East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-02-28
Singing i'm A Fashionable Church

a short time since, L attended service
in one o: our western churches. 1t was
in one of the aristocratic institutions
where style and effect were carefully stud.
ied.-The choir was placed behind the
pulpit, and facing the congregation.
Service were opened with voluntary on
miserable poor organ the player was a
lady, who as she entered the church and
took her seat, left the impression on my
mind that | was attendeding some musi-
exhibition, for though not in full dress,
her head was uncovered, her hair was
claborately braided, and she wore a fair
quantity Of ornaments. Her playing con.
sisted Of snatches of fashionable airs, in
tersporsed with some of the populor songs
of the day. The flute, tremulo-swell, and
trumped were successively employed, and
crescendoes and diminuendoes followed
closely Oh each others footsteps
After playing some ten minutes, she
struck into an athem, and the choir
(Which was composed of six or eight
arose and commenced singing. There
were soes by the soprano, tenor, and
base, duet and chorus, all enlvened by
the full glory of operate gestures, and
professional contributions: they groaned,
shouted, whispered, and cooed till almost
every emotional state had been represent
ed-fear, despair, bliss, and ecstacy.-
Then the sounds died away, and the per-
formers sank into their seats after the
most approved fashion.
The singing was repeated several
times in similar style, and then, while
a contribution was being collected, the
organist played snowy piece on the or.
gan, the singers opened lattice-work be-
hind the pulpit, filed down into the body
Of the church and secured seats. When
the last piece Of money had dropped in
to the box, tho last note of music had
dropped into silence, and the player arose
adjusted her cloak on her shoiders, put
on her hat and veil, and when the text
had been read, sailed gracefully down the
pulpit steps and seated herself in front
of the people. 1t being communion, none
of the singers returned to their seats, and
the remainder of the singing was carried
on by members of the congregation.
heard few voices sounding as if their
owners were astonished to find them
selves singing in church, and it was i'm
proper or that they should sing too loud.
l attended the same church on differ
ent day. The exercise were the same un.
til the commencement Of the sermon.
The choir retained their seats, and tho
speaker proceeded with his remarks. The
final attempt of the choir was the exc
cution Of an anthem. think may fair
ly say it caS erecuted, sure enough. The
benediction being pronounced, we were
played out of church with some brilliant
operatic marching melody, and so ended
my Sabbath experiences in fashions able
western church. l am Wcstern myself,
born and always brought up here, and l
have heard occasionally fine specimens of
church music here, and especially in some
of the German churches in Cincinnati
The singing in the church have at
tempted to describe (now that am away
from home) seemed to be so very much
out of character, that l thought you and
your readers might like to read of it, so
| have put it on paper.-Xasical Rerie'c.