The New York herald., 1868-02-09
Church Music.


Mans noblest expression Of his dependence
son the Creator Of thanks for blessings received,
OF mpplications for new favors and Of sorrow
for derelictions Of duty is given In music.
None OF the arts are so deserving Of the title
OF divine as that of sacred melody and angelic
harmony for nature through all her depths
expresses by this medium homage to Supreme
Being. Where can there be, then, q more 1T
ting shrine for music than temple Of worship
IN which the congregation is assembled to
listen to the exhortations Of their pastor and
to acknowledge their dependence on the
Author Of their beingi Hence the greatest
minds that ever illumined the world with the
efnlgence Of genius and soul have devoted
themselves to the task of wedding prayer to
sweet sounds. Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven,
Aosart, Handel and Haydn are never so great
~ when they offer up song Of praise to
Heaven and in the grand old cathedrals of
Europe the music has bent many an intidel's
Knee when eloquent sermons and logical argu-
ments have failed. Church music in America
is yet in its infancy, although within the last
rev years great progress has been
made. There are now some choirs
which give very good miniature of
what Europe has shown in the palmiest days
Of church music, and some Of the best voices in
America may be heard in anthem, mass and
hymn. Yet there are many glaring abuses in
church music which require attention on the
part of both pastor and congregation. We
have heard the ubiquitous Offenbach chant
forth the most sacred airs, and Italian opera
furnishes too many of the selections played
and sung during divine service. At the same
time no musician will object to the judicous
use Of certain selections from Italian opera
which have themselves been transferred bodily
from the music Of the Catholic Church to the
stage But when an organist adapts such an air
a. "Ah! che la morte" from Ii Trovatore'
or the quartet from "Rigoletto" to sacred
purposes, for which either is utterly unsuited,
then the introduction of operatic music be-
comes Q mockery Of religion. And Is for
Onenbach there can be no connection be-
tween his sparkling music, which in every
instance is comic in sentiment and ASSOCIATION,
and the services Of the church Among
American composers Of church music the
names Of Perring, Mosenthal, J. X. Thomas
and Bristow are the most popular and those
most generally in use. The anthems and
motes Of these composers are sung in every
part Of the city and are always satisfactory.
In Catholic churches the masses of
Haydn are often heard, and sometimes
the organist ventures on o work Of his own,
which in nine cases out of ten proves failure.
"A mass is as difficult subject to treat in
music as an oratorio, and should be Of the
same standard. The parsmony of pastors is
often bar to good music in o church, for
many Of those reverend gentlemen are unwil-
ling TO incur the necessary expenses Of first
class choir. The soloists In choir should be
equal TO those Of the opera or concert room,
and should be supported by complete, well
trained chorus. Another evil is the disregard
OF organists towards their duties in the service
OF Q church. They will intrude their own
trashy compositions on q congregation and
will bring out such voluntaries as "Dites Lui"
or "Le Sabre de mon pere" in church. Such
a course on the part Of an organist Is an insul.
TO the intelligence and religious feeling Of a
congregation, and should be at once and
! effoiently rebuked. The old masters have left
US grand sublime music for divine service, and
il would be well If we heard more OF 1t nova
dayA 1t is not sectaran but universal and
Christian in its aspirations, and is suitable for
all denominations. Let US, then, have more Of
such music in our churches and there will be
less dissatisfaction with the ohoirs. No organ
ist should be allowed to insult religion with
such music as we often hear at present in some
OF our churches, and pastors and committees
should remember that the service Of God
requires good music as well as good preachers