The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-08-11
HAWAIIANG GAZETTE
rIr. snnlsey,s sInEing.

The London Christian World thus an
alyzes the elements of Mr.. Sankey's sue
/ cess as a gospel singer;
The use made Of solo singing is the real
novelty of the services now being held by
Messrs. Moody and Sankey. Earnest and
pointed gospel addresses are not new,
though no one will underrate Mr. Moody's
power in this respect; but Alr Sankey
and his harmonium certainly are. We have
always had singing, and a great deal of it
in evangelistic services, but it has been
singing by the people. If any one had Of
fered TO sing 4 sacred solo at some theatre
service or mission room, the proposal
would have been considered shocking.
Such thing would have been regarded as
n performance almost profane as part of
divine service. Yet here we are, listening
to Mr.. Sankey, and neither ministers nor
the most conservative old people making
any objection. His singing has swept
away our prejudices no one has thought
of arguing whether or not it is suited to
public worship, because every one feels
that it Is
The success of his singing is undoubted.
1t is q strange sensation to feel an immense
congregation settle down into perfect 81
lence as he plays his Introductory sym
phony, and to hear the coughing and the
motion Of the people between the verses,
which prove the strength of their attention.
Those who place Mr.. Sankey's singing be
fore Mr. Moody's preaching as cause of
the revival are probably mistaken; but it
goes hand in hand with the preaching in
its influence upon the people.
Mr.. Sankey does not claim to be musi-
clan probably he would not wish to be re-
garded as great singer. But he posses
ses that first qualification of all who would
move others by their song--he believes
and feels what he sings. The strong pas
sion that stirs his frame may be observed
by every one; he is sometimes so affected
at the conclusion of his songs as to weep
ike child. Next to this great power
which feeling gives must be placed his
clear pronunciation. How many concert
or oratorio singers, even Of the first rank,
sing so that ali can hear their words with
out book? But from Mr.. Sankey we
hear every initial and final consonant on
which the distinctneSs of musical utter
ance depends Many prinaa donna may
envy his sharply defined consonants and
his clean cut phrases. He is more OF q
musical reciter than singer; the time is
altogether sacrificed to the words, and |
much of the natural ring of the voice is
necessarily lost in the effort to articulate |
clearly. This speech-ike singing may be |
noted essential to Mr.. Sankey's style; it |
is to be heard nowhere else, except among
the comic singers at the music halls.
Probably Mr.. Sankey has never been
taught to sing, for his voice, though
clear and strong baritone, shows no signs
of training. He uses nothing but the
chest register, and is sometimes painfully
fiat on the higher notes. He touches F
with difficulty, and E fiat evidently
strains his voice. His manner of gliding
from note to note. and of pushing his
voice upwards to higher note, is very
These are all faults which
training would remove. We will not
dwell on them, but seek to discover some
lessons which his singing may teach US.