The Sun.
London, England, 1864-06-10 00:00:00

The Charity Children at St, Paul's.

This most interesting of festivals—all idea of
abolishing which seems now, happily, at an end—
. took place yesterday morning, as usual, under the
dome of the Cathedral. The attendance was more
enormous than even on proicus occasions. Often
as the scene has been witnessed it is always new and
always eecitin,-;. To enter into a fresh description
of it, however, would be wholly superfluous. Enough
that the general arrangements, superintended by
Mr Arthur S. Newman, festival architect, to which
inventive genius in a great measure London owes
a sight to which no other city in the world can offer
a parallel, were on the accustomed scale of grandeur
and completeness—indeed, in almost Ey.. ry parti-
cular, the same as have elicited wonder and delight
at former anniversaries. The 4,000 children were
seated as coinfortably as though there had been only
400 to accommodate, and presented to the eye of the
lookeraon a spectacle as orderly and unconfused as
it was incomparably picturesque.
That there was full Cathedral service with anthems,
&c., accompanied not merely by the organ, but, in
the full pieces, by brass instruments and drums
(Messrs. P. Harper, Macfarlane, Irwin, Phasey, and
Chipp), to aid in preserving the balance of sound—
which where so vast and comparatively untutored a
congregation of singers is engaged, might otherwise
bo seriously imperilled—it is scarcely requisite to
add. But when such an officer as Mr Goss,
the able and respected organist of St. Paul's
Cathedral, is at the head of affairs, and at his
side Mr George Cooper (of St. Sepulchre's and
Christ Church) his intelligent and talented
deputy, it may be taken for granted that the
musical part of the ceremony will leave nothing to
desire. Mr Goss is generalissimo on this impos-
ing field-day ;Mr George Cooper—whose assistance '
in drilling the army of youthful vocalists for the
annual grand display is so invaluable to Vicar-
Choral H. Buckland (conductor)—the chief of his
staff. Under their presiding care all is pretty sure
to go wetl. These zealous gentlemen work together
in advance, and share the post of organist—some.
times playing separately, sometimes (as in the
"Hallelujah") together—on the day. It would be
very difficuit to replace them.
Prayers were intoned by the Rev. B. M. Cowie,
and Lessons were read by the Rev. J. V. Povah—
minor canons in the cathedral. The choir—com-
posed of singers belonging to St. Paul's, with dele-
gates from St. George's Chapel (Windsor), Temple
Church, Westminster Abbey, Chapel Royal (St.
James's), &c.—was nearly 80 strong; and upon its
component members, it may easily be understood,
devolved important duties. Mr. H. Buckland was
at his ordinary post, on an elevated rostrum within
sight of all the children, and in direct and well prac-
tised communication with the organist.
Again at this anniversary there was only one
change in the musical part of the service, and this a
change of little or no importance. That the chant
to the Psalms (45 and 46—" My heart is inditing a
good matter," and " God is our hope and strength")
should be no longer "Jones in D," is under any
circumstances a consolation. Not, however, that
estrit,,upterd. foorroittchatinthoe,l,awsthaienhniwvaesrsuasreyd, oyresftoerrdthayat,
much can be said for' Dr. Crotch in C," which was
Bout hb
and by which the choir, to judge by its occasionally
dragging, did not seem greatly inspired. To Dr.
Crotch, though a good musician, a thought of genuine
melody rarely occurred. We suppose that it is out of
the question to expect anything new in this direction.
The chant, however, is of tittle consequence when
compared with the anthem—the " To Deum" to suc-
ceed the first and the "Jubilate" to follow the second
Lesson. "' Te Deum' and Jubilate,' as com-
posed in the key of A with the greater third (A major)
by William Boyce, Doctor in Musicklinight fairly
be replaced by something else more modern, and
(their merits not denied) more interesting. That
Dr. Boyce bequeathed a valuable legacy to the
library of Church music is unquestionable ; never-
theless his Te Deem). and Jubilate', written for the
Coronation of George 111., are out of date. They
have done good service ; but not being composed of
the same imperishable stuff as the Coronation
Anthem of Handel (for George II.), they have be-
come—to use a familiar expression—" aged," Why
not, then, set them aside ? Mr. Goss—one of the
most learned and accomplished musicians we pm-
sees—would surely find a pleasure in enriching, at
one and the same time, his art and the resources of
the Cathedral to which he belongs, with some com-
positions from his pen. His anthem for the funeral
of the " Great Duke" is one of the most solemn and
impressive pieces of Church music this age has pro-