The Indianapolis journal., 1885-04-05
FAMOUS SONGS OF PRAISE.
Hymns that Have Been Sung by Chris
tlan Worshipers for Many Centuries.
A Pope Who Contemplated the Abolition Of
Music in the Church-Distinguished
Composers and Their Masterpieces.

Whatever may be charged against the Roman
Catholic Church. IL cannot be gainsaid that she
has ever heen the friend of the arts of painting,
sculpture end music, and that without her cher
ishing care much that we now have as glorious
relics of early art would have beer destroyed
and lost. This is especially true of music. The
highest and grandest contributions to the mu
sical art have been inspired by the Catholic
Church, and are the work of her votaries In
Che music that will bs sung in the churches to-
day some Of the hymns are eight hundred years
old, coming to us from out of what we are pleased
20 term the darkness Of the Middle Ages.
The Gregorian chant, or tones a name given to
certain choral melodies, gets its name from Pope
Gregory the Great who was himself musician and
taught at the Lateran palace so that this form of
music comes to US from about $4,000. This &C.
elesiastical chant is the chant of the Catholic
Church all over the world. In it we have all
that the priest sings at the mass, and it is IN gen.
oral by choirs of ecclesiastics. In the course
of time abuses of one kind or another crept into
church music, for the reason that there was no
established FORM until the time Of Pope Mar
cellus II, about 1866. In his time music
had so degenerated that he thought to
throw it out of the church altogether. Before
proceeding to this extreme step, however, a con-
sultation was held with Paestrini, great mu-
sician. He promised the Pope to introduce
music that would not be chargeable with the
grossness ard uncouthness of that which it was
TO superseGe He composed the work known as
the Mesa di Papa Marcello (the mass of Pope
Marcellusl which was so thoroughly success
that the Pope accepted it and gave him full pow
ers to go on and recast and remodel
as he chose. The Mass of Pope Marcellus
is magnificent work. 1t was given at the re-
cent plenary council at Baltimore. This style of
music is that which forms the basis of that made
known by the Ceciian Society, which is now
widely spread over the United States with the
intent of encouraging good classical church
music. This Palestrina music is the
style .s used eon. in the will sstns Chapel
The celebrated Misereres for which the Sistine
Chapel is famous in Holy Week, composed by
Baini, Mustapha and others are sung in that
music, and to hear them during the week just
of the world The grandest musical achieve
ments of the masters of the past one hundred
years have been in church music and the names
Of Beethoven, Meyerbeer, Haydn, Handel,
Mozart, Mendessohn and later, Rossini and
Gourod are attached to numerous sacred themes
Gounod, who is still living has composed a
beautiful Ave Maria. Mercadante has composed
o number Of beautiful masses. The masses
most popular IN hOne To-Day are tn0S6 OF Nler-
eadante, Terzian and De Pietro. Jesuit. Ros-
sinis Stabat Mater is always q favorite in
Rome. OF Palestrina's music it should be
understood that it was never written by him,
but taught, and is traditional.
In the hymns of the Catholic Church the
"Veni Creator Spiritus, as shown by the mus-
cal programmes published in yesterdays Jour
nal, will be sung in several churches. The Dry
den translation begins:
Creator Spirit, by whose aid
The worlds foundations first laid,
Come visit every pious mind
Come pour Thy joys on human kind;
From sin and sorrow set us free,
And make Thy temples worthy Thee"
No less person than the illustrious
Charlemagne himself is the reputed author of
this great Latin hymn, who died at Aix-la-
chapelle, bis crown upon his head, and his
copy of the gospels upon his knees, January 28,
Sl4. so that it is now at least 1074 years old.
The 20 Salutaris Hostia" is hymn sung
during the Office called benediction, at the
moment when the tabernacle is opened In order
that the consecrated host may be removed and
emn exposition. The custom Of introducing
this hymn at high mass is at least
as old as the fifteenth century,
while the hymn itself is probably much older
This theme has been treated by many musical
composers The ''Magnifcat" has been used as
the vesper cantcle of the church from time i'm
memorial, and the evening Office has always been
SO constructed as to lead up to it as its chief
point OF interest. Inc CGXb OIL the Magnlncat
has been grandly illustrated by Bach, Men
delsshon and kactive composers Of the modern
school in the oratorio STYLE with full orchestral
accompaniments.
King Robert III, of France, who succeeded to the
throne of his father Hugh Capet in 997, is credit
ed with the authorship of the Ven Sancte Spiritus
hymn, hymn which is regarded as ''the lowell
est of all the hymns in the whole circle of Latin
sacred poetry" The King was a saint, poet
and musician, and his ability to compose this
great hymn is not improbable
Veni, Sancte Spiritus,
Et emitte coelitus,
Lucis tuse radium.
Come Holy Ghost. thou fire divine!
From hig hest heaven down shine!
Comforter, be thy comfort mine.
The Stabat Mater is Good Friday hymn. It's
anthor, Jacobus de Benedictus born at
Tod of the noble Italian house of Benedette
1868 he lost his wife and broken hearted
renounced the world to join the order of ST.
Francis. There are several English translations
of this great hymn. The following is the open
inc stanza of a recent translation by no less cell
ebrated person than our countryman, the late
Hen John A. Dix, while Minister Plenipotenti
sry at Paris:
Near the cross the Savior bearing
Stood the mother lone despairing,
Bitter tears down. falling fast
Wearied was her heart with grieving,
Worn her breast with sorrow heaving
Through her soul the sword had passed.
The Models Concert.
Tho following programme will be rendered at
he OF tho Of <J,o