More Composer Discoveries William Bradbury's Esther, the Beautiful Queen and a Thoms Family Affair.

The article focuses on William Batchelder Bradbury's 1856 sacred cantata *Esther, the Beautiful Queen*, its historical significance, and its 1929 performance by a Lutheran church choir featuring the author's grandfather, Arthur Thoms. Bradbury, a 19th-century American composer and music educator, created accessible sacred music widely used in community and church settings, including over 900 hymns still known today. *Esther* is notable for its blend of biblical narrative with dramatic and popular musical styles, and for its theological adaptation of the Book of Esther, explicitly including God's presence despite the biblical text's omission. The article also discusses the cantata's reception within Lutheran communities, highlighting its role in fostering communal joy and moral uplift during challenging times such as the 1929 economic crash.