William J. Marsh

William John Marsh (June 24, 1880 – February 1, 1971) was an American composer, organist, choir director, and educator most notable for composing “Texas, Our Texas,” the official state song for the U.S. state of Texas. He was a longtime figure in the Dallas–Fort Worth arts community, working as a composer, choir director, music professor, and music critic. He published over 100 original compositions, including the official mass of the Texas Centennial and The Flower Fair at Peking, the first opera written and produced in the state of Texas. a suburb of Liverpool, England. In the 1870s, Liverpool native James Marsh had worked for the Texas and Pacific Railway in Dallas, where he met Mary Cecilia McCormick, originally from Kentucky. James and Mary both met at Sacred Heart Cathedral, where they enjoyed singing. They married in 1877 and returned to Liverpool shortly afterward; James ultimately became the mayor of Woolton. Compositions During his career, Marsh composed over 100 original musical works, mostly religious in nature. He is best known for the following compositions: * “Sunset” (1913) – Marsh’s first published composition, for women’s chorus and violin, written for Fort Worth'