Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-03
l. IT /: Is a e y
CuOIRS AND ORGANS: THEIR PROPER P0-
SITION IN CHURCHES.
BY Il. sToRRs WILLS,

mechanical structure IN organ should be pcrched
up i'll cock loft or gallery. over tho heads of people
Whr viowed from artistic .tnnd point, il is equal
" absurd that music which naturally asccuds,
should br brought up near the roof Of an cdfcc.
Again. il seems similarly strangs that singers, as
individuals, should be isolated from the rest &" wor
r;ng lie il classcd with the protaai OF
community, and 10 int1rnnE.c with the rest OF
u worshpful assembly. An English uutlior, Jebb,
has thus wriiicn: The gallery, ;he modern place OF
mii>iral pari0g, is altogether an Innovation 81
l.,"r times Tia; corrupt n!"airy "i music whirh
prevailed IN lI'lv induced TIC U'i.iiance "i persons
10 the choir who were obviously Uli IL vi an!o!-
.nu clergy and, therefore" i!Uccd, Ike mcr" Instru
NESTS, III n lott! I!l" ciirc', rcccSls"h!iy C"nS!icr-
3D. is bad III The cNtrr!hr lhcr" l. IN appearance "i
theatrical exhibition III this J:rIs;yc elevation Of the
singer, who frequently Gi;?a"i the gazr of the con-
gr"gatun tpcrlaps should rather sayo aud"nccl
below; who, while the lnusIcianS are performing,
urn their backs upon minister, altar and every ti:Ils
sacred absorbed b." tlat which savage would sup.
pose br ii "a worship. \ loft tor singers
should b." alto -ctii,r avoided. Tie ministers Of di
vine worship, such ayccrka Hl,. boys, "r regular
is appointed singers have sacred "!;rc To perform,
ani IN this capacity should occupy piece nenr ia"
clergy. lh" modern practice quite cuts of the cirr-
Gynn from he singers, ard gives III" latter an dt-
cent t,,'. alton.
Oar own convictions "n this sulirc, the follow
inc: thai vr- nip should ."c"cd, L. I'll cases, or b.:
Dr0HGY ,c'I from ti, quarter o the church; ana
hat ,.iiav,. pertains t. the trOTSi,p II & church
an organ Is liz. groHni"u terra irmR, 60 20 tpeaa;
and the pulpit, the Altar, ~ whatever else may
br the cliurc!l" arrangements for those c"IiucthS
iviuc offices. We spr!k here Of large organ. DR.
gais were ur .lraiy made large in Holland, for the
purpo-c OF accompanying congregation Of voices, IN
cUngr. saiiunHl iutsic. The application Of an organ
~ large us .lrtc-sV.y house. Wit. IT. ninuy tou-
sands oI voice. 10 Cli,:rs-:u tw"nty-ruiced group
NJ s:mgcra. even II quartet choir (four voccsl ~
IN accom- l2Igl,Mt Ivf these voices that is, thousands
t l,u,,, ted
DuInyq vricys il Of the absardit'cs into "hicA
pu";r have iGIlru--aY unsUrd;y into which custom
and long hab'tGde only ias cE'-"h our eyes. iht
only Gstitc;.iio ii t.s rIs":d:y lies N the tao"
that IN every organ there iS wha: Is called ch0U-or
on; that il, n emn compartment Of the whole, with
which limited resources II l. proposed 10 accompany
chnir- Bu; hOw itw or-;uIs;, "o:tnc themselves,
in uccum,n!incnt-, 10 those restricted resources Of
the orgu!I! The t"mp'ution Is too Great: an. gmhl
,iou- "rsaui-s "vrrwh"!n and OvcrIay ch"!r-v"c"s
wiki Instrumental noise. There Is al orEant in "ne
of the leading and most irrr"ioy y"ticnded church
cs in New York. whose trt3H'Ht Custom II IL Ia ac-
Culnpuny his Gunr,ct-cIo.c vi four voices with the
combined and almost nrrurtaIled strength OF his
Gigantic orgaa, Other, may know Of similar i'll
Stances.
Large organ. were never intended for such uscs.--
lurv "Gig Inaly designed Tor cGninna pIr-
poses, sustain and supI".t the worship o! thc crc
church, in their ulitc,l song of praise. This being
7hc case, the place "f al orcaa ir the people Is
0pgag the people, not away from rh M.
=
I" serve n, an accompaniment r eject choir, which
~ sustain III" impressive, not do ""inl nnsc oi
vaU.r.!, may hc anywhere; brhiri the congregation
"r nut of si.Et. nrr:,r" iu th- w!-IcS ~ those
r.:ucI "r Lc demands of Arr Hs Ia musical effect
ami acuUstica advantages. The truth i, the JnN mu
siCaI furniture a; church is ,TO organs large
lnr congregational purposes, and small one for choir
purposes: the lar.;u organ being at end Of tho
church. and the small with company OF artists,
at the other cud. Two organs, of course, not
al. rtuf flI. m pf re a
that are Indispensable il n church. Ornament and
establishment are simply desirable, when uf the right
character. y iarsr organ, i'r congregational pur-
poses, C,!i paced drccn;ly th" ground, among the
people and al tho crr!ca end "i TIE church, is what
cvr:y church ought, Il possible, start with. The
other ornamental niusici erra! "urrniS can be- added
il found dcs.rthIc by the church officers, and il tca
sih!r.
TmE PLACE OF CHoIHs.-This has been anticipated
by what has been said Of urgGAS. y complete m;lS!
cul arrangement in church woud embrace two bO-
dies OF t!!Is description rcgational choir and
an artistic cs"Ir. The plac. o! the congregational
rhnr would ir near III" large organ. This choir
c'igh; tu be- isolated 10 any extent from the con-
gresatioD, but form part oi IL that the music, pro-
ceedng from an"lI- these wnrshipcrs, may 10
be their own u;t"rGncr Gnd prove injections lso to
peak,) as al! such music proves that It may secure
The Corporation OF the entire church-a result which
il il HnU-: useless 10 hope for while body Of singers
is perchcd up in organ loft their very isolation
plainly udicR;in. that they ~ perform isolated
duty. The place OF the congregational choir, them
being near the congregational! instrument nnd the
clergy the place OF the artistic instrument would be
some other point Of the church But, was said
Of organs, although two clnirs may be desirable, one
-ihe cougregaul;lis the most essential. And,
perhaps, this may be dispensed wih II church
congregation hive the ability, eventually, tn per-
form this part OF their worship alone simply led by an
organ u: Ii single prcccp;0-.
AZ regards Il choir for congregational purposes let
us here state, that our volunteer American cholrs,
with very few exceptions, would i'll our opinion, be
much better turned into congregational chnrs, and
subserve the purposes of church worship rather than
church establishment: To sit down stairs instead ut
up form part Of the congregation, and lend their
powerful aid in inspiring aud sustaining an universal
song Of praise for il is folly to expect really artistic
and impressive music from the rPat mass Of our vol
untcer ch"rs. Cuurc and nrt high culture IL abso.
luirly ess,i:ial to ccvatinS and Impressive artistic
results. Tie great proportion "i volunteer choirs can
n,vr: .inr the music which ought 20 he sung in the
courts OF hc Most High ii the Almighty i To receive
iIslr from UctGHl '!cvoti"m) worthy musical G:icr-
in. irmn ls children. The attempt at this proves
constantly wr.lchcd failure lluw would Dot the
cause ut true worship. ana of sGcrcd snng be ad-
vaurci ii our volunteer church chnrs generally
cuud be- brought dowl stairs placed Hear the clergy,
(.vrn where the large organ must necessarily relini
where i; is now placed, in an orgarn!t and from
among the congregation, send up choral song to
the Most High inspiring all others 10 join them
The dlcrcLcc between the ullIaic ot u CHOIR THUS
pluccd among the people and pcrrhcd up in gallery,
would be ju.t the same in il, -ympahetic and infect
i've influence, with the voice Of convcrsnS friend,
proceeding from his mouth or co:nns out tn" top
Ut II trrr several r"ds distant.
HONORABLE CnURTSEIIP.- We heard Il Tery
pretty little incident the other day which we cannot
help relating. - ng lady from! Tie Sot Il seems,
was 'ncd g:i won hy youthful physician living III
Cai.iurn!a. When the engagement |aa made the
doctor was rich hav;n; been very successful nj San
Francisco. Ii lal NOT exist! SIX mouths, however,
when, by an unfortunate Investment, he ioet his cn,
TIRE 'hcar." Til. evcL came upon hin, :: should
bc added, lust he WAS about 10 claim his BRIDE.
What does IL: do ; Why, Ike Ill honorable ard CHI
various yuuu. fellow he is hc ,iis DOWN and writes
the lady every particular OF the unhappy turn which
hrs taken place i'll bis tO.:unes, assuring her that il
the fact produced aiy change In her feelings towards
him. she i- released from every promise she has nude
him. Aud wnat dhcs the dear, good girl Why, s!c
;akcs lump OF pure g"id wh.c her lover had scn'
her in !s Prosperity n keepsake, aud having !;
Tautn urcd mo r.1 forwards :! 10 !llu wit'i ia2
following B.J.G sr' IL. engraved ~ d;s:luc chaT-
actors ou III" ou's,.r :-'En;rca, not 70 lea
;!!rc, r:;',c from :uw a after tl; f>r wii'!.-
t0u '.si VII -. . wi!i;..cr thou r"i'c6i %iI
ui-2: iT people: ~. . ~ !'"DY... .a,. IN 'iv'.
10y ,ipl where ayii ,j.,s. " c; and tEsc. viii
buried; :le Lord 10 r.. lid more &c. il
nu.b: but death pat ard '.-cC. lie !9"cr idol
isc :s sweetheart more than eve! ~'hca le received
his precious evidence -; her devotion 10 him both il!
storm and sunshine. w" may add. tLHt iortune so9i'
again smiled upun tine yo1nS physician. aud that ne
subsequently, returned 70 the north wed the sweet
girl he loved, and who loved him with such uudynS
aaectiou Reader, this is all true Young ladies who
read the Bible closely the heroine OF this incl
den; seems 10 have done, pretty sure Ia make
good sweethear;s, and better wives liverpool
Weekly Journal.
VULGAR TRUISMS.-1, is a wonder, when Eve
went ont walking, what she did without parnsol.
Women are true 10 another IN all things bu:
babies and there il must be confessed they do faiter
each other i:t:le biz.
The sirougest-niuded woman s.viEka from being
caught in her night-cap.
Tie one thing in household that all persons. scr-
vant. included. take q common Interest in is-be
Postmaa Knock.