The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-12-29
REFORM IN CHURCH MUSIC.
ORGANIZATION OF AN IRISH CEC1LIAN
SOCIETY.
Dublin Nation. Nov. 30.

discussing the state of music in Ireland
we felt called upon to point out the very
unsatisfactory condition of our church
music, not only in the rural districts, bui
even In the citesj and to aDimadvert or
| aouses amounting almost to ecendals
which bad crept into our choirs. Wheth
er the seed then sown has borne fruit il
| now q matter of no moment. What il
| really important is that we seem to be on
the eve of better state of things. Natu.
rally, however, We are we'll pleased to find
the whole subject taken up in q methodi-
cal fashion with a view to Improvement,
| and, therefore, we hail the birth of the
| Irish Society of st. Cecilia with feelings OF
| satisfaction.
Broadly speaking, the professed objects
| of this young society-so far as we can
gather them from the sketch of the draugbt
report published in the daily press, as well
| as from some authoritative remarks made
at the first meeting-are to bring about
the proper singing of Gregorian chant, to
correct abuses, to establish a Church music
training school, to collect materials for the
formation of choirs, and generally to put
proper footing. All who attend our
Vesper services must be painfully aware
of the great need that exists for training
those who take part in the Evepsong. Tue
words of the sacred Liturgy are too often
gabbled over in an undignified and care
reverse of solemn. Again, it is a mon
strous thing to have music imported into
our churches from the theatre or concert
room, whatever may be said by the Rich
ard Weavers OF the free and easy rowing
missionary persuasion about mot letting
the Devil have all the good tunes" One
of the most striking attributes of music is
it's remarkable power of association. The
simplest air heard in youth will carry back
the mind of the grey -haired man, as with
the lightning's flash, to the time and place
where first it stamped itself on his memory,
It is nothing short of proclamation, then, to
have any music performed in presence of
the very shrine of the Deity that will watt
the thoughts away to scenes of worldly
pleasure and we trust that not only the
Society of st. Cecilia, but every pastor in
the land as we'll, will set to work at once
and vigorously to stamp out the abomina
ton.
From the report of the meeting held in
the Aula Marina, DubliD, and at which
Mgr. Woodlock presided, and Mgr. McCabe
was present, we take the subjoined ex-
tract:
The Rav. Nicholas Donnelly, C. c.. read
the drau ht report of the Irish Society of
St. Cecilia, from which it appeared that a
conversation held by three gentlemen in
June last on the subject of music in our
churches might be said to be the immedi-
ate origin of the present movement. Those
gentlemen had been famiiiarized with the
efforts made in other countries to improve
very degenerate style of church music,
and with the signal success which had
attended these efforts, and they expressed
belief that similar effort could be made
here with perhaps similar, or at least pro-
portionate results. A meeting was subse-
quently held in the presbytery, Marlbor-
ough street, on Wednesday, 18th of June,
unoer the presidency of the Rev. Miles |
PIP. Circulars were sent out |
to priests and organists throughout the |
country, a committee was appointed, |
which assumed the title of the preparatory |
and a report prepared. The |
com mittee held its first meeting on August
10th, and from that date to the present
held twelve meetings. Three hundred
favorable replies were received to the cir
,ulars issued, and these came from all parts
'f the country, many of them coucbed in the
most encouraging terms. A subsequent
circular was sent out, accompanied with
ranslation from the German of Rev.
Father Walters on "Church Music in
Spirit and in TRUTH" which embodied all
he principles which the projected society
would be expected to uphold. The re-
,ort then pointed out the further work
lone by the committee. The number of
ubscribers rose from 800 in September to
SO in November. A letter had been re-
eived from MIR. P. j. Keenan,, c. B.,
President Commissioners of National
IducatioD, enclosing q subscription, and
that contributors of f5 should
e constituted life members, and that such /
Inscriptions should be set aside for the i
of a Church Music Training I
chool. This proposal was adopted, and {
here was now a reserve fund for the pur- :
ose named amounting to EGO The COM q
1ittee then turned their attention to the r
O 1ipoP of rT1n for fha nd
4 doing so looked for guidance to the !
Ocieties already existing. The result was q
nat the rules of the German and American +
ecilian Societies were made the ground f
'ork of the organization in this country, O
laking such alterations or amendments as d
ne peculiar customs and requirements of
le country might demand. The rules of u
lese societies had been submitted to and e
pproved of by the Holy See, and Pom D
fcal Brief elevated the German society d
ito species of archconfraternity. The u
merican society enjoys the same prlvi- n