Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1855-04-11
OLD MUSIC.

OLD MUSIC.
A Society, called the "Continentalers," has
been formed in Chelsea, Massachusetts, to re-
vive the music Of their fathers, when sausage
stufiings and singing schools were the evening
amusements of early winter. writer in the
Boston Post does it up thus
Among the venerables" present, on whom
the frosts of years had sprinkled their rime were
Messrs. Hill, Perkins, Pratt, Morse, Lane, Stick.
ney, Prince. llsley, Hawcs, Godbod and Penu-
man-venerable, but not to be called old for
many years 10 come-whose voices were as
fresh and strong, as when they sung "Corona-
ton" or "Old Hundred" forty years ago. One
of the members of the party was dressed in
full continental costume, from hat to shoes-the
hat that was worn at Lexington fight, remind.
ing one Of The line of Hulmes-
"The old three corncred hat,
And breeches and all that,
Are so queer"
After preliminary rosining Of bows and thumb
ing of fiddle strings among the orchestra Of one
bass viol one violincelo, four violins and brass
horn, Mr. William Hawes took his place before
the audience MS the musical conductor, and the
Continentalers took up their line of march
back hundred years into the realm Of ancient
melody, by the gate Of "Lenox." The invoca.
tory character of the old hymn was very appro.
pirate:
"Ye tribes of Adam join
With heaven and earth and sea,
And offer notes divine
To your Creators praise;
Ye holy throng
OF angels bright,
In worlds of light
Begin your song"
This was sung very finely, with the olden spr.
it that has made the roof tree of many village
church; and many village school house ring in
times Of old, and made vocal the New England
fresdes in continental times.
"When we lived under the king"
lifting New England men up into an atmosphere
Of freedom, that gave them strength in time Of
trial
"Dcvotion" next followed, 10 the lines
"Sweet is the day of sacred rest,
No mortal cares shall seize my breast"
succeeded by sterling old Montgomery
Early, my God, without delay,
haste to seek thy face
My thi sty spirit faints away
Without thy cheering grace;
So pilgrims on the scorching sand,
Beneath a burning sky,
Long for cooling stream at hand
And they must drink or die"
Then followed Milford" magnificent old
English fugue, which was as magnifcently
sung, carrying one away in the whirl Of its
graceful eccentricities-ihe different parts chas.
ing each other in melodious flights along the
scale, and eliminating in harmonious whole at
the close.
On, and on subme!y marched the "Couti.
M fbrop poN ~ Ma, I.ru Ian - tpb i.h
ZONES down
Adorned with shining grace
From the third heaven where God resides,
That holy, happy place.
and dwet awhile where
Shepherds watched their focks by night
All seated on the ground;
when
The Angel of the Lord came down,
And glory shone around"
IT ever the glory Of scene could be impaired
by sound it was done in the rendering Of this
beautiful old tune. "The glory shone around"
IL could be seen and felt 1t dwelt in the EN-
phaiic beat of the hand, the flashing eye Of the
singer, and it rolled IN sublime wave of sound
over the spirits Of all the listeners
We have not room 10 devote TO asdescrp,ion
of the whole thirty pieces sung, but among the
number were included, "Complaint," with It's
beautiful prayer, and" Invitation" embodying in
graceful measure the song of Solomon:
Come, my beloved-haste away"
and I" New burg"
Let every creature join
To praise the eternal Cod"
and psalm 34h":
Through all the changing scenes of life"
and grand old Ocean" that carries in its melo.
dy the swell of the " towering waves" when the
winds arise at The Almighty command, and
Majesty and Delight"
But the greatest pleasure was caused by the
singing Of the Easter Anthem
The Lord has risen from the dead
which made faith quicken by its triumphant