The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-17
TESTING CHOIR BOYs.
How Aspirnnt- for Places In Trinity Church
are Examined by MIR. Gilbert.


Al the clear-toned melodeon in the choir
room OF Trinity Chapel West Twenty-sixth
street. Thursday afternoon. sat Organist Walter
d. Gilbert. oxford Bachelor OF Music. testing
the voices % three trembling boys, aspirants for
two vacancies in the choir OF the chapel.
some Of the sweetest voices IN the world are
in New York. and we would he glad to have
them In our choir" said Mr.. Gilbert; but
mothers and fathers Keep boys at home that can
sing, when. II they were here. they would earn
from SO to g. per week, be thoroughly trained in
music, and receive q good education In the
chapel school established for choristers. Now,
boys how old are your Z"
"Thirteon, sir" reped both In a breath, their
wide-open eyes fixed steadfasiy upon Mr Gill
hert's nrm. but kind face. Their hands mean
while travelled at 2;b gait around the brims OF
their hats.
turned the smaller.
ION Indeed" observed Mr.. Gilbert. ~
thought | recognized your face. Tue brother
unfnn y CAT vi G8se hU9"ar- while the other Is as
family sometimes for three generations hhd
then dies out. You are both little above cur
standard II use. We do not want boys much
over eleven. but.l Will try YOU. tluni. sing win
the INSTRUMENTS Ussppns Has fol-
lowed the tone of the neiodeon M the scale
/ very sweetB The other BOYS were tired aud
] he whose brother WAS already IN the cholr was
/ found wanting. HO hurried out Of the room,
"ClunY, TRY a. IN; Open your mouth wide;
T IL il no more possible for sound to come out OF
your chest and throat II YOU Keep your mouth
closed, than It - for me 10 90 out OF tnls room
/ II the door ia closed. stand u straight every
/ live singer does the voice must come out.
Cluny tried again The musical ascent ana ao-
/ complished IL siti-fictorilV.
three more boys, the larger very sood-natured
looking. in a hite linen coat, en.erei. lie lthe
larger boy WAS under tue convoy Of his iaIher'
How Old Is your boy2" asked Mr.. Gilbert.
"He is Vel grown for twelve. Don't say that
he Is younger than he Is. some ladies say mat
they are not so old as they are, and few PEG lie
know better. But the voice shows how old boys
are, for 1t begins to crack at fourteen. Has lie
sung any where
In the school, SIR a.,
Gilbert. " The singing In the puUlic schools Is
unworthy. II might be made pisasanter thah
any other child singing IA the world Ihe emil
ofen, some Of whom are the D. iishtest IN inc
world, are ouly hilf taught music. Follow the
Muller 1id. smiling faint smile, TO make Mr..
Gilbert aud his father believe he liked 20 do II,
not. as wos shown Enthusiastically by his treat
ment OF his hat. Your voice Is sympathetic,
aud you have a good ear. GIVE ne herman
sympathy and American quckuess combined:
You must be part American. English boys
voices ore excellent, German boys nave the
best ear for music. and American BOYS voices
beat the world. But the climate ~ TINS part OF
America ravases voices T. gutlulN. nave niu
boys that sang superuN al rtheaisalS' ana iike
frogs when their hest was most needed. me
thermometer had fallen, thirty degrees perhaps
ana he Toys were knocked out OF voice. we
have had boys u almost all nations mere. some
OF our BOYS are now ampne the worthleSt men
i'm the city. 1hey form q sort OF class, and love
to meet one another. Employers cdu cone mere
, and learn the qualities Of boys that nave neeil
here We discipline them Thoroughly, and put
the names Of the bsst boys upon scroll that
, shall be perpetuaIed 50 long IS innlty corpora
Having thus spoken. Mr. Gilhert tackled one
| OF the boys that htd entered with Muuef. MS
4 coat was OF the highest order 81 nV9lalls' an1
tanned face. " llav, you boen 70 school q
questioned Mr.. Gilbert. NO SIR" rcphed the
Uoy;, not IN a. cisi'
ION, nowhere. sir particular-in Newark.
!, "Dd You come from Newark to tell me What
my boyf sing this' playing on ne melods on u,
a | near" observed tine boy, doubtully.
I "Mell, do not think viii need YOU m
v bow" said MIR. Gilbert, because we W nj not
: here VINO ca hit very near the notes Ana th'
a little Newarkau went out Just AS cohhueutf ~
r he had entered.
= Tnree more noys, who applied without back
I ers ana Two boys that did not, being supported
y in their aspirations 10y tneir motuers whos
: ments Of their offspring were very encouraging
l. were ulea, ana all nut ht.le fellow III saiio
r, blue Nsm GooIWih 1noIn 1S pg'' C9n
and Mailer, amid salute OF smiles from m
proud mother. Al THIS point the choil BOY
10 hustled IN, fresh from run In the crisp AR, l.
a be In time, and smoothing their mar with thel
9 hands ana huttonins Their 99a!s. c,,a., A.
l., Form IN lines directed MI. Ehoert. AM
e they stretched, fourteen boys long, in front .
20 the blackboard. Two boys banded INSTRUCTION
q books to their fellows who stood ike soldier
. IN line, neither .lrrng nor spe KING
i. begin" said Nj. Gilbert AM the ehorister'
~ In school boy sing song, went through chapte
Ia IA the book beginning, Music Is composed a
l., nVo lines, called the staYe,' Hc Aud then the
\, marked notes upon the black board none oou
!. ing up In that hue to Smith, the head choriste
n probably because he was the Oldest and lafges
! AT command the chorlsters sang the service !
n, ID, flowing into the Jubilee, aud then leapin
ar into a grave, calming air. wherein Sln!th sang
III solo finely When they had done Mr.. Glbei
- distributed tickets valued at from eight
~ thirty cents, and redeemable on every quartz
=. day each hoy receiving In proportion TO IA
ss standing in the choir. Then they went home
AZ MIR. Gilbert then sent Goodwin's mother, Nh
'a lor's father, and Cluny away exultng, MULE
NJ and Cluny being elected to the priced vacanole
nv aud Goodwin added temporarily, GU probatol
m to the choir.
"a Horace Greeiev's Tomb.
.r The massive granite pedestal for the statue
Id Horace Greeley that the founders In Philadelphia
no castlag haa heeu nut I'm ls place over the tomb
Il 90 a,,nt me arn ntures on the modest