Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1859-11-25
Congregational Singing.

has come, the public will perhaps
pardon US if we offer a word on the
true idea of church music. By the
trVe idea we mean, of course, ours,
and shall assume that we are in this
respect, though perhaps not ike am
ateur musicians, yet much like the
rest Of mankind" We do not har-
monise with the musicians and sing
ing professors, first in regard to
tunes. They have another taste,
and an artificial ear for music in
church. The great object and aim
seems TO be TO see how new and |
difficult a piece they can perform,
and with how much Of operate skill |
and hence they have scarce learned
what they have in their new singing
books, before they have become old,
must be laid aside and q newer one
obtained. It is true that if we sim
ply had the printing craft and book
making in our eve, this would not
be Objectionable. 1t works well for
tue trade. But aside from this we
love the old tunes best. 1t takes a
little while for US to learn to love a
piece Of music, and when we have
learned we would not ike to have it
snatched at once from US and anoth-
or thrust in its place. 1t is ike To-
sing old friends and being compelled
to take up with new ones, and those
not Of our own selection, but of
Co. the professors" There arc many
Of the old tunes which have a So
hdity and devotion in them entirely
unlike the airy "High Biddy Martin
pieces so often substituted in their
place. If we were to take up a
now book, it would be an old one
revived rather than one of the new
tangled that are spawned quarterly
and whose principal excellence !;
the old music which we have alreaA
on hand. Give US more Of the ole
tunes. Bring back the old books.
Then, secondly, as the parson.
say, We should like congregational
singing. Nowadays it is custom
airy to have a choir with, often. onl,
one on part, and that one not tn
best voice in the world, and it j
also customary for the congregation
10 turn around, look at the lon
singer and criticise severely, as tn
only part they are expected to tax
in the performance, for Peyormaac
is all it can with truth be said to bt
It is far enough from being an act {
worship. But in our mind this wa
not the design Of singing in churcI
We have often pondered upon tn
subject as we have set in the pc
and looked up into the face of Il
few distressed performers, and
our thoughts have been wrong v
hope the clergy, or somebody, vi
set US right. 1t seems to US tn
singing is or should be an act
worship, and hence that every VIC
shipper who can sing should enga
init-that this was the original
sign, and that to neglect it is
some respects a sin. 1t Is not in 0
province TO quote scripture, but !
have read many passages which
rect the worShlpper Of God to 81
his praises, and it does not seem
US that this can be done BY pro,
any more than any other duty c
be so performed; nor does it Sc
TO US that simply standing up,
turning around in our pews, gap.
at the performers and severely C.
icising their work will answer
demand.
Then the effect Is better, nj
better when the whole congregat
join in the hymn Of praise. In
cities congregational singing is '
generally practiced Books, {
tanning the hymn and the tune,
distributed through the house,
or more in a slip, and when the g
begins there is a general burS
orth Of the voices, if not the III
Of hearts, in the praises of Goo
Then there is less Of criticism, n