Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1880-03-26
Music at Home.

some musical instrument. The Queen
herself was a good musician, able to
sing, and a notable performer ON the
virginals. The well known grace,
"Non nobis Domino" is seldom sung,
except by professionals, and yet in
Elizabeth's time graces with harmo
nies quite as intricate as those of "Non
nobis" were habitually sung table.
Shakspeare's plays are full of illusions
to part singing, and he quotes many
passages of catches, perhaps the most
difficult of all part music to render
with proper appreciation due empha-
sis and the most exact time. Rounds
are trying enough, but they are moth
ing to catches, because in them there
is a secondary meaning, entirely chang
ing the Specification of the words.
This meaning can only be interpreted
by experienced rgers. who know the
inner spirit of the catch, and who can
implicitly trust each other. Even in
Puritanic times we find Milton, a most
uncompromising, to be good musi-
} clan, and writing Of part song in the
well kno WI lines
'Untwisting all the chains that tie
The hidden soul of harmony.
/ None but a musician could have
written those words, and it is remark.
able that Sir Walter Scott uses the
same metaphor in "Redgauntlet." BY
j degrees domestic music fell into deca
dence, then fell into disrepute, and any
man who studied or piactioed it wa'
: looked upon with as much disdain q,
J if he had made collection of shells
or insects. Ia order to show the val
:, ue Of domestic music, VIC viii brief,
y y relate the history of one individual
9 whose portrait We possess. He cam
d of musical family, his father, a med
; ical man, being saturated with III asi
from his child. .osd, as was his grand
father, q member Of anther profession
:, He never would have inferior music il
ss the house, and it is reported Of hin
l. that one day he came home boilin
$ with Indignation because he had hear
"Jim Crow" ut the time when tina
s. once popular melody vas first intro
tluccd into England. He had fe'
like-minded friends, several being prt
fessional musicians, and they used t
assemble at regular hours and sing til
mssic they loved, Consequently tn
&c &c children grew up in an atmosphere c
m m sound aud thoroughly good music A
Sc they grew to ,nadhood and woman
sr hood he put before them the be'
," pieces. always giving the preference I
~ the works OF the old masters. The
used to sing every evening, and lnigh
~ cned the house with their harmonic
oe not to mention the small crowd tn;
tt invariably gathered under the window
'n Domestic music kept the young men
oy home, and gave them the society
w. w. their sisters and their friends, tn,
r,l preserving them from the doubtf
Is company into which they might ha
rs fs' fallen except for some such safeguar
~ One of them took orders and foul
ief his music of immense service. Aft
some years circumstances called III
nd to place where music was AZ d
~ count. ThAchurch was simply disn
- and the service was worse. The
cumbapt was absent from unayoidal
-. causes, and the curate, though e We
" well meaning man, was ignorant, a
had never been to any university.
@ ~, might he expected, the congregati
was very small. The church was Sc
we ed for some 450 people, and the 6
roe erage congregation was barely ol
tenth of that number. Not a you
Tox man was to be seen; there were nc
''er but pa.erfamilas, materiam as, ,dau,
IS : I'd Is and children. There were |
even school children, for the sim
ner reason that the nationd school v
'ird closed for want Of scholars. pnt
aus aus these circumstances the gentleman
@ ms question asked whether be naight
ook 70 Introduce little better music.
ing could rot make things worse, q
'aie might make them better. He was
swesad that he was welcome to
lott what he could, but that there was
,,oa aoa material, and that it would be tha
nile less task. However, he could but
ioie and went all over the place, beat
sier up recruits, and succeeding fa'
10Y Meanwhile the singers met regala
'S'' and practised the music. On the
=, ;, pointed day all the singers JOINED
,ase the hymns, completely drowning
n ms clerks voice. One tninS lea 10 anot
liver nntil at last there was strong
Amy we'll trained choir which could s
r.an ra, anything, from Gregorians to Moz
~ Handel. Croft. Spohr, Mendelssc