Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-17
Church Music I'm New York.

| From the New York Mirror.
| Having referred to the subject of sacred
music generally it becomes necessary to partic-
ularize
Among the Hebrews there is tendency to in
| troduce instrumental music. The orthodox
jews have in three or four instances introduced
! organs during the last few years. so that now
one seldom hears the choral music Of their ser
vices unaccompanied. The reformed Jews being
| perhaps for the most part humanitarians. and
| approximatng the Unitarians in certain partic-
| uiars OF beliefs and practices, have become
| equally liberal on various matters respecting
faith and ritual. The music of temples and
: synagogues consists of selections of modern
| works, taken from many different sources and
adapted to the Hebrew text. The Jews having
no national life can have national music. and
hence they derive their ideas of the art from the
| peoples with whom they live. the German Jews
adapting German music, Italian Jews. Italian
music and so on.
/ The Roman Catholics similarly show a con
| slant tendency in one direction. They are now
less disposed 10 regard The church in America as
a missionary church in which certain laXity of
obSefrances may be tolerated, and are .gradu-
ally conforming more closely to the practices of
their church in older countries. For this reason
we may now see at the new cathedral i'm 5th
avenue al ST. Stephens church in 2Sth street.
at st. Francis Xaviers IN 10th street and es-
recally at the raulist Fathers in seth street and
9Th avenue, choirs mostly robed in yestments
and stationed in or near the altar whatever
choral or instrumental bodies are placed else
where, as in the gallery or nave. So that the
Catholics are in this respect following the lead
OF the Anglican Catholics in this city. For we
nave already pointed out that the so-caed
Protestant" Episcopal churches have sur
rilced choirs in the chanceI. instead of relegat-
iiio me singers To distant gallery. as though
thcy were unworthy mor' eastcrlv position.
The music that is sung by chancel choirs is
generally more serious and dignified than that
ieaId from galleries. and very frequently is
strictly conventional in character. In many
cases, for instance Gregorian chants are sung.
ara responses etc. are precisely the same
these adopted from time immenorial both in
the English and continental cathedrals
chorus of voices naturally requires the assist
ance OF massive accompaniment. and thus
certain Suhlin,ity of character is given to this
part OF the service
The music sung by quartet choirs is of
ilghter character generally, and is more suited
10 the capabilities Of foGr singers than to the
quirc!nents of service that should at least be
grand. broad. calm and yet Gorcible, or noble. or
triumphant
\ glance at the hymn books of MANY such
churches proves at once that no hesitation has
prevented the Introduction of tunes cu!ied from
the theiteI, concert ROOM and dance music of
scotland The airs from - Tampa and ODE
love songs and Gaelic melodies marked to be
played slowly. 1t is at once evident that a
lively tale spoken with gravity does not become
really serious. or one uttered softly become less
amusing; and yet it seems difficult to bring
nome TO the minds of some GatonalistS
that these remarks apply to musical phrases
In the churches of the PresbyteIians one NAV
perceive steady Improvement in the music
alIh'ii"h IL is very slow. for less frequently are
solo singers heard delivering the most mas
Sitn3fe strains love sick 70
words. The sense Of inconeruity is gradually
becoming more clear with the gradual increase
OF musical knowledge that leads to more re-
ined artistic perceptions generally. Besides, it
Is manifest that those persons who have heard
the greatest art-Works Of the opera house con-
cert room. etc. performed by the greatest
singers and with the aid of q grand orchestra
Go not wish to hear SnatcheS of them on Sun
DAY. not only because they act mnemonically
ltcalng the pleasures of the secular life) but
because the church cannot afford to nav for or
does not provide. good rendering These
excerpts also lead the nearer to wish for more
or thatle could be bodily, as well as mentally
transported back to the temple of art rather
than remain in the temple OF God These re-
haSheS of the weekly music on SUNDAY remind
Us most forcibly of the resurrection pie of our
school-bOy days wherein on SATURDAYS were found
the remains OF long departed joints. For these
ana many other reasons it is gratifying TO see
even quartet cnoirs attempting ia resist secu-
lariZn@ tendencies. The music Of the church
should be OF the very best kind and like all
other acceptable churchly 0ferngs) intrins-
caiiy good. and also if possible most COSTLY !
1t certainty should not consist of adantations
leavings or scraps. picked up here and there |
No members Of churches strive more earnestly
FOR the Improvement Of the musical portions of |
church services than the 0rganSts They often |
work incredibly hard to introduce some sljebt |
refOrmaions and as frequently find their labors |
wasted. They are not unfrequentIy met |
with the query. why do not Won |
play something that we can all sine:' |
II ever one should succeed in ACCOMPLISHING |
this marvellous feat. the music would be- found /
so wretched That his removal would quickly fol |
low. 1t may he accepted certain that those |
persons who are extremely DESTROYS of singing in
church have not qualified themselves for such |
duties by acquiring the rudimentS of the art |
nor are willing to attend gratutous lesson |
or rehearsal of cOngre gationa music !
nor do they care how much they NAV annoy |
those persons who happen to be within hearing /
OF their outpourngs. 1t is said that such Hit !
eracy VIII be fofgi en-. 1t may be. 1t will be- |
But if it is not wicked it is decidedly uplea
Why such persons who intend to sing praises |
all their lives do not try to obtain the requisite
qualifications, it is difficult to understand |
They offer that which costs them nothing and |
too often the misery rich offer it to prevent the
expenditure necessary for a proper rendering of
this part of the service
1t is of course difficult to dogmatize on the
subject OF church music and at the same time
reference to congregational singing. 1t is there
fore necessary to say that in all those churches
where it is decided, for various reasons to dis
pense with professional singers. there should be
choral school established in connection with |
the church. lat which all the members should be !
compelled to acquire the necessary knowledge
to mt them for sustaining their part of the |
worship. Nor should they think such an exer- !
else frksome now as it is the only occupation |
carried on by the redeemed ones in Heaven, |
according to the teachings of the sacred writings |
that they profess to believe.
If all church members were SO far musically |
qualified, the music chosen for the Sunday ser !
vices would be of higher type. But ais mat |
ters now stand the Sunday school is the ONLY |
music school, and this is frequently conducted |
by persons who have not risen above the enoy- |
ment Of tunes of the Moody and Sankey" tyne |
These and similar specimens of music to sacred |
words are forced upon the children when they |
are most impressionabe. and it is difficult after
wards to implant taste for choral melodies !
that with their associated harmonies are digni- |
fled, stately noble. and grand and particularly |
well suited for the performance by a great num-
Der of persons
When ''0ld Hundred" is sung by large as
sembly with powerful organ. well-played that |
combines directs SIlStainS and fuses all the in