Birmingham age-herald., 1895-08-29
CHURCH MUSIC IN ITALY.
With Few Exceptions, the Chors Are Far
 From Satisfactory

Churchman.
 The music in the Italian churches, so far as my observation has gone, is poor very poor, worse than any we hear in America. It is never congregational, is sung by indifferent choirs, and is almost always unisonal The attack is ragged, the voices do not keep together and there is no attempt at expression. The organ is always played forte, and the accom- paniment is frequently independent of the voices. In cathedrals the services are sung in week days by the clergy, as- sisted, in some cases, by the vicar's cho- ral. On Sundays high mass and vespers are usually sung by choirmen behind the high altar or in an elevate tribune at one side of the choir. Boys are seldom found in choirs. When there are many choristers they sing only certain numbers in the service, and they never join in the responses or amens. In fact, have neY- CT heard a concerted response or amen
 in an Italian church, but l have heard two or tree men, and indeed one woman, make all the responses, in the ''parson and clark duet fashion which prevailed in English churches during the past cen tury Except in two or three Roman choirs the boys seemed to be allowed to sing in chest tones, vociferously and with limited compass.
 The salaries of organists and singers are absurdly small. l was told by an American gentleman, who has resided for many years in Florence, that the pay of the organist of the Cathedral is 10 cents day. The choirmen of St. Peters, in Rome, receive $50 a month and sing aa two services every day. These salaries are exceptionally munificent.
 The music is generally plain song, but often so badly sung as to be scarcely recognizable. The people seem to take no interest in the music, and no effort ap- pears to be made to attract them to church or inspire their devotion by means of it. There is seldom large or even good sized congregation at high mass, and always a small one at vespers. The last named is the only choir office at which the organ is used. The other of- fees are sung daily in Cathedrals-some- times in a capello di caro-and the people pay no attention to them.
 In every church, no matter how small, there is a succession of low masses, each lasting from twenty minutes to half an hour. and these are attended by the peo- pie. They do their Sunday duty in about thirty minutes and then they are free to amuse themselves for the rest of the day. Even high mass does not always occupy an hour. I was present in the Cathedral of Siena when the archbishop celebrated, and the whole function was over in half an hour.
 There are some notable exceptions to the rule of bad music. In the Annuncia- tor in Florence I heard a modern mass well sung by a choir of about thirty men, singing in three and four parts. The in- adequate organ was supplemented by wind and string instruments. This was one of a series of subscription masses got up by some music loving Florentines.
 There are three chors in Rome of great excellence, the Sistne, St. Peters and the Lateran. The first of these sings only tba D1uSip of pa1aGtriDa composers of that class. The other two chors indulge in the most dorid modern compositions. The singers are all we'll trained and have excellent voices The boys of these choirs have beautiful voices and sing with intelligence. and consequently they stand alone In Italy. In these three Roman choirs the soprano soloiSts are men whose voices have been artistically preserved. The principal so- prano of the Lateran is 40 years old and he has a voice that has the sweet ness and freshness of boy of 13, with the strength and finish of prima donna. The principal soprano of the Sistine Chapel is known in Rome as ''the pope's angel" The choir master of St. John Lateran is Gaetano Capocci, a composer of no mean order. His setting of Psalm cxiii, Laudate pueri. chorus for boys voices, in three parts, with tenor solo and obligato is one of the most charming things I ever heard. It may be remarked here that at the Lateran and at St. Pe- ter's on great festivals the psalms at vespers are sung as anthems. I heard them several times and there was not a note of chanting. On each occasion it took two hours to sing the office.
 It is perfectly well understood that the pope has declared that plain song is the only authorized and canonical church music, and there is current under standing that he commanded that, and that only. to be used. Marveling at the inconsistency of his own choirs, I in auired of several Roman ecclesiastics the reason. The. substance of the n- formation received is as follows: The pope has officially pronounced plain song