The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-07-18
cathelie M1aie-
A RxyoRn BEeux-THE ST. CECILIA SOCIETY.
IN. YCa,holic Rsvis~.l

Rosrox. Jose 3O.-Probably very few
Catholics on this aide OF the water nave an!
knovledre of the important moeenen'
now on loot in EDg'aud and on the Conttn
emit towards . reform in CnuEen mSe.
Th.t = reform in that direction has been
1e~de6 will hardly be denied even ny the
1nost enthusiastic paTtisans OF the Opera
a. Schoo,p of Church music 1t renamed
for the German Catholics withtner peen
liar business like directoess to lnaugurate
the movement which is spreading ana
1ainipe force aad strength every day. IL
wo,k vtieh they can undertake with
peeuliar propriety and which they can DC
len. with perfect confidence, to carry out.
Ths;r object NAV be stated in brief and plain
terms, Ii 10 to restore the music OF tne
Church eervices to Q perfect correspond
enee with the real ecclesiastical models,
snthorjzed by the Church herself. Ii
seems sadly ludicrous to cay that the vast
majority Of Catholics 10 this country are
probably entirely ignorant of the faes~spst
there 10 any such thing as sly lie OF Cpu,co
music authorized by the Church, ana De
longing 70 her; or that there 10 aoy tano
ard in existence other than toa.
TO each congregation by the peepAaf pre-
affections and tastes of its own particular
orrsnist or director Of ID us'c. Aefn all other
matters pertainipg 10 the Cbnrco, II VIII
doubtless be only necessary fhat the iaes
should be known that there's = stanoAro
style of music authotized .! toe cnu'en 70
insnre its universal adoption. The ST.
Cecilia Society has been established In
Germany with the object OF introdueing
once more into our churches the music oil
PA!estrina and other composers of like
character, which has been baniehed so
long that it now sounds strange in our ears;
They have excited q deep aud wide spreao
interest in the revival throughout Ger.
many, and the society has branch 10 EnG,,
land. which promises to be not far behind
it in zeal and efficiency. The beat feature
about the reform 10 that IL IS entirely prae'
teal and within the reach alike OF our state
liest and most magnificent cathedral, VIII
its wealth of voices and resources, and o.
the hunpblest village church with small
and hitherto unframed choir, each OF course
in its own way and within lts own lmite
The society does not content itself viii
preaching an impossible reform, and point
ing to an Cnattainable standard. 1t ha'
issued, and is constantly issuing, Inn inner
able compositions, masses onerto.iss
hymns and vesper psalms, all composed by
its own members, men Of musical genius
profoundly learned in the ecience OF TN
Gregorian chant and the Church's ritual
and Jealous in the eause of the great reform
which they have undertaken We nav
ourselves seen a number of these composi
tions. They are thoroughly religious ant
devotional 10 character, constructed on tn
GreRorian as O foundation, without sus
picion Of the monotony which We have som
Of us been accustomed to consider a
inseparable from every thing Gregoriar
and chile sufficiently easy to be sung by
choir of ordinary ability, after the prope
training, they are skiifally written aud
interesting to the musician, as the mol
horid and "uprestrained" works that no
tickle our ears and distract our thoughts Q
each returning Sunday.
DR.. Singenberger, who went from tn
country TO the Sacred Music College OF I'll
st. Cecilia Society in Ratisbon, and recei'
ed thorough education iu the real Chure
music, has returned and founded brsn'
of the society in America. The organ
the society, the "St. Cecilia," is publi"h'
monthly in German and English. by Fish
Bros., in Dayton, Ohio. II sufficient e
eouragement is offered it will be publish
entirely in English. The subscription Pri
10 ANAL, and with each number some OF I
music 10 included. We hope to r'cur
this interesting subject again.