The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-12


Wood County Agricultural and Mechan.
ical Association for city park purposes.
On motion Of Mr.. Berkshire, the Senate
adjourned until Monday morning at 10
o'clock.
Dun CnuRou CHoERs.- Not long since,
on Sunday morning, we happened to be
reading an article in church paper
treating Of music in the church" in
which the writer took the position that
I'VE must create the demand and awaken
the taste for good music, and make the
rich works Of Bach, Handel, Hayden,
Mozart and Beethoven 10 widely known
that nothing less inspiring than the
strains which they and the other great
composers have left us will ever be &C.
cepted in any Of our churches as desery.
ing the name and function OF sacred NH
sic" While musing over this narrow
minded demand, which would shut out
many sacred melodies precious and dear
to hearts that have grown old in Gods
service, wonld prevent many piOus souls
from giving utterance to their songs Of
gladness in strains familiar, which would
cut of all future progress in that field OF
usefulness Church music) which is but
beginning to develop in this glorious
country OF ours, the church bells rang
ont their welcome TO the worshipper,
and, as il by chance, We wended our way
to church where that morning the "great
composer Of the past were entirely ig.
nored in the voluntary. While we
are anxious, and earnestly de-
sire, TO see our church music
approximate and attain to the highest
position possible with our talent, we
do not sickle for "setn Of composers,
even in the church voluntaries, but gladly
welcome to the large list Of compositions
anything that will promote the religious
feeling Of any set Of hearers. Generally
speaking, the class Of music used in our
Sunday Schools, is not Of very high
grade, but there are tunes written for the
Sunday School, which have nestled in
the hearts Of both young and old, which
find a responding welcome everywhere.
Ont oil a movement, the utility OF which
it is not our place 10 discuss, a new lot OF
sacred songs have come into use, and
have spread like tidal wave, until in
every city and hamlet they are known
and held most dear. 1t might be a sub.
ject worthy Of the deepest investigation
to ascertain why, in spite OF all that has
been said, sung and written about tho
higher forms Of church music, these sim
pie songs so take hold OF the feelings OF
the people, and move men and women
to the innermost, who would sit like
stones while the grandest and nobIest
compositions OF sacred music might be
performed within their hearing. On this
Sunday morning, plaintive and pretty
but too short q prelude on the organ was
followed by the singing by the choir Of
one OF the Gospel hymns, "We're going
home tomorrow" The carefully studied
singing OF the soprano, her remarkably
distinct enunciation Of every syllable, and
the effective accent given TO the words,
was nicely assisted with tremlo &C.
compartment on the organ, and in the
chorus the choir seemed to be in sympa-
thy with the solOist, for all sang nicely.
So quiet were the people that scarce one
moved, and scarce ever did we see
80 many persons spell.bound, rs it were.
lnquisitiye as we happen to be, our eyes
wandered from face to face Of the audi
tors, and here one and there one sat with
the tears stealing down their checks.
Old men and women, young men and
maidens, were all under the same inllu.
ence. The chord OF sympathy having
been struck in the verse, "For those who
who sleep, and those who weep" the solo
ists voice faltered for n moment, and
tear from many an eye fell then. We,
too, felt ut was good to be there" and the
moment Of quiet at the close OF the hymn
was one which will be precious to the
memory Of all who we're there. The
hymns following, were devoid Of interest
to us,the voluntary had exCelled anything
that was likely TO be sung, and moi being
disposed to compare them lust then,
We leave faults we could NOT
help but notice for another time.
Coming out Of church, feeling in good
humor over good common sense SER
mon We had heard, not caring to think
much ourselves, we listened TO what the
good people were saying about The vol.
uniary, the common sub Jet OF conyersR.
ton. We expected 10 hear some one say
something nncomplimentary. but did not
hear anything but praise, and since then
heard it spoken OF more than once in
glowing terms. Now, why was it, 80
singing such hymn, might be on the av-
erage, open TO musical criticism, even
though it pleased many persons not pre-.
tending to be musical. We think we can
answer, il was simple and nnpretend.
ing melody, not very pretty, but all that
was done with 1t, the singing, the play
ing, the speaking Of the words, the shad-
ing, the accent and expression, had been
studied and was really we'll done,
better than anything We have yet heard
this choir give; this made it success, not
alone technically but msthetically. We
have referred 10 this at length to note two
things, first, that il is not essential that
church music or sacred music to be effect.
ual must be elaborate, but may be simple;
second, to tell this choir and others that
without careful study and practice, with
out comprehension Of the composition
and conscientious rendering OF all they
have to do, nothing they undertake will
be success. One single part sung out Of
time or tune, too loud or too weak, too
much or too little organ, bad compo-
sition Of stops in the organ, out OF place
expression and accent, will mar the whole
OF what might otherwise deserve COM
incubation, and no pains should be spared
on the part Of any one to give proper
balance in all they do. How wonld a
band sound in which the alto, tenor or
bass would "blat" out and be heard
over all the rcst, or in which
some OF the parts are carelessly
played? A choir occupies position
analogous to that OF a band, the midi
viduaIs go 10 make up harmonious
whole. No one should be prominent
unless as a soloist. The moment this
rule be violated, either by fault or il.
norancG, the ensemble il disturbed, and
poor performance Is the result. In the
voluntary this choir, for once, observed
all the little things, and We commend
them FORT, but the same, care should be OBJ
served in everything they undertake, then
gone OF the bad points We have noticed
IN some OF their songs would not occur
in the future, In EXPRESSING onr nIeasnreI