New-York tribune., 1873-03-03
CHURCH MUSIC.

LECTURE BY PROF. RITTER AT YASsAR COLLEGE.
Prof. F. l.. Ritter delivered at Vassar Col
lege last Wednesday a new lecture church music, one
of the series TO embraced in the second volume OF his
History OF Music" He began by explaining the con-
structon and characteristics OF the ancient eecesiast-
cal modes based the Gregorian chant as well as
our modern tonaties the major and minor keys, illus
trating every theoretical aud historical assertion with
specimens of compositions. taken from the works Of
great composers, such as Palestrina and Others He
spoke OF the great epoch of true church music having
occurred in sixteenth and seventeenth centuries all
the great composers Of that epoch devoted their best G
forts to the service the church. From the time Of the
invention OF dramatic music, the opera about l6OO)
and the successful cultivation Of instrumental music the
ecclesiastical modes superseded by our modern
major and minor NODES and with the overthrow Of the
old modes church music lost its prlmeva character and
much OF its former purity. Through the development:
OF instrumental music the rbythmcal element became
richer and especially effective in dramatic music; but 1t
destroyed great extent the noble grandeur and re-
poseful proressions OF those harmonic and melodic
forms which nd in the best works OF the masters Of
the 10th century The effect of the best school OF modern
church music, with its rich harmOnzation and highly
developed rhythms TO forget, almost entirely
the objects for which attend churcworshlp and de-
voon. II Is still worse with ordinary church music
The Christian even the Of the world desires TO for
get when in the house OF the Lord the small exciting
cares the nervous agtations the vulgar turmoil Of the
world, in quiet reflection at least, II not in religious
meditation but the uncOnsclousy childish, unthinklng
sef-satisfed organst and choir do all they can to
echo worldly supercaity, with their frivolous "tunes"
and anthems, still more fryolously harmonized tand
executed.
The Professor then gave historical outlines Of some OF
the Protestant hymn writers and composers German,
French, and English He spoke Of the custom among
hymn icompilers of adapting the airs of secular and
even operatic music TO sacred hymns, as
well as of the old dances and love songs
serious enough, however. all musical art in
those days imbued with an ecclesiastical
character, which adapted by old composers; but
with what a difference between the old and the modern
mode Of treatment! Let said the Professor remain
as effective and modern In the orchestra and
the stagcif not modern there. we are not the chill
dren. the reflection OF our agebut et us not mistake
the church for another stage. weak, hollow copy OF
social cOnventionalities thnly draped with the mantle
Of hypocrisy.
In Illustration Of his remarks Prof. Ritter played
many interesting and curious specimens OF old and
church compositions, and read several extracts from
rare old works on the subject He closed the lecture
with historical sketch Of the "Old Hundredth' psalm
tune, which, originally composed Tor adapted from a
folk songl bv Gulaume Franc, an Alsatlan har-
mOnzed by Claude GOudimel about 1865, for the first
time; after its acceptance by the French Protestant
Church, 1t became popular among other nations.
Tie audience received the lecture with lively interest
a