The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-11-14
organists and organ-Playing.


The influence of good organist snd
organ on church singing can scarcely be
oyerestimated. If the clergyman il mol
musical and has good common sense, the
organist win be supreme in the musical
portion Of the services. 1t is, therefore
of far greater importance than Is usually
supposed, that the organist should be
something more than mere musical
machine. There are two pulpits in every
church, The pastor breaches from Que,
and the organist or choir director Casually
the same) from the other The most
feryent expression Of the clerical pulpit
may be weakened or absolutely destroyed
by the frivolous performance Of the
musical pastor We doubt if this fact has
ever fully impressed the majority of our
readers, and yet scarcely one has not felt
that the impression, for instance, of an
excellent sermon has been obliterated from
the mind before he has reached the outer
door Of the church. He can not tell why;
but the organist could, If he would recall
that the most solemn utterances Of the
pastor have been followed by some frivolous
and utterly inappropriate organ pcrfor-
nance.
This is not mere surlnise on our part.
We have repeatedly seen this result ia the
past twenty-five years. The average
organist has evidently had no more
sympathy with the church than with
paying the national debt His business
was simply to play voluntary, support
the choir in singing, and dance the con.
gregation out o.. tho church to any tune
which struck his fancy, or which he may
have selected pad prepared for perfor
nance days before. Ii is this inappro
priateness with which we think organistl
arc especially chargeable. What woult
We think Of clergyman who INDUCED il
LEFTY at funeral? And yet we hav,
heard orgsuists, after a sermon whicI
exeiisd to the utmost solemn reflections
amble gayly into selections from Martha,
and (it is pity to write it, 0fFenbacl
"Hands all around and down the middle
is too often suggested by these careles
performances.
The influence of such an organist o
the choir is in the highest degree demon
alizing. The flippancy which characterize
the organ performance will inevitably cree
into the singing. 1t has, in fact, develope
IA school of so-called sacred composition
whose weak sentimentality and fault
construction would have exasperated Han
del almost to homicide and hurried Hayd
to premature grave. Modern composer
too often diyerge as far as possible fror
these noble models. The sole effort seem
to be to please the carand tickle the fancy
There Is no attempt at worshipful style
They are usually as defective in sancitit,
and reverence as in grammatical construc
tion. The simplest rules of harmony ar
disrcgarded in order to produce strikin,
effects. The choir-loft Is converted to al
arena for the exhibition of vocal gyinnas
ties. There are ground and lofty tumb
lings by the solo soprano, acrobatic feats o
strength by the bass, ambitious and excii
ing efforts to attain the attenuated, wir
high c, and more or less side-show busines
by the alto, organist, and all concerned
But this is topic that can not be dispose,
of in brief paragraph. 1t needs care
ful diagnosis aud sound remedy. w
doubt if it can be cured by homeopathic
doses-that is, by inefficient church musi
committees-but requires the most heroi
treatment by the congregations themselvc,
Choirs often sing such stuff, either becaus
they think the people like it, Orare too in
dolent to enter protest against it. Con
gregations are long-suiFering but W
earnestly hope, and confidently believe
that the judgment day for this ''sacred
bOsh, and also for 0ifenbachian organists
is fast approaching The Aliiae.