The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-01

Music In the Churches of New York.
The most fitting expression of mans homage
to the Creator is found in music From the
earliest date the divine art as it is happily
called, has been employed to sing the praises
Of the Most High, to return thanks for bless
ings or implore forgiveness for sins. Those
sSphere-born harmonious sisters, voice and
verse;" that unite with the cherubim and sera-
phim around the Throne have always been
found the most faithful handmaidens of
religion. In the principal churches of Europe
music claims the largest share Of the atten-
lion Of the. faithful, and no pains or expense
is spared in making it worthy of the house OF
God. 1t would be gratifying to be able to say
the same of church music in New York. With
committees unite in degrading the divine art.
sometimes through mistaken parsimony and
often by favoritsm. In some churches the
pastors refuse to pay for good music, and are
content with incompetent laundering organ
lists and discordant voices. In others, especially
those organized on the plan Of the Commune,
some wealthy member of the congregation,
animated with the insane idea that he knows
something about music, organizes choir and
brings the services down to the level Of his
own narrow mind. Owing to the parsimony
Of many clergymen very large proportion
of the organists engaged in some of the lead
ing churches of the metropolis are utterly in
competent to fill their positions, while ex-
perienced artists, who have made the king of
instruments lifelong study, are neglected
and passed over in disdein. The former,
aware of their ignorance of the most neces-
sary principles of organ playing, are glad to
accept any terms, and the latter have too much
self-respect and pride in their art to suffer
themselves to be brought down to the level of
such charlatans as dictate on music in the
vestry. The evil is carried to greater extent
I'm church concerts, in which organist and
singers combine to make night hideous
with discord, and in which polonaise
on the organ or duet from I'll
Trovatore' insults thevery name of religion.
We have heard an organist in one of the
fashionable churches play the coronation
March" from lie Prophete," and from begin
ming to end never touch the right pedal, while
his combinations of stops were more intricate
and less ineligible than those of champion
safe manufacturer.
The selections for divine service are some
times taken from the opera and occasionally
from the London music halls. The duet ser
enade Tom "Genevieve" has frequently been
used to give expression to hymn, and on
more than opd occasion tenor mourns at
the obsequies Of some prominent parishionor in
the touching tones Of ''Di quella pira." Ex-
amples might be multiplied by the hundred to
show the degraded state of church music in
this CITY, The Catholic churches, on account
of the rich field from which an organist can
Gull mass in keeping with the solemnity OF
the service, are not so much affected as others
by the contagion of paganism in music. But
even here, on account of the high character OF
the music, incompetency on the part OF an or
ganist and his choir is made more apparent.
Some pastors think that the music can be sung
by a volunteer choir-that is, singers who are
destitute Of all knowledge of the al. played
by an organist content with minimum salary.
Years of study, experience and considerable
expense are necessary to form good organist,
and no pastor can expect to obtain such
o desirable feature in his church without due
compensation. Attempts have been made to
introduce congregational singing as it is prac-
tised in many European churches. When q
u6paxeUhon is found in this city willing to