The New York herald., 1877-02-16
THE COURTS.
Church Music That Was Not a Concord
Of Sweet Sounds.
FASTIDIOUS FAULT-FINDERS.
Still Exploiting the Galena and Northwestern
Pool Operations
INTERVIEWS IN THE CITY.

Our leading city churches have long been h the
habit, is we'll known. OF providing themselves With
paid choirs and organists whose artistic touches
likewise invoked by the potent influences Of well paid
salary or the wcalthicr the congregation the
artistic the singers and tho moro skilled tho
ganist with . proportionatc increase Of pay
commensurate with their higher advancement
In the divine art Naturally II would DO supposed
that the greatest harmony would prevail in the
department OF churches. This does socm,
however, to be always the case, developed in
SUIT brought trial yesterday before Chof Justice
curtis, Of tho Supreme Court. Edward G. Schanck,
who brings the suit, states in his complaint
that 'he engaged by the Church Of
the Incarnation, corner Of Madison avenue
and ThirtyHth street, TO furnish the church with
organist and quartet choir, such arrangement TO go
Into effect the 1st OF May last to continue tor
one year. The church authorities agreed to pay him
s3.000 with which TO pay the artists to be thus en-
gagged. After trouble making his selection,
there beng scarcely any end to the artists feeling
themselves competent for the to be
hllod, he made his selection, and they entered
upon their assigned duties The singing Of the choir
and the playing OF the organst gave rise TO discord
not among the artists much, It seems, as among
certain members Of the congregation Az all events
after short time the church peremptory refused TO
perform s part Of the contract, and SO MT scnanck
has brought suit $ damages. Ex-Judge FIthian
appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. John L. Parsons for
the church
Mr. Schanck was called as the lrst witness. Though
his complaint drawn up after The usual said legal
formula, his testimony spicily piquant He
charged the whole thing upon the "Musical Commit
tee" The misfortune OF this committee was he
said, that they knew nothing about music He
said further that the next difficult thing
to success In giving particular satisfaction
any musical committee Of church, was giving
rral satisfaction to tho church members themselves
the engagements, but, the church had made
tho contract, he was bound they should stick
to it. Mr: Max Maretzek, the great eaef dor.
that the soprano against whom the
church Committee seemed to have hurled its chief ar.
of discomfort rst class singer, that she had
sung other churches with great satisfaction and had
also sung under MN in operas The testimony OF other
witnesses on Mr.. Schanck's behalf simply went to
drm the leading allegations in his complaint
ln his opening tor the defence Mr. Parsons aimed TO
be savagcly sarcastic MIR. Schanck. He pictured
tins gentleman characters OF auctioneer and
choriser, leaving TO the jury TO look on his PFC
ture and then look on that" which they did With
schancks duties impresario consisted mainly
In pulling tho coat tas Of the male. singers
aud calling TO the lady singers, "ouder, !"
or s'soite ri as the whim took him.
Mr. Herrck, vestry man OF ten years standing
and also member OF the Musical Committee, gave u
painfully uguprous account OF the elect produced by
the musical services in the church under the leader
ship OF Mr. Schanck.
Mr.. Clark, also OF the Musical Committee K
amiued. He asked II Mr. Herrick did not shut the
door leading to the choir lott the sopranos uce and
tell her 10 did her there. He said that no
had heard that Mr.. Herr!ck did this but he
Of 1t. Judge Fthan, when he came 70 cross.
examine this witness, eiciied good deal OF laughter
much larger salaries paid singers in some
other churches than was paid 10 this choirY" asked
the cross int erocuor
.'What has that to DO with this case" snapped out
Mr.. Parsons
II want show that Mr.. Schanck did not engage Ia
furnish the very best music, that tho music was
simply parallel to tho preaching of the country
parson, who, when asked why he preached such poor
sermons answered, Poor pay, poor preach.'"
Tho trial Will be resumed to day.