New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-07
MUSIC IN THE CHURCHES.
cHorRs THAT WILL BE HEARD THIS YEAR

ur,erc-A DECREASE IN MUSICAL PIRACY.
rN. music in the churches of New-York and BROOK
lyn IS steadily growing better every year ih'
Quartet still holds the leading place, except IN INC
Episcopal churches which are largely running W
vested cbo,rs But even in churches where quartet
,rtho,,t a chorus is employed is taken that some
Of tho HYMNS sung shall be old and familiar iaVorl'es
IN which the congregation can join. Moreover, what
NAV be called operate church music is waning In
nopularity, and a prominent organist OF this city
confidently hopes 30 see the day when hymns set TO
such times as When tho Swallows Homeward fly
q annie Iauries robin Adair' and Little Butter
c,p, Will not be regarded the highest possible typo
Of religious musical aspiration. But 1t IS to DO
fearod that in this matter he is too much of an
optimist
II is also pleasant TO note that organiss and choir
directors are becoming less addicted 10 what might
be called musical piracy than they formerly were
few years ago the writer listened to an elaborate
and beautiful hymn to the Virgin in Universallst
Church. the original words being used because 1t was
not feasible to fit the music to any other words
Some of tho most glorious music Of the Catholic
Church-music that has become inseparaby welded
to creeds and doctrines repudatod by Professionals
has been similarly torn from Its proper homo and
made TO perform a function It was never intended
TO perform. But organ!sts to-day are learning that
such things can rarely be dono with success and that
every great religious denomination must in the long
run evolve type of music for itself.
In the Episcopal Church the popularity OF vested
choirs continues but unfortunately tho performance
of many of these choirs is mediocre There are not
more than half a dozen really good vested chof1s In
this city the others are defective either I'm voice or
expression few arc simply monstrosites Below
will be found record Of the chois In some OF the
principal churches in this city and brooklyn
Mr. Messiter continues as organist and choir director
of tho fine vested choir of Old Trinity. Leo hohef
has been re-engaged In tho same capacity at st fau
Chapel, where, however, the choir consists OF
quartet and chorus Mr.. Warron of course, continues
as organst and director of the splendid quartet ana
chorus choir OF ST. Thomas's Church, which remains
substantially the same as last year His Richard
has been re-engaged in the same capacity at ST.
partboomews whose quartet also re-engaged, Is
one of the finest in the city.
Samuel p Warren continues organist and choir
director Of Church, and has reengaged his Oh
choir which gives much satisfaction. IL is as
follows: Miss Ida W. Hubbel, soprano; Miss Adah
Foresman alto George Simpson, TENOR and DR.. Carl
Il. Martin, bass.
For tbe coming year the choir OF st. AIMS Roman
Catholic Church. In East Twelfthst will be as follows
Mrs. C. Henderick, soprano; Miss Riley, alto; Mr..
Grantza, tenor; Mr. Lehman, bass, and elghor
Eduardo Mario, organist and director.
There Is no choir at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian
Church Mr. Parsons and DR.. Barrows have been le-
engaged respectively organist and procentor'
There will be no change in the choir OF the Fifth
Avenue Baptist Church, which is as follows MISS
Jennie Dutton, soprano Mrs. Z. G. Gilmore, alto
A. L. King tenor; Carl f. Duff, baritone, ana u
Froelich organist and choir director
Dr. George B. Prentice continues to be the Or
e,pist and chordrectbr of the Episcopal Church Of
ST Mary the Virgin The soloists are as follows (:
Mrs Matilda Scott Paine, soprano; Mrs. Helen D.
Donnell, alto; f. J. Fletcher, tenor; william Kat
cllGe IT, bass c. c. Cleather. tympanist, T. Mch'
Brown, jr., corneust
The Episcopal Church OF the Holy Faith. In East
Ono-hundred and sixty ffthst is probably the only
church in the city that has distinct choir Tor each
Sunday service They are as follows Morning scr
vice-Mrs Eva Nash, soprano; Mrs. L. V. Conover'
alto: John G. Davis, tenor; d. Rumbold pass w.
william Nash organist; evening scrvice-Miss Edith
Conover soprano; Miss thompson. alto; Mr. Neuroth,
tenor: Mr. Lassel bass Miss Nellie Braohan, OF
ganist - =.
The choir Of the Collegiate Reformed Church. az
Fiftbaye and Forty-c ghth-st, Will be the same 10
last wear. and IS as follows: Miss Anna FrlSohetr
soprano Miss Marian Weed, alto; W. F. Tooker' tenor
George Brehn bass Carl Walter, organist ana drec
tor. -
4, the Rroollyn Tabernacle, Eenry Eyre Browne
and PETER All have becn engaged for the seventh year
respectvey as organst and director and cornest and
precentor Samuel II. Newly IS precentor OF the
nraver-mcetngs, and Miss Ida May Cowther Is as
sisant organist
Under its present management the choir OF the
Episcopal Church OF the incarnation, at MadsohaVe'
and Thirtvaftbst is without doubt, of the best
in the city, II not in the United states Inc iolow
ing members comprise choir every one OF whom Is
paId a regular salary:
d. Woodruff choir master; Miss Augusta Lowell,
orqanist sopranos: Miss Lizzie Webb Cary, solo ;
Mrs j. d samms, Mrs F. +. Cowtan, Miss Denvlr
Boyle Miss Julia Sherman, Mrs. ]. r. shoah, Mrs
NJ. f. Lonsdale Miss A. J. Holey, Miss NJ. Gonzalez,
Miss NJ. c. salter, Miss Meemie b. Wilson, Ienors-
A. D. Woodruff, solo; NJ. J. Erisman, william H.
Terbune. E. W. Perkins, Charles d. o'Connell, A.
CollIschonn Contraltos-Miss Alma Dell Martin,
solo, Mrs. NJ +. Lees, Miss Helen Ganson Miss
Hctta NJ Haynes Miss Carita f. Hghct Miss Title
Trischett Miss Dora Martin. BassOs-Dougas Alex
ander solo Richard Sterling, j. NJ See, E. A. Dessert,
B. A. Van Tassell, jr., G. f. stansheld,
Frank G. Dessert has been rc-engaged as organst
and cboir-dlrector of ST. Stephens Roman catholic
Church. In addition TO fine chorus OF sixty
voices the following solosts have been secured: Miss
Mary Dunn, soprano Miss annie Dunno, Alto Charles
ONeilI tenor, aud J. J. Dessert, bass.
No changes of Importance have been made in the
excellent vested choir OF St. James's Episcopal Church.
which continues to be under the direction OF the
orraplst c. Edward Stubs. In the past year the
specal musical services given in this church have
attracted the attention of the musical public and have
done much to popuarize religious music OF high
class.
H. F. Parkhurst IS re-engagcd as the organlst and
chordirector Of the Madison Square Presbyterian
Church. The quartet is as follows; Mrs. Ida smith,
soprano; Mrs. Florence Davidson, contralto; JACOB
Graft tenor, and Carl Levinsen, bass.
T. j. Ftzhugh continues as organst and choir
director CT ST. Marks Episcopal Church, the quartet
being as follows: Miss Kate Hike, soprano re-
eppaged; Mrs. l. Chapman, contralto, re-engased
n II. Jeffrey, tenor and A. f. CurreD, bass.
Theodore f. Shuttle. the organist of Trinity Baptist
Church. in East Flfty-hfth-st., has become choir
director also, in place of W. p. Holly, resigned.
There Is no quartet IN this church, the choir con-
/ -t..t.r % n volunteer chorus o thirty voices.