The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-03-11
Soy cHoIRs.
Dimculties In Training That Suggest .
school For Choir MaGsers-


George j. Brewer. vino was a
member of a boy choir in England
when he was years old, and who
for many years has been a trainer
of boy choirs in England, Germany
and America, says that there IS 6
prejudice against such ohoirs in this
country f7r which there is good
ground. In The Church Economist
he says:
"The choirs are termed harsh in
vocal effort, insufficient in culture,
incapable of the spirit of true wor-
ship and churchliness, while the
boys voices are termed immature.
This feeling is almost entirely due
to the woeful lack of educated boy
choir masters-men who understand
boy nature and the boys voice.
Many capable choir masters who
have come to much success with the
adult voice ruin the boys voice by
training it by adult methods.
1.-The cultivation of the boy voice
is a special art. and a most delicate
one. Case after case has come to
my notice of choir masters, With lit
tie or no knowledge assuming di-
reotion of a boy choir. The newly
engaged choir master may be an adj
mirable organist-once in awhile n
capable boy choir master-but how
rarely is he bothl This state of af-
fairs is not entirely due to oversight
or ignorance. Thirty years ago
there was but one boy choir in New
York city, and 60 years ago the fea-
ture was a rarity i'll England. The
innovation would seem 10 have been
a curse as we'll as a blessing. In
America the average country town
cannot afford to hire boy ohoristers,
or, as is more often the case, boys
with good voices are not to be had.
In the suburban town the boy choir
is received with fair favor, as a rule,
and in the city there is abundant
opportunity for we'll organized ard
we'll trained choirs. There is a
wealth of material from which to
choose and a wide open purse with
which to procure that material So
1t is small wonder that the opulent
Episcopal churches in New York
oity, with their daily rehearsal, have
notable choirs.
"In England no choir master is
considered capable who has not long
/ ha oh rNf oh N
as a chorister. In America the rec
ords of the choir masters are scant
indeed. What is needed is a choir
masters school-rather a boy choir
masters school
Now as to the grade of music
sung by the average American boy
choir; it is too often the up to date,
modern church music, anthems in
particular. Some of these are un-
speakably crude and unchurchly
and insult the sanctuary in which
they are sung. How many parish
toner's are even specifically ac-
Quainted with the glorious compost
tions of the old masters of church
musio-Purcell, Crotch and a dozen
othersf l have brought to a perfect
test in my own choir the efficacy OF
the work of these old composers.
Their compositions are not beyond
the scope of the boy choir. 1t is all
a matter of constant and unremit.
ting training. Again, the chanting
of the psalms, in itself a difficult
feat, by whatever method of point.
ing, is often dieregarded, producing
the most wretohed results, whereas
all that is needed is careful training
at every rehearsal. My boys chant
any psalm at sight, merely because
Of endless going over at the rehear
sais, held not every day, but three
times a week.
THE boy choir is essentially suit
ed to the rendering of church music
and, in my judgment, is TO be pre-
ferred to an adult quartet or chorus
Boy choirs in this country are grow
ing in number, and, alas, theil
merit is not growing in proportion
The almost appalling question
What theni cannot be answered.
The boy choir master must be thu
post tactful kind of disciplinarian
There is everything in securing 4
rSfned class of boys. The choir
must have distinct moral tone, anC
that once gone there is little hope
The outsider little appreciates tb'
SOsk of keeping up the given stand
aId which the successful choir mas
ter must constantly impose upoI
himself. If the better class of lad
are secured, they may or may no
be smenabie. They do not work 81
heartily for the pay given as do th'
poorer boys, but. ON the other hand
they are more likely to reverence