New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-24
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
THE TRINITY CHOLRS' FESTIVAL

THE TRINITY CHOIRS' FESTIVAL.
Not least among effects and evidences OF the re-
vival OF musical learning and TASTE in cur county,
during the last quarter century is the vast In
provemenr in church music which now is even.
where di.ccrnibe. The time is within the memory
of men still young when the accomplished gentle
man then as now priest OF the exqutse
little Church OF the Holy Cross, in Troy,
first Introduced the choral service into
America. 10 the thoughtful observer
the most striking sign Of the advance made sine
that time is the general diffusion Of the chorsl
service itself, and lis influence IN Christening aud
enrolling all other varieties of musical worship
But a sign which. though essentially less impoItsn'
Is more easily perceived and more easily undsr
stood. is found i'll such a festival as that Oh 'n'
choirs of Trinity Parish in Trinity Chapel ias'
evening.
Ii was the tenth annual meeting Of the choIrS 'H'
first having been held in the place in s7S IeS
meeting, were designed for promoting unity oi .s'f
ing amongst the several choiIs, for perfeelng ne"
IN their work. and for improving taste by iufnH~
ing opportunities OF giving standard coihpos""'
written for the Church with means adequate w
the ii . ,rformance of Them The cholrs whlch D.'
last evening were those Of Trinity Cnu'-
under Mr.. A. II. Messiter of Trinity Cnap'
under Dir. W. b. Gilbert; Of st. JONAS Cnips
under Mr. George F. lie Jeune; of ST. PauP' Ch'ps+
under Mir Leo Kofer; and of St. ChrySoS''"'
Chapel, under Mr.. j. ID. Prince.
The attendance was enormous. The chon nv
ce,ded down the west aud up the central ai'''s
singing for the professional hymn George "i'D''
Come. o Come! with Sacred Lays" to maS'
Mr. W. B. Gilbert A very short evensong ioNoeS~
consisting Of the Our Father versicles
xxi. TO Il harmonized single chant by the he, n.
II. Cooke; lesson the Magnificent to MUSIC ., -.
Stainer; the Nicene Greed a few collects aH'
Grace. uor
After the hymn "Hark the Sound Oh NV
Voices" to the familiar setting OF james i"Ds,
the Roy. Charles 4. Olmsted delivered -
practical address. Considering the H 70,
of the choral service, he indicated ga
dangers beSetting its established opei"'''.a ,,om
from within" monOtony and excess one
without hypercriticism which kills devoun" a
for monOtony the speaker aptly rematAou ~h,nss
was really best avoided by making httie
ordinarily in the fixed parts OF the oD Va
the yersicles, collects oreeds. litany' -o,lsd
think further that monotony may - AZ
by large infusion into tho wbes
Gregoriau muslc-that Immortal Sl'aih .ixe
the rector of Trinity himself said, ions and
onote from memory, that it Is with0us sasr.
without measure. and like unto the nu''e N.,aar,d
nifty" The danger of excess the speaker oOu'' be
ON the two sides of quantity ana 'n;.,Ses
recommended plain mathis. early, tha1 'l0 ssuity
votion of the day might have ITS proper ,..Isad
and DO paid by worshippeIs u ,.sssr d
nv preced,pg elaborate services. Inc 80 ',.A
over-critcism by the people was clearly pio's b
After the address seven anthems "e'V ,s,,cesib
the united choirs. The first was q i0a 49,, b..
century hymn, ALA Trinita beata.' ~ ,ia
auont ohOrals, sung without sSoompani~'A'