The Van Buren press., 1875-04-27
Church Music.

The Southern Rerietc in an article On
a" Modern American Church Music" perth
nently terms the present mode of galloping
through Church or hymn tune, the "rub-a-
dub-dub style. The article referred to
would seem to indicate that the fashion In
rendering hymn tunes, like ladies' dresses,
changes from one extreme to another; Tor Il
clergyman, speaking of the singing of. his day.
says - that he had to take breath twice in
singing one note" That there is a deep dis
satisfaction with the present choir singing,
on the part of large majority of Protestant
Christendom, there is scarcely room for Il
doubt, in the efforts made to obtain system
more conScnial. May we inquire into the
causes which lie at the root of the evil COM
planned of. 1t may be stated first, that the
American people rs mass are not n musical
people, notwithstanding the number of pi-
amos and organs that are daily tortured to the
distress of so many house holds, and they do
not readily take up new tunes, and especially
difficult ones. The large majority Of the older
people of the present day received their
musical education at camp and revival meet
ings and love the hymns and tunes their faith
ers and mothers sung the memory of which
still makes music in their hearts and gratiies
the ear when they are heard. Now let us
visit the modern choir at rehearsal and we
shall be at no loss to find the cause of ftronble
Mr.. Keynote, the leader, wishes to be up
with the times and informs the choir it Is Gus
tomary in the large churches for choirs to
sing fast and proposes st"s.trs.=.>,uew tune.
Miss Vanity thinks it beautiful, Tflss-fSpe
praise says its lovely. Miss Selfwill says let's
sing it next Sabbath, to which all agree eX-
cept Mr.. Old Fogy, who ventures timidly to
suggest the congregation don't kLow the tune.
Miss Vanity says. Why don't they come here
and learn the tune AS we do?" Miss Love
praise knows " they will be delighted with it
as they do not sing much in the congregation
any how" Miss Seltwill says, "Well sing it
anyhow, because it's pretty;' and Mr.. Forts
simo thinks the congregation ought to be
satisfied if the choir dose the singing" be-
lieve this is not an overJrawn picture and in
dicates the spirit governing the average choir,
which is self gratication and an utter disre-
gard of the feelings and wishes of the cOngre-
CATION, whose deyotions they pretend to lead,
but in reality destroy by making it impossi-
bic for them to join in that part of the service,
lthe singing), which to many persons is es-
scntal to the enjoyment of the other services.
The Misfortune seems to be the misconception
of the object of the choir, it being usually
composed of Young and thoughtless persons.
who really mean no harm but do a great deal
bv want of consideration. The object Of the
choir is to lead the congregation in the sing
ing; to sing the tunes correctly. so as to ac-
custom them to a correct style of singing; to
select only such tunes rs the entire cOngrega-
ton can join in, and sing it in such time as
the congregation at large can keep up with.
1t requires practiced singers to sing rapidly
an sing in good time but sacred music can
not be sung rapidly without mutiation,
which almost borders on sacrlegc. Who
could hear the sublime words " Before Jeho-
yahs' awful throne,n sung to quadrille
movement and not have every sense OF pro-
prety shocked? Let the members OF cholrs
practice little sef-Genial and. instead of try
ing TO please themselves, try to please God
and the people whom they have volunteered
to serve. and instead of being the cause OF
conplaint and trouble they will secure the
love and affection Of the church and the smiles
of their Creator, who takes the kindncss done
to his saints as done to Himself. e.