The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-12-13
ON BACH and HANDEL
MI. Thomas Whitney Surstls Delivers the
Second Of His University Lectures.
CENTENARY N. E. CHURCH CROWDED.
A brilliant Prog ammo Rendered In
illustration ofthe Lecture by Local
Taient-lIe Talks of What Is Right
and whnt In Wrong In Church Music
"A Delighted, Audience.

| The second lecture In the course Of
six on THE Development of Music
| which are being given IN Norfolk by MIR.
| Thomas Whitney Surette. was deliver
| ed last night In the Centenary Metho-
dist Church. before an audience that
completely filled the building. Mr..
| Surette began his discourse by reBtat-
ing briefly the methods and purposes of
| University Extension, and by showing
how necessary and important a move.
ment 1t is and what II Is doing for the
! people of this country.
Education" Mr.. Surette said "means
| happiness and comfort: IL means better
| understanding OF the great things which
the world has produced: better futures
for YOUR children: Ii means better nm
Outstanding of the laws of hygiene, which
.ilnss better health: 1t means better
( politics. better roads, better ciyilfza-
! lion as whole.
| with me ii means better music, and
! talk as you may about all the other
things, believe 1t to be of great and
vital Importance that we should learn
TO love and practice this art, which
Is the universal medium by which men
are lifted out OF the mean and low into
the ideal.
hat music as an art hardly exists in
our midst. In the large cities we have
great orchestras-the best In the world.
We even have great opera (Which Is n
much more difficult matter), but In the
country at large there is comparatiyrly
tile musical taste that is directed I'm
the right channels. Anybody Is thought
'ood enough to be a music teacher or
rgnnlst, and the result Is our children
ire taught sugary piano pieces like
Monastery Bells. and in our churches
we are liable to hear music that might
belong to a comic opera
Only the other day continued Mr..
Surette. the New York Sun had an
criticize In condemnation of the ridicu-
ious-not to say Notwithstanding that
were sung in churches, and in that pa
Dor an earnest protest was entered
against the prevailing style of much of
our church music.
IF we are conscious of our conversu.
ton and demennor In church why not
of our music? Why sing music which
IS associated with irreligious things?
Why music which snvors so strongly of
he dance that 1T sets our feet goint :?
would be Just as logical to put part
ngs or secular subjects on the walls
81 me church The fact that there nre
sacred words doesn't make the music
sacred. '"''e
Yet there is such thing as sacred
music-music which has been composed
ny men who have devoted their lives to
me work; which Is decorous. devout
music which expresses devotion and
aspiration as prayer does. Why not
use such things? instead Of those ridi-
culous and trivial pieces by such men
have been 'soap?0"
The lecturer gave a very practical
ana interesting talk on hymns and
hymn singing and showed how certain
styles of hymns should be sung All
this was admirably Illustrated by the
lecturer at the organ. The main idea
SEEMED to be that while It is bad
enough to have poor music in the house
and the concert stage, il was another
matter when It came to church, where
pad music was, In way. sort of
tofanation.
In speaking OF Bach, the lecturer
drew an interesting picture of his
daily life and showed how his bringing
up and all the conditions which sur
rounded him operated to turn his mind
in the direction 1t went, and how he
pcrte2ted that school which had for its
basi9 the idea of writing music in
which every part was a melody by it.
self.
Bach pursued the even tenor of his
way" said Mr.. Surctte, regardless OF
his seeming obScurity. He was found
fault with by the congregation of his
church In Leipsic much as organists are
to-day. That is. usually by people who
don't know what they are talking about
Give me a thoroughly hnmusical
person for a good. sweeping criticism"
said the lecturer, me Is prepared to sit
In judgment on the efforts OF any per-
former, however eminent and Is entire.
ly oblivious to the ridiculous position
he puts himself in.
One person doesn't like the soprano
in the choir; another thinks the an
thems are not 'tuney' enough and so on
until the organist. If he listens. wishes
he was a brlcklayer instead OF an Or
ganiSt.
why not get a good organist, pay
him enough. at least, to keep his soul
and body together, and then support his
Judgment, which is apt to be better
than yours"
In taking up Handel the lecturer
spoke of the origin of the Oratorio. and
mentioned one very curious specimen
called Jonah" in which Jonah, him
self, having made his perilous descent,
sings solo de profundis." Handel,
said Mr.. Surette, after spending the
first half of his life writing Italian
operas, finally tried the oratorio, and
there found his true place. His style
was strongly influenced by the Italians
with whom he studied, and we see
the Influence in many Of his oratorio
arias, which are Notwithstanding long
passages of notes sung rapidly, all in
one word"
Mr.. Surette's organ playing was suf-
ficiently entertaining and interesting
to make the evening successful, aside
from, the lecture itself; but the num-
Der of good things that were said
about church music and choirs must
have well repaid the large audience
for going to the entertainment.
The programme included the follow
ing: