Evening star., 1898-02-09
BOY CHOIRS.
Difficulties in Training That suggest
n school for Choirmasters.

From th. Church Economist
George J. Brewer who was a member of
a boy choir i'll England when he was seven
years old and who for many years has
been a trainer of boy choirs in England,
Germany and America. says that there IS
Il prejudice against such choirs in this
country for which there is good ground
He says.
The choirs are termed harsh in vocal
effort. insufficient in culture, incapable OF
the spirit of true worship and churchliness,
while the boys voices termed imma-
ture. This feeling is almost entirely due to
the woefuI. lack of educated boy choir
masters-men who understand boy nature
and th,. boys voice. Many capable choir
masters VINO have come TO much success
with the adult voice ruin the boys voice by
training ii by adult methods.
The cultivation of the boys voice Is a
special art, and a most delicate one. Case
after case has come to my notice of choir
masters. With little OF 30 knowledge, as
summing direction of boy choir. The new
ly engaged choirmaster may be an admir-
able Organist--once in a while a capable
boy chOiTmaster-but how rarely is ne both!
Ills state Of affairs Is not entirely due to
oversight or ignorance. Thirty years ago
there was but one boy choir in New York
city, and sixty years ago the feature was a
rarity in England. The innovation would
seem to have been curse as well as a
blessing. In America the average country
tCwn cannot afford TO hire boy choristers,
or. as is more often the case, boys with
cd voices are not to be had. In the sub
urban town the boy choir is received with
fair favor, as a rule. and in the city there Is
ahtndan- opportunity for well-organized
and well-trained Choirs. There is a Wealt n
of material from which TO choose, and a
Nide-Opsn purse with which TO proc cure
that material. So il is small wonder that
the opulent Episcopal churches in New
York city. with their daily rehearsal have
notable chOirS.
In England no choirmaster is considered
capable who has not long been under the
shadow of a church a chorister. In
America the records of the choirmas ters
are scant indeed What is needed is a
choirmaSters' sChool-rather, a boy choir
masters Sc hool.
Now. as 10 the grade of music sung by
the average American boy choir. 1t is too
cften the up-to-date. modern church mu-
sic, anthems In particular. Some of these
are unspeakably crude and unchurchly,
and insult the sanctuary in which they are
sung. How many parishioners are even
sIFerficially acquainted with the glorious
compositions of the old masters of church
ustc-Purcell. Crotch, and a dozen others
1 have brought 10 Il perfect test In my own
choir the efficacy of the work of these Old
composers Their compositions are not be-
yOnd the scope of the boy choir; II is all a
matter Of constant and unremitting train
ing Again. the chanting of the Psalms, in
ITSELF, "A difficult feat, by whatever method
OF pointing. is often disregarded, producing
the most wretcheG results, whereas all that
Is needed is careful training at every re-
hearsaL Ny boys chant any Psalm at
sight. merely because of endless going over
az rehearsa.s. held not.every day, but three
times a week.
The boy choir Is essentially suited to the
rendering of church music, and, in my
Judgment. is to be preferred to an adult
quartet or chorus. Boy choirs In this coun-
try are growing in number-and, alas,
their merit is not growing in proportion.
The almost appalling question, What
them cannot be answered.
The boy choirmaster must be the most
tactful kind of disciplinarian. There Is
everything in securing a refined class of
Toys The choir must have a distinct
moral tone, and that once gone. there is lit