The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 184?-1851, 1850-05-22
CoMMUNICATIoNs.
For the Cadiz Sentinel.
CHI

toi your correspondents, Ito try hls hand once
more, on the subject Of Church Ckoirs.
This is a subject that has been but little
discussed, from The fact that so soon as a
Church becomes old.snd strong enough tc
,coileet material sulicielH TO sustain the fouI
parts OF music, VIZ: Bass, Treble, AIto, anc
Tenor, have ayaiied themselves Of the oppOr
iunity OF securing teachers and preparing
,sngers ioE.the service of the Church. EveI
ssince the year 1912, (See AinswoTth's Psalms
published in Amsterdam music at that time
being written in three parts, viz: Cantus
Medues and Bass. We have not lime, nei'
-aiher will we tresspass upon your patience tC
.enieP upon q full history Of church music
i from the commencement down to the preseu
time. Suffice il 10 say, ,tl al all coun es anc
languages have their music from the rude
Hoitentot TO the Ell ig tened European, We
have spent considerable portion Of our sllor
life, thus far, in the study of the Science anC
tits History, and love to be under its infu,
.ence; to hear Of new improvements, and its
.cnnobling effect upon the..hearis and minds o
its auditors.
"The man that hath no music in himself
Nor is not moved by concord OF sweet sounds
Is iitfor treason, sIratagem and spoils.
The motions Of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Trebus;
Let no such man be Eusted.''-Stakfpeare.
But, Mr.. Editor, In all my researches in
the history of music, after reading something
in HavergalI, RavenscFoG, Walter, Billings
MADAM, De Miller, Tansur, and Albree and
host Of others, even down to our "Bostou
Aca emes" OF celebrated musical authors ant
amatures, not one syllable escaped the lips
of any one against a well disciplined and ar
ranged Choir, till we hear from one Robert
Carlton, Esq, the man that published the work
entitled ''Somethng ior Everybody" o
course he couldnot neglect 10 give singers and
cholFs rub, to be consistent with his title. .
This Rober, Carlton, suppose, is about re-
forming the world with his structures; have
not seen his work, but if he has no better ar
ilcle on the subject Of Choirs, than The me
published or taken from his book the l. lh oi
May, we advise hin TO let the subject of mu.
sic alone. He processes to have had some
experience in Choirs, and is OF opinion that
persons who never studded music, are much
more capable Of singing in tune and time, n t
least he says it was so where they had a
singing the whole year; the combined mel
Ody was wonderfully rich, solemn, and spirit
ualizing. Ii appears his good singers all
sung the same part, for he does not say one
wsrd about harmony. and taking him at his
word, they mus: have made rich melody, for
SO many kinds Of voices as are 10 be found in
one congregation, some female, medias. Others
grave, such a collection of voices are not
calculated TO sing rich melody The great
ot,thOr ,r hne -, IL III Al:
TO differ in order that there should not be mo-
notony, no two voices are exactly alike,
therefore, the necessity of the cultivation OF
harmony. The feminine voices cannot sing
gave low tones neither can the grave yoice
sing high ones, and il is the duty of oil TO
sing.
But, Charles, LOO not wholly condemn
choir singing, perhaps il might be made a
more pro ftIble means of leading our devo>
tlon than the former way. Certainly an en-
tire congregation could betrained by judicious
manageme mt to sing with choir, as We once
sang with prccentor or clerk without any oil
your inuendoes, ,thisis truth in all we contend
for, solitary CLERK is not sufficient to lead
numerous congregation, two oil three are
insufficient, for we have tried il 10 our sos =
T0"; IeiIher is there encourogen ent for any
members OF the congregation to study har~
mony and 10 cultivate ih-ir vocr. Likely
they woulI be provided if we ia choir that
was sufficiently strong and able 10 sustain the
four parts in music. Then The young would
desire to learn the science in order that they
might one dav become ch)ir members. the
older that are not members would have pre-.
aa f1uo @ nf &
voriie part in music that would enable them
to follow easily in plain tunes.
Now, Mr.. Carlton, am sorry TO hear of
your wicked and irreveren. young fellows
that you have installed as committee 10
praise God on behalf of believers, would
advise you TO get clear of them as soon as
possible, and take your hand organ and work
it with crank Tor we re ad that King David
praised God with slrnged instrnme nis md
organs We fear you have acted as Eli Of
old in moi restraining your. children while
yonng, suppose from your account of them,
Une minister and two or three church mem.
bers would not be safe in congtegating them
into So bbalh school 10 instruct them in the
word Of God, for they would laugh in your
face. have particular Acquaintance with
a number and partial acquaintance with some
five hundred Chors and choir ledders and
have not heard SO much complaining from the
whole of them rs have heard from YOU -
The fault suroly must rest with your session,
or choir leader in receiving such an ungodly
set o! individuals 10 lead The singing. 1t is
not common for US 10 receive such charac-
4ers into our soclely neither will we while
there are SO many respectable ones 10 be OBJ
.lained, do not see that order can be better
preserved by congregational singing, but The
reverse, if there should happen 10 be good
singer here and there through the congrega-
ton, he will be terribly annoyed by poor
siagers aitemptingto follow hun, particularly
ifhe would sing any other part han the air.
10 reject choir is TO reject the truth and
beauty of musical art choir have three
important Offices to sustain. Isl. Lead along.
guide aud carefully sustain the people in their
song. ID. To sustain the harmony parts,
these parts which add musical beauty and
strength and of, course moral power can only
be properly sung BY trained voices. Sd. To
bring out independently of the congregation
the higher forms Of musical expression, as The
minister may lead The devotion, while they
Join mentally, bu, not vocaIy, n The form Of
words which he uters. So may The choir
perform the same Office Ia musical service.
Ia this way choir may bring out power
and influence thai never can be obtained by
congregational singing. We do rot say a
greater or more devotional effect may be
produced in this wny, but il is form Of