Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1847-04-02


sing very loud but the louder hesang. the more
you heard that kind of noise that is produced by
singing through comb. It used to be said Of
him that he sang as if he had studied music in q
mill during high wind. To the two flutes ant
the hautbov were added two claronets, because
two of Gripe's youngest brothers were growing
up, and had fancy for music. Young Grub
the son of the butcher, began soon to exhibit
musical talents. and accompanied his father al
home on the violoncello, which instrument. witt
the leave of the rector, was added to the church
and in "A very short timc.--a time too short,
believe, for the perfection of the performance.
The rector. dear good man. never refused his
leave to any thing especially to what the singers
asked ; they might have had leave to Introduce
a wagon and eight horses, if they had asked
but still the rector did not like it and every time
he was called upon TO christen child for one o
his Pensioners. he trembled least the young one
should have turn for music. and introduce into
the gallery some new musical abominaion. II
was next discovered that only one bass to Sc
many treble instruments was not fair play, so &c
the violoncello was added Il bassoon, and to the
bassoon serpcnt.-What next ?--nothing more
at present !; but if the movement party retain its
asccndancy. triangles and kettle-drums may be
expected The present state of Snatcham choir
Grub. the butcher stout robust man of about
fifty years of age. having a round head and red
face, with strong. straight. thick brownisll-gray
hair, combed over his forehead, and reaching Ia
TO his very eyebrows. He is the oldest, the
wcathieSt, and the most influential man in the
choir. lie sings bass. and is said to be the life
aud soul of the party, though there are no great
symptoms of life and soul in his face. which is
about as full of expression as "A bullock's liver.
Then there is Young Martin Grubb. who is a bit
ola dandy, with black curling hair, and whis-
kerS OF the same pattern. pale face, thin lips.
long chin, and short nose his instrument is the
violoncello. James Grpe is leader of the treble
voices, with occasional digressons, as above no.
ticcd. And, in addition to the two younger
Grlpes, Absolom and Peter, who play the two
clarionets. thereare Oncsiphorus Bang. the shoe
makcr.who plays the first flute +; lssachar Crack
rival shoemaker. who plays the second flute
Cornelius Pike, the tabacco-pipe maker, who
plays the bassoon Alexander Rodolpho Crabbe,
the baker, who plays the hautboy Gregory
Plush, the tailor. who plays the serpent, toge-
Their with divers others, men, boys. and girls. who
make up the whole land.
This renowned choir has for long time con,i-
dcred itselfthe ne Plus ultra OF the musical pro-
fession. and consequently equal to the pcrlor-
lndice vi any hIus'c ,i''' ""N ,f''7' =,
The old fashioned psalm tunes are therefore all
ban.hed from Snatcham church, to the great
rriefof the worthy rector, whose own voice is
almost put out of tune by hearing Sternhold and
Hopkins sung to the tunes Of Lovely nymph,
asslage my anguish and such like NauXhall
and Sadlcrs Wells music. The members t
the choir, too, like other political bodies have
not much peace WITHIN, unless they have war
without. |. any attack be made upon their pri-
E'egeS' tiey SUCK to9ct'ler IKE asWaii OF bees
uul al othcr tiiheS' tlicy are almost Always at
IoS9Gr-heaGS ono WIN announcer va Marui
u'uDo wieldS a prccarlouS sceptrc, Tor James
nrpe Is ln'gh',ly tenacious oil ms rights ana re-
sIsS' 'ooth ana nall the lhtroductlons ortoo ire
qnent use OF those tunes winch Superaboundwlti
bass solos. Grubb and Gnpe, by way of an at
tempt at compromising the matter, have lattery
been in the habit ottaking it by turns to choose
the tunes and their alternate choice puts one
very much in mind OF the fable oithe fox and the
stork. who invited one another to dinner, the
fox preparing a flat dish, of which the stork coulC
not avail himself and the stork in return serving
up dinner in a ong-necked bottle. too narrow Il
admit the fox head When James Gripc choo
ses the tune. he nou,ishes away in tenor and ire
Lla solos leaving tho hutchor a. mutn as a fish
hnt vbon ,Lo cL1icn do,ol,.os an N,r,;n 1,rulL
he NAYS of obi scores Inv a .nlnctionof tho.,
compositions which most abound in bass solos
ArJ in .pch CO. II. NO, urrronnon,l, b,n,on
,hat U,r,r, in tho IoIightnd conscion.ncIs of
,riu,uni, ,vnr All. ,onor trrLln and coun,ar.teno
rival. rroyyl. and ROAR. with such ,hunderinr OK
ulfatiou th.iti. r,llarv ouivprs beneath him
vLila his SON saw. away at his violoncollo n
thourh bc would emf il in half from very costa
cv Cornelius Pike and Grepnrv Plush ais
.n.nl,s much hra,,h as they can snare. an