The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-07
MUSICAL MATTERS.

The first Sunday in May, as yesterday
| was, is always an important event III ''cholrs
| and places where they sing,n for on that day
| the new soloist, choir master or organist
begins his years engagement with the
| church. Among the churches of Jersey
City Yesterday only a few choirs were or
their first appearance and these really hao
| only a change in the s~oloists. The body OF
the choir was the same. In two instances
there was a change Of organist and choil
master. The change in the choir OF the Park
Reformed Church was O noticeable one ano
| with a little musical holystoniDg and sand
| papering the new choir will be one OF the
best in the city.
Yesterday it made it's debut with a special
programme e~xcellently selected as a test OF
It's powers
The new show has a splendid array of
| voices but these are noJ well balanced yet.
| 1t needs a few contraltos, tenor and bass
voices.
This was shown in Narcotics Lord Our
| Governor and in the hymns it could not be
denied that although the choir was top
| heavy in voices, too many sopranos, the
quality of the volume was superb.
The solo Fear Not" sung by Mrs. M. 3,
| Reading. at the evenings offertory, and chat
| sung in the morning by Mr.. Frank Maulin,
| were admirable specimens of good church
| solo work. In the mornings service Mr.. w.
#. Williams played an organ prelude by
| HAYDN. and at the evenings service a pre-
Jude by Dudley Buck, in both OF which he
| showed what an artistic touch and fine senti-
| ment can do towards Transforming an ap-
| ~parently c~olorleSs melody into a delightfully."-
| ornate theme.
Mr.. Williams has q good choir, and both
choir ami congregation are to be congratu-
lated on the possession of an able and eff
| cient ~organist and choirmaster.
In the Temple BETHEL, York street, last
| night, the choir gave the congregation a
/ rare treat. One of the best concerts of the
kind was given under the direction of Mr..
Joseph Eisinger, the organist Of the Temple.
He secured the services of the Swedish
LADIES' Quartette, whose singing was ex-
| tremely delightful. The leading solo soprano
was Mrs. Ray Lederer, an artist in every
sense of the word. MIR. John Bolze, from
the Collegiate Church, New York, was the
solo bass, and Mr.. Henry Dickman, formerly
Of the German Opera, was the principal
tenor. These artists. it Is needless to add,
maintained their high reputation. Mr..
Gustave Rodini was pianist. Mr.. Elslnger,
the organist of tho Temple BETHEL, begins
/ a year under the most favorable conditions
and when he has carried out all he Intends
to do. there will not be better choir singing
in this city than to be found IN the syna-
| gogue on York street.
The Bergen Baptist Church cnoir, under
the leadership of Mr.. Arthur Preston, made
a splendid showing yesterday, The MUSIC
Committee of the church has decided to re-
tain the services of the famous Bradford
Trio for the remaining Sundays in the
month. The refined singing of this body
| was a distinct feature of yesterdays ser
vices, and when they leave at the end of the
( month they will be very much missed.
MIR. Preston's new choir is o strong one,
| and much good work may be expected from
| it. If good choral work can be extracted
| from it, Mr.. Preston is the man who can ac-
| complish that end. He is a sound musician
| and an efficient leader.
Mr.. Moritz Z. SchwarZ, formerly assistant
| o~rganist of st. Johns Free Church, played
/ his first service yesterday in Grace ?. b.
Church, Erie street, III which he will otiiclate
| as o~rganist st. Johns loss is Grace Church's
| gain as Mr.. Moritz Schwarz is a good patient
choirmaster and ex cellent organist and a
trained director.
Yesterdays choral services were not of a
| special character, but what was rendered
was presented well.
Mr.. S. S. Ritson, the newly appointed
| organist and choirmaster of Christ Episcopal
| Church, assumed direction Of the choir al
| Yesterdays services. The choir composed OF
| rood material is not fairly balanced yet, but
Mr.. Ritson will, no doubt, put matters
straight in a few days. There is the volume
| and the tinbre and the congregation vii
hear some first-class choral work at the ser
vices in fine fufilre.