Richard Storrs Willis

Richard Storrs Willis

Richard Storrs Willis (February 10, 1819 – May 10, 1900) was an American composer, mainly of hymn music. His best known melody is probably the one called, simply, Carol. This is the standard tune, in the United States, though not in Great Britain, of the much-loved hymn "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" (1850), with lyrics by Edmund Sears. He was also a music critic and journal editor.

Birth and Death Data: Born Boston (capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States), Died May 7, 1900

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1904 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	B-1731	10-in.	10/4/1904	Jesus Christ the Son	Haydn Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with organ	composer
Victor	A-1731	7-in.	10/4/1904	Jesus Christ the Son	Haydn Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with organ	composer
Victor	C-15262	12-in.	10/7/1914	It came upon the midnight clear	Victor Oratorio Chorus	Vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer
Victor	CVE-15262	12-in.	8/27/1926	It came upon the midnight clear	Trinity Choir	Chorus, with orchestra	composer
Victor	B-20645	10-in.	9/6/1917	Christmas hymns selection	Francis J. Lapitino	Harp solo	composer
Victor	BVE-20645	10-in.	10/13/1925	Christmas hymns selection	Francis J. Lapitino	Harp solo	composer
Victor	C-31196	12-in.	11/20/1924	Jul glädje (Christmas joy)	George Hultgren ; Gustav F. Johnson	Sermon and male vocal solo, with organ and chimes	composer
Victor	BS-75067	10-in.	2/9/1933	Songs for children (Hymns)	Elsie Baker ; Myrtle C. Eaver ; Olive Kline ; Lambert Murphy ; Elliott Shaw	Mixed vocal quartet, with piano	composer
Victor	PBS-09061	10-in.	12/2/1936	It came upon the midnight clear	Homer Hall Glee Club	Male vocal chorus, with electric organ and celeste	composer
Victor	BS-026904	10-in.	9/8/1938	It came upon the midnight clear	Lew White	Mixed vocal chorus, with violin, organ, and harp	composer
Victor	D5RC-1576	12-in.	12/6/1945	Christmas hymns, part 1	RCA Victor Chorale ; Robert Shaw	Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied	composer
Victor	D7VB-1593	10-in.	8/27/1947	It came upon the midnight clear	Dick Leibert	Organ solo	composer
Victor	D9VB-0724	10-in.	8/20/1949	O come, all ye faithful (Adeste fideles)	Mitchell Boys Choir ; Bob Mitchell	Boys vocal chorus, with organ	composer
Columbia	CO51500	10-in.	5/8/1954	It came upon the midnight clear	Chuck Wagon Gang	Mixed vocal quartet, with guitar	composer
Columbia	81178	10-in.	8/15/1923	It came upon the midnight clear	Criterion Quartet	Male vocal quartet, with orchestra	composer
Columbia	W144656	10-in.	9/10/1927	It came upon the midnight clear	American Singers	Male vocal quartet, with instrumental quartet	composer
Brunswick	6440-6442	10-in.	approximately September 1921	It came upon the midnight clear	Cathedral Choir	Male vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer
Brunswick	E20087-E20089	10-in.	9/11/1926	It came upon the midnight clear	Cathedral Choir	Male vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer
Edison	4133	10-in.	9/21/1915	It came upon the midnight clear	The Carol Singers	Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra	composer

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Willis, Richard Storrs," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110079.

Willis, Richard Storrs. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/110079.

"Willis, Richard Storrs." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

Fast: https://id.worldcat.org/fast/361295 - https://id.worldcat.org/fast/361295

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