He moved to Chicago, Illinois, and in 1912 he began working with Homer Rodeheaver’s publishing company.
Gabriel was married twice, first to Fannie Woodhouse, which ended in divorce, and later to Amelia Moore. One child was born to each marriage.
He died in Hollywood, California. Gabriel wrote an autobiography titled Sixty Years of Gospel Song (Chicago, Illinois: Hope Publishing Company, undated)
BRIGHTEN THE CORNER WHERE YOU ARE Music Charles H. Gabriel; Words: Ina D. Ogdon; 1912
Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do,
Do not wait to shed your light afar,
To the many duties ever near you now be true,
Brighten the corner where you are.
REFRAIN: Brighten the corner where you are (shine for Jesus where you are)
Brighten the corner where you are
Someone far from harbor you may guide across the bar
Brighten the corner where you are (corner where you are)
Just above are clouded skies that you may help to clear,
Let not narrow self your way debar;
Though into one heart alone may fall your song of cheer,
Brighten the corner where you are.
Refrain
Here for all your talent you may surely find a need,
Here reflect the bright and Morning Star;
Even from your humble hand the Bread of Life may feed,
Brighten the corner where you are.
Refrain
|