The Portland daily press., 1886-07-05

City Government the following gentlemen
had seats on the stage.
Rev. J. M. Chickerng, H. Fl Burgess,
| Rev. III. S. Burrage, B. Thurston, Esq,
| Rev. A. X. P. Small, Rev. j. M. Lowden,
| Rev. F. 7. Bayley, Rev. J. G. Wilson,
| Rev A. H. Wright, Rev. S. X. Perkins,
| Rev. F. Southworth, Rev. c. J. Clark.
| Rev Ezra Tinker, Rev. J. b. Lapham,
| Rev H. G. Dunham. Rev. Thos. Hill,
| Rev. H. Blanchard Rev. s. +. Pearson,
Rev. W. 5. Dana, Samuel Leavitt,
| w. d. Little, Ed A. Noyes,
John G NJ. Ssi Gould, B. F. Appleton,
| Rt. Rev. Alex Burgess, Joseph Brooks,
/ Rev III. S. Carpenter, Hon. I'll. L. Gregg.
Hon. Horatio King, Rev. Samuel Longfell0W,
/ Hon. John Lynch, John I'll. McDonough,
| Prof L. s. Morse, Rev. ]. T. G. Nichols,
Moses Woolson, Hon. Isaac III. Jack,
| VIM. w. Thomas, A. M. Richardson,
| VIM. Senter, John w. Deering,
M. f. King, Rev. IL. T. Winter
His Honor, the Mayor, then rose and spoke
| as follows:
| Ladies and Gentlemen.
| We are gathered here today to inaugurate
| the celebration of the centennial anniversary
1 of Portland. Following the faith and GUS
tom of our fathers, it is especially fitting that
| our exercises should begin upon this sacred
day. First Of all, should we assemble reyer-
entity, as people, in deyout recognition and
praise of Him, who has graciously guided us
l through all the changing vicissitudes of the
past hundred years into our present condition
| of moral welfare and prosperity Imbued
with this feeling, let us gratefully dedicate
our reunion of joy, as a monument OF love,
| to the all-wise Giver who has crowned our
| past with mercy and loving kindness. and
| vouchsafed our future in the eternal promises
| of his word.
| George G. Burgess, Esq., read his paper on
"Church Psalrnody Dnring the Centnrs-,, Ho
sa1u:
| ADDRESS OF GEO. C. BURGESS, ESQ.
| No history of religious worship in Portland
! would be complete without an account of church
| psamody, which forms SO important part of the
| worship in our churches
| Before and at the time when Portland, as part
of Falmouth was first settled in 1928, the cultiya-
ton of music was neglected, and the congregations
| throughout New England were rarely able to sing
more than five tunes. Although at first music was
sedulously cultivated in New England, and even
taught in the college, yet in their new homes where
all kinds of care for mere existence visited them,
and troubles, religious and political followed in
rapid succession, the coonists found little time to
keep up their scant knowledge of church music,
and children grew up without knowing how to sing
the simplest tune by note.
The few melodies sung became corrupted until
no two individuals sang alike. Every melody was
changed to suit the taste of the singer until their
psalms were uttered in medley of confused and
disorderly noises.
A writer of that time says of their singing, that
it sounded like "fve hundred tunes roared out at
the same time," and SO little attention paid to
the time in which a tune was sung, that the sing
ers were often one or two words apart, producing
noises hideous beyond description, and so drawl-
ing that the same writer says, 81 myself have
paused twice in one note to take breath"
The psalms were sung in regular order, without
short sung at one standing, so that the longest,
say OF 100 lines, took full half hour in the
singing. Mr.. Burgess showed how the tune
Notwithstanding this, they were sung with
the greatest devotion, and every hat was. re-
moved and people stood with barred head when
ever psalm tune was sung, although not word
of the psalm itself was heard.
About this time (1723), however, reformation
began, and famous divines like John Cotton,
Thomas Symes, Thomas Prince, John and Samuel
Danforth, Cotton Mather and others, began war
instead of the usual wayb They met with the
fercest opposition, for the decline in music had
was grateful to their ears, and a melody sung in
time and tune was really offensive.
Patriotism helped what correct musical taste
ton, English tunes like English tea were thrown
overheard, and native music then beginning to be
were formed (the singing having before been CON
gregationaD, singing schools were organized, and
Instrumental music, heretofore considered to be a
organ was brought into this country in 1713, but
so great was the opposition to it that it remained
seven months unpacked), and at the beginning of
the century whose close we celebrate today chaos
ha ceased to reign, and music had begun to as |
sumo its proper place as an expression of religious
How great the contrast to the condition of mu- |
sica art on the other side of the Atlantic While
q on TINS SIDE, preachers were deiberatng whether
1t were lawful or no to sing psalms, or, il lawful, |
whether tunes should be sung in time and tune, |
on that side, Handel and Bach had begun to fash |
ifaran oil
first symphony and Mozart was astonishing the |
European musical world.
One curious custom long survived the occasion /
of its origin and held its place after the reform in
singing was firmly established. This was the Gus
tom of "linng out" or the reading of the psalm
hymn by the clerk, line by line, for the congrega
tion to sing. Having its beginning when few
could read and books were scarce, it was main
tanned with vigorous tenacity for years, because
many OF the congregation considered it a religious
duty.
Among those who aided in bringing about the
penter and joiner by trade, resident in Charles
town, Mass, where he died in 1884. He wrote
psalm tunes, anthems and odes, and published
several music books which met with great favor.
Ritter says of of his more pretentious pieces
that he was doubtless a better joiner Of pine
be, his grand tune, Coronation" is sung wher-
ever acongregation is gathered to praise the Lord.
se s to JOIN nv with the Choir
Out' the hymn.
The congregation arose and Coronation
was sung, Mr.. Burgess repeating line and
the audience, under the lead of the choir,
singing it, At its conclusion prayer was of
tered by Rev. Frank T. Bayley.
CORONATION
Composed by OLIVER HOLDEN Mass, about the
year 1861
All hail the power of Jesus name!
Let angels PROSTATE fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of ALL
Let every kindred every tribe
On this terrestrial bali
To Him all majesty ascribe
And crown Him Lord of all.
(Stt'1g blythe Congregation.)
Mr.. Burgess then said
To William Billings is due the honor of leading |
the great musical reformation. He was born |
0 Boston III 1746, and died there in 1900. OF |
n unprepoSsesslng personal appearance, he was
ccestrlc, smart, active, patriotic, and withal, a
luslcaI enthusiast His opportunities for a mu-
lcal educatlon were very few, but he made the
loSt OF these, and favored by the fact that his |
rst compositions being purely American, ap- |
cared Just before the Revolution, and that al /
lough he was deficient in harmony he had taste
melody that caught the popular ear, and so his
mes were sung wherever the New England |
GODS We're nd the fOlk-eOnoq | q