New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-11-07


The memory of which haunts thee.
-----n,------
CHURCH CHORALs AND CHOIR STUDIES; BY T.
SToRRS WILLIS. New-York: Clark, AusAn q ofliAl'
205 Broadway
This volume-which, we may remark at the
start is got up in style of unusual nea'oess and
elegance--is destined to render important service
IN the cultivation of true church music III ILLS
sonntrv Its author, Mr. Willis, is already well
known to the musical public by has popular
aGlenmary VALUES" and number OF me
songs, to which he also contributed the words
His education as composer has been most care
full and thorough, occupying more than SIX years
life in Germany, during which period ne had
the advice and encouragement OF the best masters
Among them Mendelssolln, who was then in the
prime of his power. The genius Mr. Wills
has already shown, in his earlier compositions as
well as his maturcr works, does not need our
pointing out we only refer to it to justify the
promise Of the volume before US.
The work commences with Prelude, giving
the history of Church Music, from the earliest
time-a very interesting and appropriate intro
duction to the subject, which has heretofore been
neglected in Books of Church Music. Then follow
some thoughts on Worship and description OF
American Church Music; after which Mr. WINS
takes occasion to give his views on Congregational
Singing. The style of this Introduction is clear and
eloquent, comprising all that is necessary to
Just view OF the subject
The volume contains sixty or seventy
ehorals, printed according to the order OF their
meter, the most Of them being newly arranged
The heavy character Of many OF them is greatly
relieved by their translation into "A tlne'
and the substitution of more pleasing harmonles'
Following the specimens in each meter, the au-
thor has introduced what he terms Choir Studies
"a collection Of original airs, written to tamiilar
HYMNS, and better adapted to choir practice or
singing in the home and social circle, on account
,cf their more artistic and pleasing character
These Studies 78 in number, form the most char
acteristic portion of the work, and are OF special
interest to teachers students OF Sacred Music
Mr. Wiliss advocacy of Congregational sing
ing in Churches is based on his idea OF Worshlp
which is drawn with delicate and subtle pen
We copy from his pages an illustration oil the
character and effect OF
CONGREGATIONAL SINGING.
An instance which realized the authors ldeai
2i oil this style Of music fell under his observation ia
one of the cities Of central Germany. In tins city
the leading Protestant Church being closed Tor
some months while undergoing repairs the Cath
olics. with bcrality of sentiment sometimes
met with in that country, threw open their mag
nilicCnt edltce to the worship OF their Protest
mt brethren, their own service beng at an ear
lier hour The only change which was made IN
the interior was the conceamcut OF the altar by
curtain falling from the lofty ceiling to the floor
in front OF this was temporary pulpit Tor the
clergy man,
Entering on Sabbath morning, this cathedral,
upon the trout of which stood, solidarity, In I'M
posing capitals, the solemn word-DEo-the I'M
mense spuce already crowded with worship
pers On the sides OF the altar was tue costly apart
ment or curtajned tribune for the reignng family,
Protestant House. the Duke aud his Court be-
ing present The broad area below was htled,
partly with garrison troops partly with citizens,
and partly with penS0ntry from the country, IN
their picturesque Sabbath costumes. The nitro
ductory voluntary had just commenced, and the
powcrtul organ, which was concealed behind the
curtain and seemed to have Its place near the al
tar, was filling and crowdng every arch and cor
ner of the immense pile with its massive harmo
MES The air around us was sea OF music, the
rich surgngs OF which broke majestlcally and sol
EMMY on the vaulted root, the lofty pillar, and
the silent heart
While this was proceeding, the devotional null
titude were finding from the book in the hand OF
each the first hymn, indicated, as is usual IN the
German churches, upon tablets placed at con
venient points upon the sides OF the church.
Gradually the tide of organ tones flowed into the
familiar strain of solemn church choral. At that
signal the assembled multitude, from the monarch
TO the peasant, arose, as by common impulse to
their feet and as the Introductory strain ceased,
and clear trumpet concealed also from the eye
led off, with the organ the choral melody, then
from every voice and heart OF the vast multitude
arose n mighty song of praise TO Coda song
which the massive roof seemed scarce capable OF
repressng-loity, sublime, soul thrilling.
AS the last echoes of this choral halleuiah died
q ri
made his appearance and pronounced IN deep
toned and solemn voice, the opening prayer. He
retired and again the unseen organ renewed Che
choral strain, and once more the thousand voiced
chorus swelled TO the skies The sermon sue
eeeded followed by the closing choral,
Here then, unpremedtatedly and unconscious,
~ TO these worshippers, for each was engaged IN
his own devotons9 here was an effect, devotional
and musical, unsurpassed, we thought, oy the
conscious and premeditated effects OF any Churcn
in the world And TO what shall we ascrlbc II !
To circumstances from which Though partly &C
cidentaQ may yet, perhaps CLEAN some IN
struction: the exclusion of all artistic machinery
from the eye and sense of the worshlpperi the
absence OF any unrequired personal Intervention
betw cen the soul and its Maker; the simnltane-
business and apparent Spont0Re0uSReSS OF the trst
universal act of worship (unannounced and unre-
cited preparatorily, before engaged in actually
the common level of devotion, from which each
soul bore its humble, individual part, in the COM
mon worship; the deep reverence and earnest
ness everywhere evinced, Ia feature so unusual,
strange to say, in our churches ut home, and yet
SO common abroad; and last, but most worthy OF
msrk, the utter Inconsistencies of each worship
per, both Of hmSet, and the observing eye OF 9th
ers as well as the effect produced by the music
and the act of DEVOTION either individual or gen
eral-a circumstance TO be ascribed, no doubt, to
the common devotional occupation OF all And
vet this very effect alluded to, though unnoticed
by any special thought was undoubtedly tA,
automatically, in the inmost soul of every wor-
shipper; the very essence and perfection, we con-
eeive, of all church effects,