Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-10-19
CHURCH CHOIR FESTIVAL.

CHURCH CHOIR FESTIVAL.
The tenth annual Church Choir festi-
val, in the diocese of Vermont, was held
at st. Stephens church Thursday even
ing, October IL, and was an unqualified
success. The out-of-town participants
began to arrive on Wednesday and they
came from all over the State and from
Boston, New York, Hanover, n. H.,
The largest delegation came from st.
Adams, full twenty in number. North
field sent eight; Burlington, Rutland,
Vergennes and Brandon were well repre-
scented; Bennington, Bellows Falls and
Brattleboro contributed share; Mont
pelier, Woodstock and Windsor were not
as well represented as was expected The
Island Pond delegation of three came two
hundred and fifty miles to sing. The
Middlebury chorus of about twenty pick
ed voices from the various church choirs
in town had been well drilled, and were,
perhaps, better prepared to render with
expression the difficult parts than most
of their visiting friends, and when Prof.
Whitney wanted double quartette for
certain selected parts he chose several
Middlebury singers with some Rutland
singers to bring out the finer effects.
How Prof. Whitney could in three re-
hearsals, bring motley chorus of more
than hundred voices into such harmony
and up to such exact and perfect time
was the real marvel of the festival.
The great chorus was divided into the
Decani and Cantoris sides, about equal in
numbers. The bass on the Cantoris side
was not quite equal to the other parts at
the rehearsals until Mr.. Beeching arrived
from Boston. His remarkably deep and
clear voice at once was felt. and gave the
proper balance to the contrasted parts.
The Organist of the festival. Mr.. B. B.
Gillette, was recent graduate of Dart
mouth college. a pupil of Prof. Whitney
in Boston, and the author of the TIE Deum
that was sung at the festival, which is IL
composition of real merit, containing
some exquisite passages. Mr.. Gillette is
an organlst of great mechanical skill, but
a critic might say he could improve by
throwing more soul into his execution.
The order of music was. as whole,
provement in the standard of the music
of the American church. Prof. Whit
ney's compositions were more numerous
than in previous festivals. but all of
them were of a high order, some of the
hymns have an increasing charm the
more they are heard sung. The Gloria
in Excelsis, by Whitney, has superior
merit. The chants for the Psalter were
never better rendered at Vermont choir
festival, and the music does Mr.. Whitney
great credit. The Magnificent and the
, Nunc Dimittis, by j. Z. West, were
well rendered, and the Nunc Dimittis al
last will doubtless be much used in the
future by Vermonts best choirs so, too
with the anthem by Woodward. 1.-THE
Radiant Morn hath passed away" which
was one of the grandest pieces of the
evening. The occasional HYMN. "Jeru
salem. the Golden" was most thrilling
In fact there was not a single piece in the
whole evenings programme that was no
worthy of special mention. both for thu
excellence of the music and the exceed
ingly credtable manner in which it wa
: rendered. At the rehearsals James
Pearce, a boy of thirteen, from Bristol
. r. l., sang a solo, showing voice of re
markable purity and clearness.
n The service was intoned by Rev. \. B
II Morehouse of Sandy Hill, n. y; Rev
n w. Buckingham of Rutland reading tn
Y lessons. The sermon was preached .,
e Rev. w. II. Trotter of Bristol, II. l., an,
e was of that plain. practical characte
d which always strikes home. He spoke o
d the church music of today aud criticse,
l. it from the point of view Of the congre
r cation, and, on the other hand. imaginin
himself in the choir, depicted their hard
e ships and difficulties. The church wa
o. crowded to its utmost capacity both i
|, the evening and at the public rehearsa
in the afternoon. The ladies of s.
II Stephens church held an informal recel
- ton at the close in the hall of the y. N
"a c. A., receiving the clergy and the sing
:, ers with their friends. The whole affa
n was most eXcellently conducted and
, an occasion long to be remembered b
# Middlebury with Joy as one of the mott
N BILE events of the year. Many of tn
visitors took occasion while in town
to visit the Sheldon Art Museum. whel