The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-06-04
WOMEN IN CATHOLIC CHOIRS.
Decree by the Congregation OF Rites Bar
ring Them Out of Churches.

ring Them Out Of Churches.
The Archbishop OF Paris has lately ad-
dressed to the bishops and clergy under
him pastoral letter which forbids the
singing of women in the Roman Catholic
churches in France, either as soloists or
choristers. Cardinal Richard, who, in
addition to his rank as Archbishop of
Paris, is the metropolitan and Primate of
France. founds mis- probitioE upon In
structions which he received from the
Congregation of Rites at Rome. 1t is not
likely that the French Cardinal received
these instructions without solicitation on
his part. The proba bilities are that he
applied to Rome for advice in the matter,
and in that way drew out the views OF
the Congregation of Rites on the subject
of women singing in the churches
The part that women have played in
the musical portions OF the Roman Cath
Ollie services in France Is not in any way
similar to the work done by the women
choristers In the same churches here. The
objection to their participating in the
services in France arose recently from the
fact that opera singers and women, who
were discussed for other reasons than
their piety, were often found singing in
churches. In Paris tney appeared only
in incidental features OF the service, and
sang ut what Is known as the grand or
the main entrance. The mass Is sung by
the choir OF men and boys stationed at
the small altar, near the organ. The
choristers who sing the integral part OF
the service have not been women for
many years In France. 1t is SAID that
the singing OF the American prima dom
ma, Sibyi Sanderson, at the Madeline was
the direct cause ot Cardinal Richards
application to the Congregation of Rites
for the final ruling on the question. The
Congregation, of Rites is committee of
Cardinals appointed by the Pope TO inter-
pret the Churches law on matters Of rit-
ual and ceremonial practice. Olny about
q year ago there came from this body q
strong condemnation OF much OF the mu-
sic sung today in the Roman Catholic
churches and an exhortation 10 return to
the devotional and religious music OF the
kind written by Palestrina and the older
composers, as well as the canonjcal Gre
gorian music. In the opinion of the Con-
gregation much of the modern music was
held to be trivial and frivolous and little
adapted to the purposes OF piety and de-
votion.
One of the great authorities on ecclesi-
astical music In this country Is the Rev.
Father Graef. He Gays:
sit is only in the United States and
Austria" Father Graef said, "that women
go into the choirs and actually sing the
parts of the mass. This practice was pro-
hlbited in Germany 40 years ago, and
thorugb Cardinal Manning's influence 1t
was stopped In England. In France these
women soloists may sing at the mass, but
it is at the grand organ, and usually it Is
not part of the mass that they sing, but
some religious song. In the same way
Saint-Saers, who 10 the organist at the
Church of st. Eustache In Paris, does not
play the m usic Of the mass at the altar
organ, hut at the grand organ in the loft
he plays an tntyoit or onertorium. There
is only one occasion on which the mass 10
sung in its entirety by mixed voices OF
men and women, and that is on st.
Cecilia day, at the same church. when
various singing societies and we,-known
soloists meet together and sing in honor
of st. Cecilia. The singing OF women in
the churches goes on regularly in Aus
tria, which was the home OF everything
worldly and artificial in the music of the
church. Here, under Joseph H., COM
menced the masses OF Haydn and MOI
art, which have no place in the music of
the church. 'Josephinism' is the name
given to the influence of that monarch,
who acted as a little Pope and dictated
Just what he wanted done In the services
of theEhurch in music as we'll as in
decorations. The rococo school which
developed under him filed the churches
with degree Of lavish ornamentation
which good taste would not tolerate to-
day. The music Of the period is just as
inconsistent In accordance with our views
today.
''In this country now the. choir master
is in absolute charge OF the music of our
churches. He picks out what suits the
soprano or the contralto or the tenor
without any regard for the quality OF the
music, either in the devotional aspect or
its standard OF taste. 90 IL happens that
our services are full of the modern Italian
trash, and much that is.plainly forbidden
A.. IA. Dss. .t.a l....
piternal repetition OF the words OF the
mass and other mutilations which are
plainly forbidden by the laws Of the
church.
.'There is plenty Of modern music that
is good, and at the same time composed
in accordance with the demands of the
church. Gounod's 'Messe Solonelle' Is
good, although. like all of the French
school OF religious music, 1t is tainted
with a certain worldly spirit. But the
Gounod music IL the best. | once spent
five hours in a conversation with Gounod
explaining TO him what the demands of
the church were in regard To it's music.
There is,such good music as Stainer's in
England and Rhein berger's In Germany
which the cboirs. could draw on in addi-
ton to the older music, OF which there Is
an abundance. But there will never be
any Improvement In this country units
there is a ruling from the Pope which
will forbid tho singing OF any put the
approved music" This.is. certain TO come,
and until that time no Improvement is TO
be expected from the singers ana the
cbnirmss,ers.
Many of the women singers divide their
time between the choir lott and profes.
sional appearances, slthough that Is true
Of the Protestant rather than the Roman
Catholic services. Miss Clary, who sang
"Ben Bolt" for year in-thc- "tfrilby'
performances. was the coDtraito OF tfs
Cathedral choir. New York. Mime. Melba
sang Gounod's "Ave Marisn during the
mass at the Cathedral last Christmas dsv,
and occasicnally.singers in the opera COM
rany not 90 well known sing at the
different Roman Catholic services. Among
the women who sang I'M church was
Plancop, who moro than once was heard
I'm the services at the Church OF st. VIM
cent de Paul. But he usually sang during
fhe cffertory not in the nnass