Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-03-16
CHURCH MUSIC.

The Boston Courier says that nine-tenths of the
fashionable church music, is libel DEVOTION and
ought to be hooted from society.
Too true, but what will be done about il II there
is thing for which willing to be taxed more
than another it is for the support music our COM
mon schools,-for we hope another generation will be
able to make church music what it should be-devo-
ton, not Cambridge Chronicle.
We would be as public spirited as cur neighbor in
regard to taxation for the teaching of music in
mon schools, if the music taught there were chiefly Of
that sort that has vitality than the humming
of a dying locust. What improvement has been made
in the singing in Schools within two or three years.
we cannot undertake to say, for we have ventur
ed within the hearing of it since we were obliged to
visit officially the schools in our good city of cambridge
Its character then was much like that which is heard
in the church or meeting house-namely, one contin-
ued drawing of common chords
Sing-song
Dmg-dong-
String-strong-
Ring-wrong-
This is the allegro style. The adagio is like unto
it, except there is slight proongation sound thus
Si-ng-so-ng-
Di-ng-do-ng-
&c. &c.
Some singers, in order to give greater effect their
performance, introduced hitch and jerk as thus
ST. hi--ng-so' hong
Di hi-ng-do hong
&c. &c
and on, through six eight stanzas long metre
This is generally done six times every sunday Be-
fore this fashionable murder of hymn is finished,
those of the audience who not mentally cursing
the stupidity of the choir, asleep. 1t is matter
OF wonder that clergymen do protest against pro-
fanation. They must that the general character
of the singing neither inspires devotion nor aids p-
ETY. If choirs would sing some of the old American
tunes--compositions OF Billings, Read, Swan, and
Holden; interminged with Old Hundred St. Mar
tins Bangor, and Colchester; and the like,-tunes
which have Il character that impresses itself on the
memory; and enables all the congregation to join in
singing, they would not be obliged to sing nor would
the minister be obliged to preach often 10 empty
pews or snoring worshiPers. A duet by bumbe-bee
and a nlrsquito--the humming of the first being the
base, and the buzzing OF the other the treble would ex.
hibt as much variety as the greater part of the sac
red music lsacredtrash) that has been published du-
ring the last thirty years.
But the good oil days Of New England music have
passed away, and singing who could compose
and teach it, are known onlyin history as an extinct
/
properly have assumed this more fashionable title;
they profess what they have not taste to appreciate
power to teach, nor capacity to learn. 1t would be
difficult ind pupil Of modern ''Pro:essor'-o
even Professor himsefwho could sing Billings
uqjesfy, Reads S4er54rne, or Edison Leaor-pieces
whichonce had power to excite an audience, and which
ifperformed now, would fill meeting house quicker
than the most eloquent preacher in the county,
Them three four pages Of RaIes, that could be COM
mtted to memory and reduced practice in three or
four evenings, were all-suicien to bring forward a
choir Of singers. Now, fifty or hundred pages of
Elements made up of jaw breaking dervations
from Greek and Latin, and all the musical terms to
be found in the French and Italian vocabplaries, clum-
silly Angclzed or Yankeefied, are to be studied and
if the pupil after six months years beating OF
brains should get toIerable idea of what the Pro
fessor' would be at, Though many of the pupils get
tired and disguised in less than half that tme,) he is
probably qualified to join in the
| 81 hing-so' hong. sat..
| 4s.sW Di' Ripg--77fdo' hong u s.-