New-York tribune., 1902-08-10

and other entertainments at ten shilllngs SIX
pence each. and paying them +sixpence among
them for Barley Sugar. He is also SAID 10
have made $50 year on their clothes Follow
ing is a list of the garments to which the ten
boys are entitled by law:
10 capes. every five years
10 state coats,
10 state caps. every four years
20 cambric bands,
10 lace bands.
10 pairs of lace ruff1es. J
10 pairs of scarlet breeches, every two years
30 pairs of gloves,
so white pocket handkerchiefs. 7 every year.
30 pairs of blue worsted hose,
10 college caps (now worn in
the place of cooked hats, e,,er,, six months
10 undresS suits.
10 pairs Of shoes.
There are twenty singing boys in the choir oi
the Westminster Abbey Church, but only twelve
of them are full choristers. Their ages are from
nine to ten and half years, Dr. Frederick
Bridge, the Abbey organist, refusing TO admit
anv boy outside of these limits. The boys live
within the precincts of the Abbey, in a choir
house which enjoys the distinction of having
once. for a time, been the dwelling place oi
William Pitt. They are in the care of schooi-
master who with a housekeeper (some years
ago II was the schooln1aster's wife) looks after
their intellectual 8 well bodily welfare
Rehearsals of the service music are held every
forenoon on week days LOT an Hcul- Ih0 '"9
then go to their other studies, Afternoon mu-
sical study is devoted to practice of intervals.
scales. chanting, responses. solfeggios and secu-
lar music AS can we'll be ina gined, physical
culture is not neglected. The boys have their
play time. and grow up as sturdy as the Eng
lish public school boy in general
The Choir School of ST. Pauls Cathedral Is
situated (at least. it was a few years ago. IN a
narrow street in Doctors Common. at the
southwest corner of St. Pauls ChurchYard.
There are generally about forty boys In the
school which, as Mr. Curwen once said Is really
a high class boarding school. at which the boys
get board and education free In return for their
voices They have none of the pomp and state
which surround the children of the Chapel
Royal who wear their scarlet gold and lace at
state concerts but are modestly clad in black
cloth with white collars turned down over their
Jackets Their daily practice of music Is I'm
tied to an hour and half: they have half hoii-
day once week and go home to their parents
twice year DR.. Stainer (and presumably DR..
Martin, the present organist of ST. Paul's) made
eight and fourteen the age limits
For centuries the ranks of England's mu-
sicians creative as well interpretative. have
been largely recruited from the choirs of the
Chapel Royal and the cathedrals. On this point
Sir George Macfarren spoke words some years
ago which might proftaby be pondered by the
lovers of church music in America:
cathedral choir is the best cradle for a
musician that our country affords l say TINS
from a conviction, many times confirmed, thal,
as an average, by far the very best practlca 1hu-
sicians-those. | mean, whose musical readiness
gives them the air of having music as an IN
stinct or a second nature; those who are ever
prompt with their talent to produce or to per-
form without preparation at the requirement
of the moment; those whose ears are QUICK
whose wits sharp. and whose utmost ability
is ever at their fingers ends-are they VINO
passed the infancy Of their art in one OF our
ecclesiastical arenas for constant practice. The
very early habit of hearing and performing
music stimulates the musical sense, and g.Tes
musical tendency to all the youthfulIy supple
faculties which bear upon the use of this sense
The habit in almost first childhood OF assocl-
ating sight with sound. written characters with
uttered notes, the office of the eye with that OF
the ear or the voice, which is the ears agent
does more in favorable cases to develop some
of the essentials in artist than can be ac-
complished by the unremitting study Of after
life H. f. X