Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1880-08-05
Reform in Church mnsic.

Mr. Eugene Thayer, the well known
organist, appears in the MatsicGJ ReUies1
as an advocate of reform in church
music There is not room for two opin-
ions as to the great value and impor-
tanee OF the right kind of music in
religious worship. But however good
may be the music, it loses its effect
unless properly rendered. Mr.. Thayer
does not believe in the exclusive quartet
choirs, whose snowy performances are
deemed indispensable in most of our
fashionable churches. These should
give way to the chorus choir, which
might or might not include a quartet.
Properly, it should have quartet, or,
better still, double quartet, compos
ing four male and four female soloists-
The chorus hould number from sixteen
to sixty, or even q hundred voices,
according to the size of the church.
Next to the choir the hymnology of the
church most needs revision and reform.
The leading hymn books have from SIX
to 1000 hymns each. Mr.. Thayer de
clares that there are not l $40 good
hymns in the world, and doubts If
there are fifty thoroughly good ones
exclusive of the ehorals. The popu-
larity of the chorals that are tami-
liar in our churches, such as Old
Hundred" Nuremhurg," and some
others, shows how well the people like
them, and how perfectly they are
adapted to the wants of the congTega-
tion. But. unfortunately, most OF the
chorals, being of German origin and OF
irregular meters, cannot be adapted to
the American church service. In the
opinion of the writer cited, nifty hymns,
or even halt that number, are enough
for any congregation to sing, and very
few congregations can sing Twenty-Five
different tunes well. A greater number,
however, may be used win advantage
where there is q choir. The reform
should also extend to the reading OF the
hymns. Instead of reading them
through, as is now common, the hymn
should be merely announced, and tie
first line or possibly the first verse read
g IF it is to be read through" asks the
writer, aand played through and sung
through, why not have grammar les-
son and parse it through, and then have
spelling match and spell it through?"
In some churches in Germany the names
or numbers Of the hymns to be sung
are posted in some conspicuous place,
where they can be seen by tue congre-
gdblOu. AT bll0 pIOpCl blHAO b4C vi gan
ist begins, and the congregation rise and
sing without further ceremony. Again,
the ordinary four-line hymn tune
should be reformed. because it is in
complete, weak, and meaningless. 1t
is mere rhythmical play on three or
four chords. Take hymn of four
stanzas- The pastor reads each slowly
through to the end, then the organist
plays over the tune, and finally it is
sung through four times. Better than
this is the eight-line or double hymn
1 tune. Best of all is the hymn anthem
| wherein each stanza has its own musi-
cal setting, and all are Joined into one
harmonious whole. The result is ons
musical composition or melody, insteas
OF the monotonons and tedious repeti
tions Of fragment of atune. The &C
complished organist who advocate
these reforms believes that 1t I III
duty Of pastors chiefly to bring thi
matter before the people and arous
them I'd full se4so otis impoxtance.
81. / !.