The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-16
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BILL ARP.
Bill Gives a Chapter on Music
atlanta Constitution

Music is the only employment that IS
innocent, refining and that cannot be IN
dulged in to excess. 1t stands by itself
rs the peculiar gift of God. 1t is the only
art that is alike common to angels and to
men. 1t has wonderful compass and
variety, and yet from the grandest to the
simplest it is all pleasing and all innocent
Every other pleasure can be carried 10
dissipation, but not music.
The highest order of music is that which
we never hear, but only read about ana
wonder. 1t is called the music OF the
spheres-the grand symphony that IS
made by the planets and other heavenly
bodies coursing around the sun, and
which Milton says is only heard by GOD
and the angels. don't suppose that such
creatures as we are, afflicted and limited
with original sin, could bear that kind OF
music. The child that is charmed with a
lullaby or soothed to sleep with, "Hush,
nv dear. Lie still and slumber," would
be frightened at an oratorio from Handel.
But musical taste is progressive like ev-
cry other good thing. The time was when
I thought "Billy in the low grounds" and
"Bonaparte crossing the Rhine perfectly
splendid, but don't now. 1 have ad-
vanced to a higher grade. By degrees
the children have educated me, and as
they climb up climb little, too. Time
was when I thought kathleen Mavou-
reen' the sweetest song, and my wife,
whom was courting, the sweetest singer
in the world. But I don't now-that is,
mean the song. There are sweeter
songs. T don't wish to be misunderstood
about the singer. No doubt her voice has
the same alluring, ensnaring, angelic ely
sian sweetness it had forty years ago, more
or less, but the fault is in me, for when a
man has been once allured and ensnared
and is getting old and deaf be- loses some
of his gushing appreciation. Neverthe-
less, when her eldest daughter touches
the ivory keys and sings Longfellow's
beautiful hymn of
daylight is done and the darkness
Falls from the wings of night"
my appreciation seems to come back and
it makes me calm and serene.
There is nothing in all nature that so
proves tho goodness of God to his crea-
lures as in giving to them the love of mu-
sic and the faculty to make it. 1t is the
cheapest and most universal pleasure.
Much of it costs nothing, for hear it in
the winds and waves, the trees, the wa
terfalls, and from the birds and insects.
1t is of many kinds, from the pealing an
thom that swclls the note Of praise in
Westminster Abbey down to the planta-
ton harmonics Of the old time darkies
around the corn pile. Between these ex-
tremes we have the music of the drama,
the concert, the nursery and the drawing
room.
1 was having these thoughts because
Mrs. Arp and the children were prac-
ticing some Church music in the parlor,
preparing for Sunday. Some of the fam
lily belong to the choir, and it is good
thing to belong to. Choirs have their lit
tie musical fuses sometimes and get in
the pouts; but, nevertheless, it is good
place to raise children. 1t makes them 60
to Church and to Sunday School, and 60
early, and if they are facing the congre-
CATION they have to keep awake and be-
have dccently, and they do their best to
look pretty and sing sweetly. I used to
belong to the choir, and it was there Mrs.
Arp saw mo and ever and anon heard the
sweet strains of my melodious tenor
voice. But alas that voice has changed
to bass at one end and falsetto at the
other, and "thcre's melancholy crack in
my laugh"
Young man, young woman, If you
have any gifts for music you had better
Join the Church choir, but if you havn't,
don't.
Sacred music is very much varied ac-
cording to denominations. The Roman
Catholic Church is the oldest and richest
and has the most passionate music and
tho finest organs, and embraces a render
ing of such intense words as are found in
the "Agnus Del" and Gloria in Excelsis,
and the litany and chants of the old mas
ters. The Protestant Church has rejected
the dramatic style and confined its music
to hymns and psalms of sober temper,
and in the main has done away with the
fugue and galloping style of one part
chasing another through the vocal har-
monies. I remember when it was the
fashion in fashionable choirs to give one
part several feet the start in the race and
tho others would start later and overtake
it before they all got to the end of the line.
There is a hymn beginning, II love to
steal awhile away" and the tenor would
start out with 81 love to steal'-- and
then the alto would prance up with 81
love to steal, and then the bass confessed
tho unfortunate frailty, 81 love to steal" "
and hurried on for fear the first man