The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-04-26
DRAMATIC AND LYRIC.
An English Critic on Salt
Lake Music.
-..PECK's BADBOY" DRAMArIzED
nro-r,on and Gentle Church Music
BENEFITS Opinion = Inc Next
Attraction-Miscel

Joseph Bennett, critic of the London
DAILY Ne,rs, editor of the Lutte, writer
for the Musical Times. and probably
tho foremost musical critic of our
dav has written to the last named
naper his impressions of church music
in Salt Lake. 1t is to be regretted that
Mr.. Bennett did not visit ST. Marks on
the Christmas day in question, instead
Of ST PauPs. which from his descrip-
tion. we take to be the cathedral he re-
fers to. He has become trife mixed
in his mention of Mr.. Young, but as an
entirety his article is so good that we
republish it entire. We are indebted to
Mr.. Charles Smith for the number OF
the magazine containing the letter.
After speaking eulogistically of Dam
rosch's choir in Denver, Mr.. Bennett
proceeds.
Farther west still, if the reader
pleases; this time to the wonderful city
which stands at the foot of its encom-
passing mountains, monument OF
Mormon energy and faith. Gentle"
belief and practices have now firm
footing in the Sion founded by Brigham
Young and the dauntless band who
started with him from NauYoo into the
then unknown wildS of Northern Mex
leo. Probably the Mormons would not
have il so if they could help themselves;
but Salt Lake City is under Federal
authority, and on a slope of the adjacent
mountains stands Fort Douglas. armed
with highly persuasive Federal cannon.
All the world is, therefore, free to come
and go within the Territory where Nor
monism remains, and promises to remain
the dominant faith. There are several
GENTLE churches in Salt Lake City;
Episcopalians. Roman Catholics, Pres
byterians, Methodists, Congregational
lists, and Baptists having one or more
within the shadow of Brigham Young's
great Tabernacle The adherents in
each case. however, are comparatively
fow, and l apprehend that the enter
prise of these sects is regarded as bear
ing a missionary character. We were
a small band in one of the Episcopalian
churches on Christmas morning last
Pious hands had decorated the pretty
little Gothic building with festoon of fir,
and many Scriptural text, but this
could not have been done for the admit
ration of the crowd. Perhaps twenty
people'all told, had gathered, when
choir of three young women and two
young men, seated round an American
organ near the chancel, rose and sang
"Hark! the Herald Angels" to Men
delssohn's welI-known strain. With
such humble means only humble things
were attempted, the musical services
being limited to responses, chants, and
hymns. All these were rendered with
spirit, and even with some effect. What
if the young lady organist occasionally
showed inexperience in dealing with ex-
temporized harmOnies. The entire pro-
ceedings were so hearty, simple, and
appropriate to circumstances that /
could only regard them as successful.
l did this none the less readily because
everything served to remind me of an
English village church, wherein life
reigns rather than the somnolency that
is first cousin to death.
Ny experience of GENTLE church
music began and ended as described
above. l shall, perhaps, be expected to
dwell longer upon that of the Latter
day Saints" of whose artistic doings it
was my privilege to make close observa-
ton, thanks to the friendly attentions
of Mr.. Calder the chief music-seller in
the place, and himself not only Nor
mon, but the son of one who held high
and honored rank in his church. Con-
sidenng all things. especially the work
that devolves upon people engaged In
the rougher operations of founding a
State, the Mormons make very praise
worthy efforts to secure for themselves
the sweetness and light of art, They
support an organization known as the
Careless Orchestra" suggest tive
name, but meaning no more than that
Mr.. Careless is its leader. Regarding
the composition and capacity of the
Careless Orchestra cannot speak, but.
perhaps, some ofits members were those
heard discoursing solemn music in
the streets of the city during the small
hours of Christmas morning. A theatre
is also one of the appendages of the
Mormon Church. Here the young peo-
pie who have formed themselves into
dramatic associations make public ap-
pearances. among the performers being
some called by names conspicuous in
the short and stormy record of those
who followed the Prophet of Nauyoo.
The most important musical society is
that which forms the choir of the
Tabernacle. 1t numbers abort one
hundred and fifty voices, and has been
fairly well trained for work making but
moderate demand upon executive
power. dtUcHueu CDe 1aDerna6ae SER
vice on one occasion, and had then an
opportunity of estimating its capacity,
under the favorable conditions afforded
by building which. through chance or
otherwise, has solved the problem of
acoustics in a large place. The Tabes-
,EAcle has room fer near upon 10 G0o
people, and is elliptical in form, with
low walls from which springs roof an
supported by pillars, and somewhat
resembling the inside Of the long1tudin-
al section of an egg-Shell. At one of
the curving ends, rising from the level
of the floor to considerable height. is
a capaeious platform for the officers of
the church, behind whom, and on
either side are the singers, the huge
Organ lifting its vast mass in rear of,
and above all. Round the building,
save as just described, runs deep gal
lery, and seats cover the ample area. 1t
is a literal fact that, when the building
is empty, person standing at one end
can hear pin drop at the other. This
was demonstrated to me again and
again, t.te impact of the little bit of
metal against the floor being distinctly
audible. 1t follows that preacher need
not speak above conversational pitch