The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-02-26
DENOUNCED TIE HYMNAL.
Prof. Parker's Little War Against
EpiscopaI Church Tunes.

Prof. Horatio w. Parker of the depart
ment Of music Of Yale university. has
aroused tempest among ecclesiastical
men, musicians and church singers by de-
nouncing the hymnal OF the Protestant
Episcopal church. says the New York
Journal. He did so at the Episcopal club
OF Massachusetts,. the meeting being neld
at Boston. and he made his remarks bold
~ In the presence of DR.. Charles L.
Hutchins. the editor of the hymnal.
Prof. Parker declares that the Episco-
pal hymn tune Is the lowest form Of
music with the exception OF 'he Anglican
chants which are scarcely To be 1istin-
gusshed from vegetable productions" so
heavy and stupid are they. He does not
think that because hymns are necessarily
simple they should be necessarily bad
He belives that AN ordinary well-behaved
dog who follows out his life work is
nobier than a bad organist teaching chill
drcn music they cannot understand ano
ought not 10 sing. The hymnai now In
use Ia unsatisfactory and undignifed 1t
was got out in hurry. like an extra edit
ton OF an evening newspaper. and every
thing WAS subordinatei 10 haste. The
proof reading is shocking and no effort
was made 10 raise the standard Of the
tunes nor the hymns themselves. There
should be something worth while between
the simplicity OF our forefa'aers and the
mawkishness and xplatiiades OF our mod
ern hymnaI says She professor. He asks
why the good old minor tunes have van
iSired from the present collections Mary
Of the ancient tunes are stlii vigorous.
While some Of the meslern ones have
grown shiny at the elbows.
In the course 90 his remarks Mr.. Parker
paused 70 denounee himself He IL ,hr
author Of hymn NJ. y. Our Day %
Praise is Done which be seemed to
any Intelligent editor would have exciud-
ed IT, "rt is foi~raoie though. except for
its end" said he with an unprepsred
di@sonanrs. | have heard IL character
lied as 'meazly.' The modern tunes carry
In themselves the seeds OF decay. In fac,
some OF them are already gany.''
Then the professor made another attack
on himself. saving that II was an Insult
10 have more than one tame TO "a hymn.
forgot that the original music 80 hymn
Nc u was written ny john HOPKINS many.
raans years ago and ny common, consent
il fs q good deal bs.tser than Mr.. fsrkess
music Yet she latter came along ~ Httl.
later and insisted an writing q sceoaa
t,ane which ne himself admits weuid never
have been pat in IA we'll conducted hvu,~
nal Many ~ our very bess tunes come
10 aa from Germany. he said NJ, or
Quar- very worst ones are made ar Llssse
when he made this statement III lad II,
h.S hands a copy of hymn No :. written !
by himself
Our synYnai today il a palnsi exflbi +
zion OF suigarity. tempered asincsnspe-
tescy's he continued. ''65ne eRhe tune.
have pisyes: ~ by doctor . fnnsse
hops. his practice rs small fv~i like a
tuif IN n ctin2 shop bat Flint s1rse
china shops be better for sftsnrien o.
an active vigorous young ~ The ssp
hynnnaI has sei7ed al The points or
tlse Old. and has weakened ~, and n.x
dome some rather strong s1g az :fA
strong points sna little oFnFBena J,.
Ire words The books 81 p"sn's sem
10 cave been ua2yosdacir tes all. war