Morning journal and courier., 1883-08-13

be an architect, or better, an artist, and no @ mere builder. He should constantly keel
 before him this simile of the cathedral, O. church, as embodying in itself the nobles form which church music can take on, th' 1 choir, transepts and nave representing il
 more or less detail the various parts assigned
 respectively to clergy, choirs and people il the service. If I were asked to name some l one composition as Illustrating perhaps better than any other this idea, should say that Pach's Passion Music would fully come up tc
 the requirements of the case. Here is mu. sic for solo voices, solo1sts which nature has endowed with peculiar gifts, representing the
 clergy who occupy the sanctuary of the ca thedral Then besides the concerted music
 we have the grand choruses by the masses of
 trained singers, representing the chorus ir
 the choir. Then every now and then are
 introduced those mighty chorals for the con-
 gregation, also represented by the great con
 gregation in the nave and transepts, where
 all, soloists, choirs, and all within the build
 ing. join in one grand hymn. Certainly this
 composition, with its wonderfully elaborated
 orchestral and organ accompaniment, is the
 best possible illustration of the perfection of
 musical detail, bringing together as it does,
 in one grand mass, all the resources of song
 or sound known to man.
 Of course I shall be asked: stDo you ex-
 pect to reproduce the Passion music in every
 little parish church in the land ?' To which
 reply: By no means but the principle
 can be carried out any and everywhere Let
 the best voices in any locality be selected to
 lead in the principal parts of the services,
 of others less gifted but equally useful and
 necessary can be formed the chorus, and in
 the grand old familiar hymns and chants let
 the whole congregation swell the chorus and
 thus make of the service one united offering
 up to God of that we have to give him to
 praise him for his mercy and goodness to us.
 1 do not cite the Passion music as an illustra-
 tion of church music Co be sIavishly imita-
 ted, but it's form Is to be kept constantly be-
 lore the mind of one who sspires to compose
 or even to arrange music for the high uses of
 the worship of the sanctuary.
 Now claim that the idea on which this
 musical service is founded-that of employ
 ing all available musical talent of whatever
 degree of excellence-can be carried out in
 any parish church. Certainly in this coun-
 try, where so much attention has been and is
 given to the subject of singing in the public
 schools there can be found in every locality
 those who can be enlisted to take the more
 elaborate parts of the music. Then the
 chorus can be formed from the Sunday school If from no other source, and if sim
 pie hymns, chorals and chants are selected for parts of the service, the congregation
 will not fail to accept the invitation thus held out to join at the proper times and places. Thus we have all the essential ele- ments and distinguishing features of the Passion music, trained soloists, trained chor. 1sters and the congregation. There are those who claim that no music should be sung in church except that in which the whole con. gregstion can join. This is an error, no less from a philosophical than from 8 musical point of view. Such people lay great stress upon the expression common praise, " and deny that any congregation has any right as thaV fn nrQiaa G0H hu RufI lat us inquire for 8 moment the real meaning of the term common praise and see if the prop CT definition will V arrant us in coming to any such conclusion. A similar term is used as technically describing the office book of the church in this country. It is called the Book of Common Prayer" Yet in this li- turgy the clergyman has good share of the service all to himself, the people occasionally making response, or an amen at the end of 8 prayer. I think, however, that the term Common Prayer is by no means 8 misnomer, as applied to this book. The same generous definition given to tat other term common praise, will give us soloists, chorus and con- gregation, each having its part in the services of the sanctuary.
 Let the humber worshipper join in all parts of the service where he can render in telligent assistance, but let him remember that as the spire of the great church towers aloft far above choir, transepts and nave, so it is given to the trained singer to soar aloft far above and beyond, to heights where the great congregation cannot expect to folleW- But let the latter, listening iE reverent si lence, be moved to greater devotion, and thank God for the exceptional musical gifts vouchssfed to the few, though denied to the multitude. In the iturgical service I have alluded to, it's chief merit, considered from an artistic point of view, consists in it's re- sponsive character, people responding to 1aPO and ha If fn fho1 1off would lose much of their dignity and power if said by number of voices rather than by one. The greater contrast Is allo wable when 1 he many voices respond to the one, and the | same is true from musical standpoint. Can 1 anyone imagine that Handel made mistake | when he selected the words for one of the | greatest solo numbers in the Messiah: 'I | lnow that my Redeemer iveth ?" Of course le used the words as they occur in the Holy | Scripture, but I only use this illustration to how how that in certain cases one voice can ar more effectively bring out the meaning of | sentence than can 8 multitude. I only men ion this in confirmation of the truth that music should be allowed all her varied forms ,f expression in the church, whether of solo, luet, trio, quartet or grand chorus, that she nay the better illustrate the sacred text and tive 1t dignity of expression beftting it's Irvine character.
 Too much of the so-called sacred music of he day is not worthy of the name when ve consider the vast number of fimsy produc- ions which are published without number, or the most part written for the convention l quartet choir these ephemeral compost ions are for the most part fragmentary in heir structure i'll adjusted, chaotic, with ut form and void," seemingly written only with view to afford soloists opportunity 0 illustrate themselves. They are to church | nusic in it's best estate as cheap building 0po in Cofhia ic fo ouo | nent as York Minister or Durham cathedral. |
 Of course there are many difficulties in l he way of introducing true church music nd making it known and felt. It is much nore difficult to sing than the ordinary salmod, that has been so freely scattered yer the country. In fact the simplicity of P he latter has ofttimes proved the secret of reatest hindrances to the introduction of the nore elaborate specimens of the true ecclesi- stical school of writing have been in great measure removed by the aid of the choir estiVals which seem to be growing more and nore in favor every year, and let us hope musical conventions. cannot ut think that these choir festivals, if prop rly managed, will most satisfactorily dispose f the two questions given at the outset, What ought church music to be? How ught it to be rendered ?" Let the commit ees on music for such teStlVals exercise great are in making their selections, always coping in mind the material they have at and for it's production; let music written istinctly for mixed choirs be always sung by uch choirs, and the same with regard to big hoirs. Let it be the best of it's kind, whichever kind is chosen
 I have said very little thus far in regard to ne quartet choir, considered as such, for owever indispensable four soloists may be, 3 they certainly are, in the organization of ny choir, yet I cannot think that four ngers alone can adequately illustrate and st forth the musical offering of a great ongregation Such choir does not come D to the standard to be found either in the scred or secular field of music No one ould think of writing an opera, much less a oratorio, for four voices alone. The aimed chorus is wanting to supplements l lem, and in church. the great congregation { , supplement both in one grand, united fering of praise and worship Another i uestion suggests itselk Should church npers be paid ? The proper answer to this uestion can be more readily apprehended by skiing another and similar one. Ought the erey to be paid However much we might sspise that clergyman. who, if such case ere supposable, entered upon the duties of is holy office from merely mercenary .. yet we have the express 1 {