Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-11

Pc WIN also . change in the
AZ W location Of the choir in
AN AN ~ the church. Under the
hW old regime the choir
wv was composed Of men
- vsnen singers placed slofs In gallery en-
ttrsiy sspafass from The congregation and often
shut fn By curtains which excluded them from
IN obsUNton- In this isolated position, as
vsll q ofssutimes by the character of the
muEo sung, thee singers nonopoized entirely
ths praise portion Of ths service, and that in q
way not alvays inspiring devotion or tending
to edifcstion- Solos, duets, trios and choruses
from tbs opera, secular songs Of all description,
IN fact, ANYTHING that was melodious and sing
able vHs fitted 70 sacred words and pressed into
the service Of the church without the shghtes.
compunction - to the source from which il was
taken, the musical portion Of the service, in
fact, being often entirely subordinated to in
divfdual vocal display.
Choirs and organs are now being brought
down from their elevated positions and placed
nearer the vorshipers, and the congregations
are accepting the privilege Of taking part In the
musical portion Of Divine worship. Ritualism
has little or nothing 70 do with this change: for
In kngiand the boy choirs are as universally
found IN churches and cathedrals where there Is
aa utter lack Of anything like high ritual in the
servica.
q B. whitney, organist and choirmaster Of
Ne Church Of the Advent, In Boston, in an e1-
cellsnt article on the subject of Supplied
Boy Chotrs IN Americs," says in answer TO the
question: "Why was the boy choir introduced to
supplant the quartet and chorus?' as follows:
"We think that the reason hes In this fact, that
earnest people are more and more demanding
distinctive church music, distinctively rem
dersd, distinctive in its form, like the architect
dr0yf IN, nh rrh n ,arfN cd
No one would mistake Cologne Cathedral for
. town ball or . court house. So no one ought
TO mdsAks . church anthem for an opera cho-
rus or secular part song. Music written for
tbs church should bear the church stamp. In
any cass let it be distinctive, something the
uke Of which one vii not be likely to hear at
the opera house or concert hall There should
not enter into sacred music anything Of friv
eloQs character, nor should it suffer from hap
Aaaard construction
This general desire for distinctive church
xnnec b natural outcome after many years,
during which suffering congregations have
hesu tortured and rscked with church music,
Do-called, OF no character whatever-transcrip-
lions Of operate selections-snd music written
to order for quartet choirs, giving in turn each
voice Of the quartet . solo, with no pretense to
any form Of artisttc construction, according to
tAs rules and canons Of the choral art, followed
BY W best writer's of church music. As we
have no distinctive American school Of church
mother country, to England, where q distinctive
style Of music has prevailed for years. The
many cathedrals throughout the country have
called for organists and composers of scknowl-
edged ability, 10 whom the whole religious world
Is indebted for services and anthems of the
highest order, which being introduced into our
churches have been the means Of driving out
Ne himsy compositions and so-called sacred
nusic which before prevailed
As to the permanency Of boy choirs it NAV be
said that once adopted they are invariably re-
tanned
DIFFICULTY OF TRAINING BOY cHorRs
Tho vocal difficulties Of boy choir training,
although great, are not insurmountable. The
persistent tendency Of choir boys 20 fall back
into their rough method Of using their voices
requires unremitting care on the part Of the
ehouraAster. Boys are useful "a choristers
when they are between the ages Of nine aud six
teen years. Under nine they do not evince suf-
hcient musical intelligence TO be of much
service. Over sixteen their voices are on the
verge Of mutation When their voices break
they Cease to be useful Is choristers and it is
NOT proper 1or them to continue singing until
ne voice becomes settled Although a skillful
voice trimmer can at times manage a bows voice
% snas he can sing all through mutation with
out injury, nevertheless the rule to stop sing
Ing vhsn the change 10 apparent should not
- dtRsgsrded- The responsibilities on the
part Of the choirmaster are very great and re-
qutre . knowledge Of church music and partic-
ularly Of that church music which is suitable
Tor boys voices, combined with professional
akhl end ability, and above all gentleness and
dsvoe0n.
TIE PROPORTION OF PARTS.
Ths proportion Of parts in q well-regulated
boy choir should Be 30 arranged - TO have az
many veI-srained sopranos there are basses,
tenors and altos For example, TO balance
twelve good soprano voices there should be
four bosses, four tenors and four altos. But
voicss diHsr % much in force and CARRYING
power thas no definite rule can be followed.
In some Of the large choirs in New York about
thirty-fvs voices are employed, viz: Sixteen
sopranos. i've altos, seven tenors and eight
baosa The number Of rehearsals varies accord
ing 60 the style Of music rendered and the
sofdty Of the choir to read music readily. Re-
Aearsals are held in the choir room usually
twice weekly and in some Of the more success
ful ehotfs three times. each rehearsal averaging
An hour and 9 half in length. the last being with
the fou choir IN the church Many listeners
sxprsss wonder as the facility with which the
uste chorissers render forid passages Of the
most dincuh music, but these results are ac-
comphshed by the skill and patience of the
chofrmaster and Intelligent labor on the part of
The choristers- The sweet, bird-like quality of
the trained ehorister Is due to the use Of the
higher register or head tones rather than to
constant practice, as is generally supposed
refined classic taste is easily engendered il
standard music is used. Boys keenly appre-
efats the works Of the great composers, and win
ofsen SHOW undisguised contempt for weak and
fnsfpid compositions The ear in childhood
develops 80 rapidly that impressions are re-
ceived and habits formed which it is difficult to
eradicate in after years. Bright, nervous,
energetic boys, who are fond Of music make
the best choristers.
The musical knowledge gained By boy dur
ing bis membership in q vested choir Is OF great
value 10 him in after life, especially il his voice
becomes Of good tenor or base quality; and
many Of the best church and concert soloists
began their career as chorister boys. Many
elements contribute ~ the successful work Of .
choir, such - the size and position of the organ
end the acoustics Of the church A large church
with tiled floor modifes many defects Of rem
dition- Place the same choir in a small edifce
with easpeted roors and every voice is distinctly
hsard, there being little acoustic resonance.
caoia GUILDS.
The growth Of surpliced ehOirs has in many
parts Of tbs country brought about the obssrv-
anee Of annual festivals, in which the interest
H. l-s- -