Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-06

churches, but all denominations make
special effort to present good music on
Easter. In this city the choirs are usually
augmented for that occasion, and some of
them have the assistance of an orchestra
in addition to the organ. This is true es-
pecially in the Catholic churches, where, on
Easter Sunday, several choirs will be &C
companied by full orchestras.
The choir practice for the Easter music
commences long before the approach of
the festal day. and the different directors
are anxious that the forces under their
control should do their best work. Addi-
tional rehearsals are given as the time
draws near, and the finishing touches are
sometimes put on only within the last
week. There are thirteen Episcopal
churches in this city that have vested
choirs. Two Of these, the Epiphany and
Trinity, have ladies vested as well as the
men and boys. In the others the vestments
are confined to the male members of the
choir. With such a complete combination
OF voices the choirs are enabled to render
some exceedingly beautiful music with re-
markable effect. Some of these choir boys
have voices as true, as pure, as clear and
as sweet as the most finished soprano, and
they deliver the devotional work assigned
them with exceeding beauty.
These elaborate programs of music add
10 the fmpressiveneSs of the services and
Undue the congregation with higher de-
Votonal sentiment The character of the
music on Easter is, of course, of the most
joyous character. for it all typifies the
risen Christ and the completion Of the di-
vine scheme OF salvation. 1t Is in great
&C ntrast with the somber and weird chants
that are sung during holy week in the
Episcopal and Catholic churches. In the
Catholic churches during holy week. while
the music is of mournful character it is
mob hot
Easter. Mercadante's Seven Last Words
is usually given in one or more of the Cath
ono churches, and those who have heard
the solemn strains of this great COMPOST
ton know how thrillingly it affects a con-
gregation.
Washington Is fortunate in possessing a
large number of excellent singers who are
Eeard in the different choirs and so there
is no composition too difficult or intricate
10 be given proper Interpretation by
Washington church choirs. All the churches
cannot afford high-priced choirs, but those
that are In good circumstances usually
have paid quartet supported by a chorus
of greater or less size. The mas es used in
the Catholic church and the tie deums and
1ubilates of the Episcopal service demand
Tor their proper and effective delivery not
only good solo voices but the support of
full and well-trained chorus
The greatest composers have put forth
Their loftleSt and highest efforts in church
music. and. of course these works need
to be given by the best trained choirs The
masses of Haydn, RoSsini and Gounod are
among the best of the works of those great
muslc1arS, and they can be heard in some
one Of the Catholic churches on any Sun
day. There are also in this city large
number of excellent musicians, so that the
orchestras that will be required for the diff
1efent churches are easily obtained. In
many instances the players are amateurs
but the reliance is placed upon the pro-
fessional musicians who are engaged for
the day.
The task of a choir director at .this time
is by no means an easy one. He is anxious
that the music should go with its best eff
feet. He knows that rehearsals are nee
essary and yet he Is not always sure of
having full force at the rehearSals. If he
has engaged an orchestra, he knows that
rehearsals with that orchestra must be
had, and oftentimes 1t is impossible to Sc
cure more than one meeting Of choir and
orchestra together. But with all his care
and anxiety, when the day comes and the
congregation is assembled and his choir
and orchestra are in their places and the
hour for the service arrives, he waves his
atom with a confidence born of his knowl-
edge of the work, and usually everything
passes off satisfactorily.
The churches are usually more crowded
on Easter than on other festival days. be-
cause it comes in the spring Of the year,
when the sun is just beginning to make
the warmth of his rays felt, when the
cold weather has passed and both sexes
don their spring attire. The young girl
who hasn't u new suit or bonnet for Easter
is in awful hard luck. She generally has,
and she goes to church not particularly to
show II at new spring suit, but incidentally
she knows that people will observe it. The
sermons at Easter are, rule, of
higher order than ordinary Sundays,
for the clergyman feels that with the adj
ditonal preparation Of the choir for good
music. he must also put forth additional
efforts to attract the attention of his hear
ers and to impress upon them the great
lesson of the day.