Lewis H. Redner

Lewis Henry Redner (December 15, 1831, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – August 29, 1908, Hotel Marlborough, Atlantic City, New Jersey) was an American musician, best known as the composer of the popular Christmas carol "St. Louis", better known as "O Little Town of Bethlehem".

Redner worked in the real-estate business in Philadelphia, and played the organ at four different churches during his life. He held the title of Organist/Choirmaster at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia 1861-1864 and 1869-1871 While there, he set Pastor Phillips Brooks's poem of his recollection of a pilgrimage to Bethlehem to music on Christmas Eve, 1868, and the carol was first sung the next day.

Redner was very involved with local charities. He served on the first board of Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission, a homeless shelter and soup kitchen, in 1878.

Redner never married. He was buried at The Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Birth and Death Data: Born Philadelphia (largest city in Pennsylvania, United States), Died August 29, 1908 (Atlantic City (city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States) )

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1915 - 1954

Roles Represented in DAHR: composer, arranger

= 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 Audio
Victor C-18534 12-in. 10/6/1916 Oh, little town of Bethlehem Trinity Choir Vocal chorus and soloists, with orchestra composer  
Victor BVE-35881 10-in. 9/24/1926 O little town of Bethlehem Mary Lewis Female vocal solo, with orchestra 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-09062 10-in. 12/2/1936 Oh! Little town of Bethlehem Homer Hall Glee Club Male vocal chorus, with electric organ and chimes composer  
Victor BS-024885 10-in. 9/8/1938 O little town of Bethlehem Joe Green Chimes solo composer  
Victor BS-026906 10-in. 9/8/1938 O little town of Bethlehem Lew White Mixed vocal chorus, with violin, organ, and harp composer  
Victor CS-046001 12-in. 12/16/1939 Lullaby Jesus dear (Polish Christmas carol) St. Gregory's Choir Vocal chorus, with electric organ composer, arranger  
Victor BS-067875 10-in. 9/17/1941 Oh little town of Bethlehem Richard Crooks ; Clarence Dickenson Tenor vocal solo, with pipe organ composer  
Victor D5RC-1575 12-in. 12/6/1945 Christmas hymns, part 2 RCA Victor Chorale ; Robert Shaw Mixed vocal chorus, unaccompanied composer  
Victor PD6VB-2680 10-in. 8/20/1946 O, little town of Bethlehem Russ Case ; Perry Como Male vocal solo, with vocal chorus and organ composer  
Victor D7VB-1596 10-in. 8/27/1947 O come all ye faithful Dick Leibert Organ solo composer  
Victor D9VB-0725 10-in. 8/20/1949 Silent night Mitchell Boys Choir ; Bob Mitchell Boys vocal chorus, with organ composer  
Columbia CO51498 10-in. 5/8/1954 O little town of Bethlehem Chuck Wagon Gang Mixed vocal quartet, with guitar composer  
Columbia 77342 10-in. 9/14/1917 Oh little town of Bethlehem Columbia Mixed Double Quartette Mixed vocal double quartet, with orchestra composer  
Columbia W140948 10-in. 9/16/1925 O little town of Bethlehem Columbia Mixed Quartette Mixed vocal quartet, unaccompanied composer  
Columbia CO21965 10-in. approximately 1937 O little town of Bethlehem Lehman Engel ; Madrigal Singers ; Henry Silvern Vocal chorus, with organ composer  
OKeh W81574 10-in. 10/25/1927 O! Little town of Bethlehem Golden Hour Mixed Quartet Mixed vocal quartet, with instrumental trio composer  
Brunswick E24966-E24968 10-in. 10/28/1927 O little town of Bethlehem Collegiate Choir Mixed vocal chorus, with orchestra composer  
Edison 4137 10-in. 9/22/1915 O little town of Bethlehem The Carol Singers Mixed vocal quartet, with orchestra composer  
Charm X-CR-502-B 10-in. approximately 1948 Hark! The herald angels sing Hour of Charm All-Girl Choir ; Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra ; Phil Spitalny Female vocal group, with instrumental ensemble composer  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Redner, Lewis H.," accessed December 24, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111835.

Redner, Lewis H.. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 24, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111835.

"Redner, Lewis H.." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 24 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/111835

External Sources

Wikipedia: Lewis Henry Redner

Discogs: Lewis H. Redner

Allmusic: Lewis H. Redner

IMSLP: Lewis H. Redner

Linked Open Data Sources

LCNAR: Redner, Lewis H., 1831-1908 - https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/no2002068875

Wikidata: Lewis Henry Redner - https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4392214

VIAF: https://viaf.org/viaf/14980912

MusicBrainz: Lewis Henry Redner - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/dff5d398-8857-4ec2-882d-56fdc10ce07b

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