Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-09-02
MUSIC or ST. PETERS.
rhe Choir eipx. It at Sight without
Reh-aroal.

G00 &001B 0l089 ~ NJ 0A80B ~ 1g000E
Reh-arsaL
Opposite the Chapel Of the Sacrament
& the Chapel Of the Choir. st. Peters
y q cathedral. and = managed BY .
.hapter Of canons. each Of whom has
his sent In the choir, and his vote in the
disposal Of the cathedrars income.
which Is considerable. The chapter
maintains the choir of St Peters. a
body Of musicians quite independent Of
the so-called "POpe's choir" which is
properly termed the "choir of the Sis
tine Chapel" and which IL paid by the
pOpe
No musical Instruments are ever used
in the Sistine. In the choir. on the con-
trary. there are two large organs. The
pne on the west side is employed on all
ordinary occasions: 1t is over two hum
Tired years old. and Is tuned about two
whole tones below the modern pitch. 1t
Is 50 worn out that an organ-builder is
In attendance during every service TO
make repairs at a moments notice.
The bellows leak. the stops stick. some
notes have a chronic tendency to ICY
pher." and the pedal 'trackers" un-
hook themselves Unexpectedly. But the
canons would certainly not think of
building q new organ.
Should they ever do 30. and tune the
Instrument to the modern pitch, the
CONSERVATION Of the singers would he
great; for the music is all written for
the existing organ. and could not be
performed two notes higher. not to men,
ton the confusion that would arise
where all the music is sung at sight.
This is fact not generally known, but
worthy of notice. The music sung in
st. Peters. and. indeed. In most Roman
churches. is never rehearsed or prac-
ticed. The music itself is entirely In
manuscript. and is the property Of the
choirmaster. or. as is the case In st. Pc
ter's. of the chapter. and there IL no
copyright in 1t beyond this fact Of ac-
tual possession, protected by the simple
plan OF never allowing any musician to
have his part in his hands except while
he Is actually performing 1t.
In the cOurse'of a year the same piece
may be sung several times. and the
old chOristers may become acquainted
with a good deal OF the music In this
way. but never otherwise. Mozart Is
reported to have learned Allegri's Mis-
erere by ear, and to have written 1t
down from memory. The other famous
Misereres, which are now published.
were plrated In a similar way. The
choirmaster of that day was very un-
popular. Some Of the leading singers
who had sung the Misereres during
many years in succession, and had thus
learned their several parts, met End
put together what they knew Into n
whole, which was at once published, 20
the no small annoyance and discOmfl-
ture OF their enemy. But much good
music is quite beyond the reach OF the
public-Palestrina's best mOtets, airs by
Alessa udrO Stradella. the famous hymn
of Raimondi, in short. n great musical
library. an archiviO. as the Romans call
such a collection. oil OF which is practi-
cally lost to the world.
1t Is wonderful that under such cir
cumstances the choir Of st. Peters
should obtain even such creditable re-
suits. At moments notice an organ
ist and about n hundred singers are
called upon to execute a fiorid piece OF
music which many of them have never
seen or heard: the accompaniment IL
played at sight from n mere figured
bass, on tumble down instrument two
hunured years old. and the singers. both
the solOists and the chorus. sing from
thumbed bits of manuscript parts writ
ten In old fashioned characters on pa
per often green with age. No one has
ever denied the extraordinary musical
facility Of Italians. but II the general
musical world knew how Italian church
music Is performed it would be very
much astonished.
1t is no wonder that such music Is
sometimes bad. But sometimes II is
very good; for there are splendid voices
among the singers and the Maestro
Renzi. the chief Organist. is n man of
real talent as well as Of amazing facil-
ity. His undermining influence Is coun-
terbalanced by that Of the Old choir
musician, who would not for his life
change a hair Of the old-fashioned ira
ditions. Yet there are moments, on
certain days, when the effect OF the
great old organ, with the rich voices
blending In some good harmony. Is very
solemn and stirring. The outward per
suasive force of religion lies largely in
its music. and the religions that have
no songs make few proselytes.-Cen
tury.
When RovcrAiRna C0nHee