Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-17
EASTER AND MUSIC.
The Gradual Triumph of Popular Har
monies Over Old Forms.

monies Over Old Forms.
The music to-day IN the churches OF the
| denominations which accord Easter special
recognition as a festival will be unusually
| beautiful and elaborate. The chOirs OF
| these churches have gwen much time TO
perfecting and rehearsing thelr pro-
grammes. and their personnel embrace
some OF the best vocal talent In the city,
who add to their cultivation zeal born
| of devotional spirit. In all ages music
| has been associated with devotional eX-
ercises. We find distinct evidence of
| this as far back as we can go III both sacred
and profane history. Music as an element
| OF worship seems TO have been as inherent
as the belief IN Supreme Being or
Beings. Yet the church music OF the
present is an illustration in q sense or the
! triumph OF the people over the Church,
and this is markedly true of Easter music.
which is the most striking OF the anti
| theses of the old forms.
CHURCH MELODY.
Church melody. as distinguished from
| the Greek declamatory methods, is gene
| rally attributed TO the influence of st.
Ambrose and st. Gregory, but harmony. 1t
| is accepted. comes from the northern peo:
pies and by appropriation by the Churcn or
popular airs and tunes. But while these
secular tunes were appropriated by or
astical authorities did not accept them
without struggle. and various edicts were
issued against them. The invasion OF
church forms BY the popular harmonies
had, in the latter part of the sixteenth
century. so confused the sacred syllables,
| 1t was declared that PalestTina was COM
manded to write music for the mass that
should be IN consonance with the deyo-
| tional spirit, while the counterpoint was
4 -, go : n.
GUS and only fit for proiane use.
The MISSION BBoADENED.
In time. however the impressions of the
Mime singers, the troubadours, the orato-
rio. the opera, so fastened themselves
upon the laity that the ecclesiastical
music. which vas itself undergoing a
| classical development and systematiza-
| ton. absorbed the best of these impress
sons. and the Church became the patron
| of an advanced school OF sacred com
posers. Thenceforth the mission of music
as a part of church worship was broad
ened. 1t lost It's perfnnctory character
and became more an interpreter OF lnul-
| yldual emotions. II began to be more q
| medium OF expression of the thoughts in
| svmpathy with the event 1t was employed
| in commemorating. 1t adjusted itself to
! th2-~-atural instincts OF the human
.Sart going back, as it were, to
! first principles in respect OF soul-wor-
| Ship, reverence, and praise. Though
| in comparatively recent years there
| have been reactlonary movements ~
| the matter of church music, especially
| in respect Of what may be classed strictly
as the hymnology IN some OF the Protes-
| tant churches, the general tendency has
| continued TO be towards appropriatlng the
most exquisite melodies and harmonies
| of all composers and the best art forms
and methods wherever they were suited tc
church occasion.
| CALLS FOR JOYOUS MUSIC.
Faster as observed in the Catholic, Epls'
| copal. and Lutheran churches calls toi
| JOYOUS music. IL il the season for exalta-
| ton. for the song OF gladness, and IN nc
| festival of the churches mentioned is the
| character Of the music rendered more III
keeping With the demands OF the season
or stronger complication of the popu.
| lar triumph to which reference has been
| made