The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-27
Church ~ ustc.

Church Music.
We approach the subject Of church music
with full knowledge of the difficulties in our
path. Ne are aware that few people think
alike on this important theme We are aware
that the whole subject is envnoned with pref
udices and personalities; that singers are sen.
sitive; that leaders are too often selfopinioa
ated, aud that the laity are seff>eonstituted
critics. We shall try. however, 10 steer our
way clear between all these conflicting class
es, and lay down few simple rules respects
ing church music and its performance, leav-
ing il to our readers to judge of their propri.
ETY.;
First: What should be the character of
church music? In answering this, we must
assume that the national musical taste is
constantly advancing, and that what suited
our grand parents does not suit their grand
children. We hope that we do not tread up
on any antiquarian toes in asserting that the
old minor psalms aud nasal, long drawn fu-
CUES, redolent of the sweet scented herb,
pennyreyal, would be simply ridiculousto-
day, whe eas they did pow erful work cen
fury ago. The sacred war-hymns which
nerved Cromwelfs soldiers with more than
moral strength, would be Laughed 1t to-day
by the enemies Of the Lord. The reader,
however, must not make the mistake that we
are in favor of doing away with old music. II
is the old style we complain Of. Some of the
grandest, most solemn, most sublime music
OF the churches has come down to US almost
from time immemorial and in spite OF our
best striving we have never surpassed it.
The music Of Palestrina. Gluck, Luther,
Beethoven. Spontni, Handel Mozart, Pur-
cell, Dr. Arne, and the venerable Rossinl,
the connecting link between the present and
the past, has certainly reached heights OF sa>
cred sublimiiy TO which our modern compos-
ers have not yet attained. While, on the
ene hand, .hese IS danger Of retrograding TO
what. for want of better term. we still style
the peanyroya music, there is an eqeaily
great danger o. going too far IN the opposite
direction, aud introducing secular music in
to the church. The money changers IN the
temple were no more out ot place than the
semi operate quartettes which may be heard
in many OF our city churches, and the horid,
ornamental. bravura style of playing so com
mon with too many of our organists The
trio from Attila, the Miserere from Trova.
tore, the Tanyhauser March, Star Spangled
Banner aud Yankee Doodle, all good IN their
places. except the last, which is Az abomina-
ion always aud everywhere, are utterly out
OF place IN church and vet they have been
play q and sung in some OF our churches,
the brokerage business in the temple above
alluded to, and the whip of small cords
would be applied in the one case inst as APP
propriately as in the other. Operate music
as rule IS not dey otional and this is the
first, middle, aud last requirement, Of church
music-devotion. When 1t fails in that ii
fails utterly to subserve lis purpose. There
are 40 exceptions to tins rule. There is OPP
cratic music which is essentially sacred in It's
character. Moses in Egitto belongs to this
rule. So does Don Giovanni, albeit the mu
sic is welded to a degrading and, vicious sub
jeet. Probably large majority of our hon
est, old fashioned church goers would be
shocked il they should discover how many of
their favorite church tunes are melodies har-
mom4ed from Moses in Egypt, Lon bloralal
and Der freischGtz. These exceptions.
however, have nothing to do with The general
rule that operate music is not devotional in
its Tenderness We would not drag down
church music to barren simplicity, nor to
learn fragile tunes tottering upon the shaky
foundations of q few neagre chords which
have been torn 70 tatters by a legion OF music
makers We claim for church music the best
and divinest resourc S Of the art-artistic
combinations transitions never so bold,
melodies never so sweet, So thai they
be presented to tie ear salemnly.
chasteiy, and with due regard for the So
IDENTITIES oil the place aud the occasion. They
must inspire TO devotion, not 10 frlvolitv.
They must not CRATE upon the ear, for the ear
viii irst.actiyelY eetee. Wing. IS inappropriate.
Church music must reject the glory OF God,
and Danish the ambition Of the player and
singer. The tricks and gewgaws of music,
the exhibitions OF show and feats OF vocal
dexterty belong 20 the concert room, if-they
har n N "a e baf
men and women listen to the music and ig
more the sermon. be assured that music is on
of harmony with the proprietes, PROVIDED
the preacher is such q preacher as he shouie
be.
Second The preacher should have som,
knowledge of music, so that he may give hi
ADVICE irGlA :. correct STANDPOINT. ne trua
tees or music committees, OF all others
should have musical knowledge, Ii th'
Clergy are unacguainted With the elements Q
music, and the committee are uniformed 0,
the same subject, music must suffer. Hos
can aa uututorcd clergy ever expect tina
their limited knowledge of the musical ar
can awaken devotion for it? How can the
appreciate the vast power that church mus
exercises unon the affections aud emotions O
menu How can music committee ever ex
pect their music to thrive when they kno'
nothing of it themselves They only rende
themselves liable to constant imposition b
unprircipled professors OF music, and rende
their choifs the theatre of elimination an
recrimina,on and jealousy. Such comrni
tee can never employ a choir upon the basl
az true music. but always upon that of pei
soaai consideration or friendship, which
the worst possible basis of music. Our elei
gy can certainly spare few hours from thei
parochial duties to study church music. an
make themselves compeient judges OF {
least the elements Of sacred music, and OF
CT nrch committees if they have not the tint
should give up The direction to those wh
have.
Third: Dc not maze .nls,e 3 seeondar
consideration. but regard il as potent au,
ilary TO devotion. Masie springs from man
emotional and religious nature. and all |
influences are elevating, il It is approachs
in the proper spirit. It's influences are almo
divine for the accomplishment OF goo
Therefore get the best singers, and the be
organs and the best music for our churche
We are not of those who believe that worshi
IS TIE mcs. acceptable when performed &
hard benches bslween whi,e-w washed wall
We believe that the highest efforts of man
genius are best applied wher in the seryit
of Divinity. Beautify the churches, becau
the spirit OF beauty is allied TO geodnes
Make the eartnly mansions lair, because u
heavenly mansion is fair. Let painting, al
sculpture, and architecture contribute the
spbimest results to enrich and beautify I
temples of the living God. True art alws
noints upwards It's roads leads sk
ward. Ii slesates, never drags down. a
when the temple is thus beauti6ed, then
the best of mnsic be employed. The best
forts Of our puny powers will even then be
sufficient to render homage to the Deity II
created this great temple of nature, its soil
deep rooted columns Of rock, its towers a
splres of mountains its traceries of fowe
and its starry dome of the sky.-Higgi,
Musical friead
Buck poxgRoY AND Ben. BuTLER--I Is v
announced a day or two ago, that Gene
Butler had instituted proceedings agai,
a Rrink pomeray '.of tha La Crusae Den