New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-10-21
THE VESTED CHOIR QUESTION.
RESPONSE FROM THE MUSICAL EDITOR OF
"TUE CHURCHMAN"

THE CHURCHMAN."
TO the EdftOr Of The Tribune.
Sir In your recent editorial review OF the weston
Choir question, as IL has been discussed IN Inc
Churchman,7 and especially as to the pracacaoinS
and disturbances Of reinforcement by women soosts
and chorIsters, sopranos and altos. find
certain personal illusions which require cor
rection. The views l credited Win
by your editor, fruits OF recent CD"
version to sounder doctrines OF choral organization
were firmly entertained and earnestly presented almost
at the outset Of my connection with the music ana ART
departments OF "The Churchman' years ago, and Win
such ygor that remonsranccs ELECTED from several
clergy organists and cholrmasters, prominently COZ"
nectcd with the "boy choir vested choir move
ment against such views likely 10 provo revoIu
tonary while developing serious practical embarrass
ment in choral organization.
But the position taken after thorough ana
careful study of the questions involved and has Deeh
often reafrmed 1t was briefly and in substance, this
that the vested choir. and boys. was. at the out
set an outgrowth of the eucharsto nturglc service
in the Gregorian or plain song Responses and
chanted portions Of the Sacred Office, as the gradua
and sequence as well as the Eucharistic anthems
proper beginning with the "kyre7 and ending with
the Agnus Del" all Of which wero delivered IN th9
Gregoran spirit; that from this root was developer
the Communion Services, well as the Mains ana
Even Song services Of the ancient Anglican Chufch'
as is witnessed by the writings of Merbecke, Tals
and their successors that for all this range OF musical
service the traditional choir of and boys was the
best possible provision. And It stl remains true for
the church service of to-day while It remains faithful
10 the early traditions.
But the artistic renaissance which followed the
strictly ecclesiastical school and introduced modern
forms Of compositions, among the leading Anglican
writers has insensibly wrought revolution In the
functions and Office Of the choir 1t has in effect
plemened the Plain Song Office and choir with an
anthem, motel choir, capable Of delivering the
masterpieces Of the great composers, nom Handel to
COunod precisely they intended 10 be surg that
IS by adult equally voiced parts in chorus, with adult
sooists, men and women. The corolary is irresist-
BILE namely, that modern forms of composition when
adopted into the choral Of our church, measure
! cannot approve accept, II It with the sup
preston Of the ancient Plain song-demands the adult
voice both in solo and chorus-men and wonderland
that boys voices absolutely incapable Of the
and unnatural and garingly inartisuc requirements
under the changed situation.
distinctly assert my personal preference for tho
ancient and traditional Plain Song, in effect the
only purely ecclesiastical, and therefore most
shipful mode OF liturgic worship finding its com
pletcness and experimentation II anywhere, In the
polyphonic school Of Paestrlna and the modern
Cecians. Had your editor examined the current
number Of The Churchman," he would have found the
following statement or restatemcnt, as It actually
is, Of the writer's views
Every person Of ordinary musical iutel-
gence knows perfectly well thai the average vested
choir is fundamentally weak In two particulars
tho supply Of alto voices, and intelligent capable
soprano sOloiSts. There IS hardly a vested choir in
the country where the other or even both
these deficiencies not srlkingly and sometimes
painfully evident. In part-sngiug, the alto Is quite
sential the tenor the harmonic ensemble.
Most of cur vested choirs overwhelmed with
sopranos; and even where there Is decent pro.
portion Of BASES. with economical splicing OF
tenor, the altos lamcnably few and far between,
sOrely TO the mpnveriShnent Of the harmonics. As
TO solo passages and sacred araS. the average boy
soQizt-I- at best uninel estlng coiUress inter
pretr, II not a positive nuisance The rara and eX-
ceptOnal boy sOlOist. who has heart intelligence,
breath and voice Is merely phenomenal. Rich par
ishes, now and then, get hold VI one. but their
voices are ShOrtlived. apt 10 be capricous and
toppy," and infrcquen.ly serve 10 demOrahe
solos required IN the prevailing highly wrou ht
class Of services. with anthems and ohertories the
lOysoei.t IS too often a and vain delusiOn.
We can recall the history Of hardly one OF these
beautiful little Irecooities which Is not married with
dsappointmcntS. broken engagements. and most m
@cclcsa, teal chickering's. with any amount OF clerical
and direc'ori1l WOniment. All tbs OF chOrs where
the boy solois is reckoned indispensable article:
and where difficult .olo passages and great ariaS
and sacred songs find frequent place In the service
Ealendars
The title Of the Australian" choir camc with the
cut. and was not our invention. Indeed there Is
citation was made from my article in tho previous
number. Churchman' sept. Ct, go, col ], which
fully states my position G, Il. II,
New-YOrk, Sept. %, 1880.