The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-02

Our CHURCH CHoma-The v. +.
Church presents one Of the features 10
church music now almost obsolete, that
Of having q precentor lead the tunes and
the congregation Join to @6il the chorus"
It would lead 70 lengthy discussion,
were we to consider the question Of choir
singing vs.. congregational singing led By
a precentor, both these modes having
strong points 10 their favor, 80 we shall
moi enter Ibis Geld, but amply note that
orr worthy Mayor, A. J. Sweeney, fills
ne mart Of precentor in this church, 10
I'M satisiaction Of everyone whose heart
miuples In the praise appraised In honor
Of our King and Saviour. ,
Since our friends the Disciples moved
from the old frame church to the more
pretentious and commodious 81. Johns, q
very marked improvement In the choir
has taken place, and II now numbers
amongst lis members persons whose
voices are greeted With welcome where.
ever heard. No doubt the church owes
this in great measure to the attraction
Of the fine organ purchased with the
church, lamentably Tor . long time In q
wretched condition for playing upon, but
recently put 10 good order, and now al
elegant support 10 the choir. The organ.
lat 10 Miss Alice Rogers, thechoir compos'
cd prominently, of Miss Eva Rico, soprano;
Miss Teresa Phillips, alto; Mr.. John E
Merdel, tenor; Mr.. Oscar Seeley, bass.
This choir has within Il material which
with determined effort and study might
arrogate 10 itself one Of the prominent
positions in the city, attract to the church
By reason OF the music many per-
sons, and thus aid in strengthening what
Is now agrowing body Of Christian Wor-
shippers Of this city. r7 u'
Nearly opposite this church Is the
Second Presbyterian Church-it might DO
said the representative church for choir
singing OF the Protestant Churches OF this
city; for, during times when all OF the
other churches had, so tospeak, no choirs
that might be called such, through the
efforts Of our friend "Jake Rhodes" (par.
don the familiar term, the presiding
genius then, as now, OF the Second
Church choir, an organization that might
be called choir was always kept up.
Many OF our readers remember the old
choir gallery situated where the yesti'
bule ow is, and the music the old choir,
weighted with Stones, let gently fall from
their lips. The present choir has
for members, Mr., WIN, II. Sheib, the
music dealer, as organist; Mrs. VIM. II.
shieb, Miss Virginia Hupp, sopranos
Miss Rose McNaughton, alto; Mr.. A. W.
Donel, Mr.. Jacob s. Rhodes, tenors; Mr.,
Jas. Haigh, bass. This choir Is rather
uneyeply composed, rather.too weak In
one Of the most important parts, the
bass, for the abundance Of other voices,
and In chorus singing must be very IN.
equal. That the choir contains decided
talent must appear, the leading soprano,
Mrs. shieb, alone Of all our choir singers
having had the advantage Of thorough
musical study in this country and abroad;
but VIC think the choir does mot adequ.
ately support her, so we cannot expect a
satisfactory rendition Of quartettes or
choruses unless other voices be added to
fll the gaps in the parts for choruses, and
the choir settles down to real hard study,
and strives hard for ability to adequately
support their soprano In quartettes,
We shall return TO a eriRque again.