The Dickinson press., 1890-12-27
NEW YORK BOY CHo1Rs,
MOST OF THE. EPISCOPAL CHURCHES
NOW EMPLOY THEM.

Enough Boys Arc IInrd to S~ccurc-Count-
less Rehcarsals Necessary Before the
Trained Choir Is Ready to Sing Ac-
ccrtably-Gcrman Boys Preferred.
Boy choirs are now an established
feature of worship in a majority of Epis-
copal churches in this city; but few
members of congregations have any
knowledge of the work of tho choir be-
You'd thatgained as listeners. The search
for singers, the teachers rehearsals and
the many h%indrances to tho successful
maintenance of n vested choir arc all out
of sight.
Before the existence of n general de-
mand for boys with good voices, an Or
ganist was often besiegcd by applicants
and had only to mako his choice. How
different the conditions are today every
organist, with tho possible exception Of
those of Trinity parish, can attest. Trim
ity has at command the parish schools
from which, much after the English sys-
TEN, tho choirmastcr may select his
voices and maintain n supplementary
choir.
Not so fortunate, however, are most
choirmasters. They arc obliged to de-
pend on such sources as advertisements
in the newspapers, both English and
German; the Sunday schools of the par
ish and tho public schools, and the offer
of a commission to any boy securing q
satisfactory chorister. The first named
is perhaps the most successful method,
and many good voices have been OBJ
tanned by it; but no one of the above is a
sure method of recuperating the ever
changing personnel Of the choir, and
many organists probably appreciate the
feelings of the choirmaster of one Of the
largest Episcopal churches in New York,
who, when asked in what manner he
provided for vacancies in his choir. re-
piled that he "trusted to luck"
CHOIR SCHOOLS.
If church services demanded q daily
choral services choir schools such rs ex-
list abroad would be necessary, and
those interested hopo that in time such
institutions will DO maintained in this
country.
Tho lack of materia! for solo voices
has prompted tho organists of some
prominent churches, such as st. Georges,
st. Mary the Virgins, All Angels, and
st. Ignatius', to employ female voices in
this capacity, and even rs auxiliary
chorus singers, and tho future will
doubtless see many other churches CON-
PEELED to adopt this cxpedient, which
can certainly be defended on musical if
not on ecclesiastical grounds.
The most successful choirs in New
York number about thirty-fvo voices,
viz, sixteen trebles, five altos. seven
tenors and eight bassos, and although
authorities differ somewhat tho best re-
suits appear to be obtained when the
parts arc divided in about this
ton.
Voices vary greatly in quality and
carrying power, which makes it difficult
to give q definite law covering every
case, but some adult voices are a neces-
sity.
The number of rehearsals varies ac-
cording to the style of music rendered
and the ability of tho choir to read
music readily. In few churches are tho
rehearsals for boys less frequent than
twice weekly, and in many cases indi-
vidual lessons are given i'll addition.
Many listeners express wonder at the
facility with which the little choristers
render florid passages; but except in
rare instances these results are accom-.
plished by hard and patient labor on the
part of both instructor and pupil.
GERMAN BOYS IN DEMAND.
Boys OF German parentage are greatly
in demand, they seeming to possess bet
ter voices than American lads, and in ad-
dition a musical instinct, which is a
great help to proficiency i'll their art.
Boys are available for choir work be-
tween the ages of 0 and 16. AT an
earlier age than 0 they do not possess
intelligence to DO of service,
and except in rare cases their voices do
not last after tho sixteenth year.
For a time before their voices are en-
tirely lost boys are sometimes available
for the alto parasitic upper register
being useless-but this is a great injustice
to the chorister, as the value of his voice
in after years is by this course seriously
deprecated.
Boys voices have two registers, the
thick" and chin" In the first the
vocal chords vibrato in their whole thick
ness and in the latter only the thin edges
of the chords are employed.
The sweet, birdlike quality of the
trained chorister is due to the use of the
higher register or head tones rather than
to constant practice, as is generally sup
posed.
An unframed boy will sing naturally
in the thick register, producing a hard,
disagreeable tone, and his voice will
wear out long before the allotted period.
In addition to the flute like timbre
when the thin register is employed, the
compass of the voice is extended up to
G and A above the staff without effort,
notes which would be impossible for the
unframed boy to deliver.
In nearly all the supplied choirs BOYS
are paid a salary which varies from 81. so
to $40 monthly for chorus work, and
from $15 to $50 a month for s~oloists. Elk
ceptional voices command corresponding
salaries.
A system of fines for hardness, alb
sence and misbehavior is generally en-
forced as the most satisfactory method
of maintaining discipline, and it is prob
able that the angelic countenance of the
average choir boy is nourished by the
prospect of the salary which this course
will preserve intact.-New York World,
She Knew.
An up town teacher asked a girl how
many bones there were in her body, and
the glib girl nearly swallowed her chew
ing gum in her haste to answer 2O8..