The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-11-06
OPENING OF A NEW ORGAN.
Interesting Address. on Music by the
Very Rev. j. j. keane.
Especial to the Irish standard.)

Especial to the irish StanUdru.)
Belle PLANE, Mimi, Nov. monday,
Oct. 25 at 1880 the new organ was open
ed and played for the first time in the
Church of the Sacred Heart, Belle
PLANE, Judge Meyer, of Shakopee, pre-
siding at the new organ. There were
present in the sanctuary Very Rev. b. G.
Kennedy Very Rev. ]. ]. Keane, rector
of the Immaculate Conception church,
Minneapolis, the orator of the evening;
Rev. Fleming, of Shakopee, and Rev.
P. McCarron, of Assumption.
The service began with the overture
and hymn "Holy Mother" FIR. Keane
said in part:
am here this evening to assist
Father Kennedy in the opening Of
the new organ. Up to this it might
have been put to any use but now 1t is
dedicated to the praises Of Almighty
God.
Music among it's sister arts will live
on when the others cease to he. Paint
ing and sculpture end like hope and
faith end, with this life, but music, like
charity, will live on for eternity, when
music is pure and transcendant. The
emotions resulting from this sense Of
music are of the most spiritual char
acter. 1t gathers the sheep of the fold
around the shepherd.
There is scarcely an animal in the
field that is not aroused by it's strains.
The band of music on the mount OF
Gettysburg led on the multitude to the
Victory Of the north.
Two members of the house of lords
could not distinguish between note anc
note.
Music was early introduced into the
service of God
The first authentic record was on the
passing of the Red Sea when the He
brews were delivered from the Babylon
ian captivity.
The music of Moses was accompanied
by instruments of percussion, the singers
accompanying them.
attempt to reproduce that which trans
cends the Imagination.
The Jews preserved all they acquired
during the Babylonian captivity. At
the time of Solomon and David the sing
ing was accompanied by Instruments of
percussion and also winged Instruments
1t is till as it was in that day--enchant-
ing.
God Almighty gave to the human
mind the sense of music
Music was for sacred purposes and
was introduced into the Christian wor-
ship by the Lord himself, when He in
toned the hymn Of thanksgiving at the
last supper.
Philo and Euscbius mark the position
of music in the church choir
Toward the end of the fourth CEN
fury st. Ambrose reduced it to system,
called the Ambrosian chant. st. Angus
une, the great rector of the church,
owed his conversion in part to the beau
ty OF the Ambrosian chant. A little
later on there was introduced into the
sanctuary what we would now call the
atrlcal music This was reformed by
system of Pope Gregory the great, wao
Instituted the Grcgorian chant.
The Use of this prevailed down to the
middle ages when came the great mas
tiers. The music used out of the chur, II
mad it's inspiration from that which was
used IN the church. The theatrlcaI
music was not calculated to do Justice
to the service of God.
Palcstrina and other immortal names
were men OF genius and were inspired
with the emotions of faith and RELIGION
so 1t was with Mozart and Haydn. The
Mlscrcrc sung in the Sistne chapel AT.
home comes next to chant used by the
angels at birth of our Savior. Mozart
asked for a copy of that Misercre but
was only granted to hear rehearsal
the Pope answering that any one using
the original would be accommodated.
flc visited the Pope but the Pope said
that Mozart's was theft but there
was no communication for a man OF
genius.
When today lover of music would
hear inspiration of music he goes to tho
Catholic church.
1t is not surprising the nearer the
object of contemplation the more we are
impressed with it.
The nearncss of God Is the secret of
the creative power of genius so far as
music is concerned.
The Catholic musician knccling at the
altar feels himself as near to Jesus in
the Holy Eucharist as the shepherds felt
themselves near the incarnatc God at
the birth of midnight at Bethlehem.
What thoughts crowd into the mind
when the Catholic musician contem-
plates this fact of faith.
When we realize the nearness of Goa
In the Blessed Eucharist we find the
organ is ours when 1t is at its host
Singing is matter every one
should attend to and cultivate.
The organ will put rhythm and
expression to our voice. In your hearts
you love the presence of our Lord In the
sacrement of the Holy Eucharist. Tha,