Samuel A. Ward

American composer

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July 22, 2026

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Samuel A. Ward was an American composer best known for creating the tune "Materna" in 1882, which later became the melody for the patriotic hymn "America the Beautiful". While Ward composed the music, the lyrics for "America the Beautiful" were written by poet Katharine Lee Bates in 1893. The song extols the grandeur of the American landscape and the nation's ideals. Although Ward died in 1903, his melody was first published with Bates's lyrics in 1910, and the song gained widespread popularity before Bates's death in 1929. "America the Beautiful" is considered one of the United States' best-known songs and an unofficial national anthem.12

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America the Beautiful
Melody
…piece “Materna,” originally composed by Samuel A. Ward for the hymn “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem” in 1882. “Materna” was first published in accompaniment with “America the Beautiful” in 1910, seven years after Ward’s death. Although Ward never saw the rise of the most popular version of “America the Beautiful,” Bates…
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…piece “Materna,” originally composed by Samuel A. Ward for the hymn “O Mother Dear, Jerusalem” in 1882. “Materna” was first published in accompaniment with “America the Beautiful” in 1910, seven years after Ward’s death. Although Ward never saw the rise of the most popular version of “America the Beautiful,” Bates…
Read More