The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-04-21
THE CHURCH MUSIC OF BROOK.
LYN,
What In 10 Be Done In the Leadins
ChOirs II oning Down the Bal.

Ne
Ch0irs TOning Down the Bal
aries.
The music of the two hundred ane
fifty churches OF Brooklyn for the yea
just closing cost, according to profes
sional estimates, over $4,000. The frs
OF May, which is moving day for al
choristers, and the time when contracts
are made to begin and end, has peculiar
interest to singers this year, from the fact
that the trustees of many of the
churches have decided to spend lesi
money in the choir gallery. In one
or two churches the paid choir has been
discharged for volunteers from the con.
greg alton, and in many others the pay
OF the singers rsts med has been cut down
from one-quarter to one half OF this years
pay. Hitherto in many churches the
choir has been kept up at the expenses
of the pastor salary and the church
repairs, and in several churches the choirs
absorbed half of the money set apart
for the running expenses OF the church.
This extravaganza has led to high-prlced
singers, who wi Il feel the stringency OF
the times which begins to influence the
vestrymen and Lhe trustees.
Among the sweeping changes in III
personnel of choirs will be that of Holy
Trinity--the most musical church in
Brooklyn. Mrs. Annie Stetson, con.
tralto, retires from the quartette because
of ill-nealth; VIM. II. kenross, basso,
contemplates leaving because his salary
is not 70 be raised, and Mr.. Chauncey
Ives, Jr., tenor, has resigned. Miss Hal.
comb, soprano, is to be retained, and Mr.
Samuel B. Whitley, the musical direc
tor, remains. There are nearly two
hundred applicants for Miss Stetson's
place, and number of new tenors are On
trial.
In the Church of the Pilgrims, where
the music has cost about the 81 600, Miss
Susie l.. Tooker, soprano, hitherto in
the choir of st. James, Episcopal church,
has been engaged for $3.50; Miss Lasar,
sister of the Plymouth Church soprano,
has been taken from theNew York Taber.
nacle by an increased salary, and begins
her first " ar in primo quartet.e singing.
MIR. 5. n. Penfield succeeds Mr.. Duncan
as organist, and Mr.. Crane succeeds MIR.
Keith, the basso. Mr.. Drewry, the tenor,
is to be re-engaged. Mrs. Emily But.
man, last years soprano, goes to New
York, and Mrs. Mary Fexon-Duncan
withdraws for season. The reduction
in the cost OF church music here will be
several hundred dollars.
In Plymouth Church, w. j. Hill, the
tenor, retires after May /, and noted
English tenor is likely to be engaged.
Miss Anna Z. Holbrook also contem-
plates leaving. Miss Lasar continues as
soprano The appropriation (about ST.
OOO) is not cut down The chorus Is to
be strengthed.
DR.. Buddington's Church will continue
to pay w. q. Baird, baritone, $1,000 a
year; Miss Anna p. Sanger, soprano,
$1,000 and Henry Ayre Browne, the
organist, $l,lO0. This church pays with
the greatest liberality, and will not re-
trench this year.
In St. James Episcopal Church, where
$4,000 year has been paid tor music,
the vestrymen have resolved to cut down
the 500 and 5000 salaries of Miss Will
kenson. contralto, and Z. +. Marsden,
tenor, respectively, as last year they cut
$500 off the sopranos salary. No change
has been made so far and in spite of the
reduction Mr.. Fitzhugh, the musical dir.
ector, expects to maintain the reputation
OF having the leading choir in Brooklyn.
In the tirtt Reformed Church, by the
City Hall, Edward II. Bray, basso, is to
be the only new face in the choir, the
other members being old favorite en-
ployees of the position. The trustees pay
$4,000 for their music. In st. AIMS
Church tarre is no change; in st. Peters
Church there are to be no soloists on &C.
count of the hard times, although the
vestry have only paid $1,000 year for
music. Miss Souper, contralto, the tenor
AID the basso go to the Middle Reformed
Church. Miss Jefferson goes to the
Church of the Rcdcemer
DR.. Cuyley's choir, which costs about
$4,000, has never become eminent, and
nothing is being done this year to make
it noteworthy. Mr.. Linn@us Hill, one
of the leaders of the Moody and Sankey
choir, Is in charge. The Westminster
PRESBYTERIAN Church discharges its only
salaried soloist, the tenor, whose place is
to be filled from the congregation. Dr.
Inelis's church on the Heights will con-
.inuo to pay $4,000 for music. The place
vacated by Miss johnson, who has re-
signed, is to be filled by a soprano
w. A. NJ. Diller, organist, goes to Grace
Church on the heights from st. Msry's
on the Hill, where he has been for nine
wears. George w. Morgan ana Ar
buckle are to continue with DR.. Talmage.
A cornet has been introduced in the
Hanson Place Methodist Church and the
choir has been abolished. There are
other minor changes in the smaller
churches, but none of great interest.
The music directors say that the
market was never so glutted with choir
material as now, and that many singers
will fail to get employment for the
enocpp