The New York herald., 1869-02-15
CHURCH music AND FASHIONS.
What the People Hear and See in the
AristOcratic Churches.

What the People Hear and See in the
Aristocratic Churches.
The purest and noblest expression OF homage to
the Creator from the creature IS given in music and
therefore it mas been justly termed the divine art
From time immemorial the praises OF the Most High
have been chanted IN song and psarery, and all ma
ture animate and inanimate, moves in harmonious
acco rd with the tuneful Tyres Of the bright legons
that keep perpetual watch and ward around the
dread throne OF the Most High. In the church music
is deserving OF more prominent place and more
care attention and iberalty the part OF both the
pastor and congregation than is generally given
to it. pastor or clergyman should be instructed in
music as well as in theology, and should regard the
selection and maintenance OF choir as good as the
resources OF the congregation will permit as one OF
his principal duties. The choice OF good organist
should be his first consideration On the organist
depends In great measure the efficiency Of the choir
An ignorant amateur on this noble instrument
viii crush the best vocalists even though he be
decorated with diplomas from the Royal Academy,
Dublin, or the Conservatoire, Kilkenny. In the line
OF organsts this city has been for some years past a
other sGe Of the Atlantic, who come here with the
most outrageous pretensions and corresponding ig-
norance OF the merest rudiments Of music. Unhap-
PLY, they lnd clerRymen here Who, equally innocent
OF all knowledge or music, readily believe them and
give them positions in their churches. The music
ii those churches, rs matter OF course IL harass-
Ing TO the congregation, insult 70 religion and
provocative OF ridicule IL this making music the
ana q ad0 sns
clergymen and the ignorance OF those crownnR nuI-
sances, church committees, are much to blame for
the general wretched state OF church music In
this city. There are very few churches here
which VIII compare in point OF music with
even the country chapes on the European Continent.
The few artist organists who strive to keep up their
choirs to standard OF excellence have hard strug-
e wc s a
call for. 1t should be remembered that while we
can serve God In the humblest abode and IN the
silence OF our own hearts, still He demands some
outward mark Of homage, not only in having noble
temple erected in his honor but also In having every
thing connected with that temple in accordance. At
some OF the churches the ladies' II would appear
also impressed with this idea, although In peculiar
manner, for they bestow as much care on their
church toilets az they do In preparing Tor ball.
s.fashionable'' church twhat an insult to religion
only needs private boxes now to complete the delu-
and flnds the pews ana galleries respondent with
the latest freaks Of Madame Fashion.
st. Stephens (Roman Cathoic) Church.
There are few churches In this city In which the
music Is uniformly kept up to sucn degree OF ex-
cellence as at ST. stephen's,. The choir is a double
quartet OF well trained and thoroughly reliable
voices; the organ with many faults in Its construc
tlon possesses, however, much power and a few
excellent stops. and the organist, William Berge,
has no superior In the city. His compositions are
worthy OF cathedral fame, and are sung in every
Catholic church OF note In this country. His charac-
teristics as organst are brilliancy, orchestral
power and graceuness opposite qualities very DIM
cult TO combine. Yesterday being the first sunday
in Lent; there was no chance for display OF the
talents Of the choir The mass was plain four-part
one py Zimmers, not SNOWY nor brilliant, but well
constructed and pleasing. The Gloria ls not sung
in Lent therefore the best musical part OF the
was omitted. The season OF Lent Ii also unfavora-
bic for Madame Fashion at this church. The toilets
Yesterday were therefore almost severe In their
painness. Cnerubinl's NeSse Soiennele, q work
OF the grandest order, is In preparation for the ap
this church,
Old Trinity.