New-York tribune., 1902-07-02

This history Of music in the church down to
the times of Bach comprises very large part
OF the history of the art in general since il was
only at the beginning Of the seventeenth cen
tury that emancipation came from the exclusive
domination Of the church over all artistic forms
Of musical expression. Professor Dickinson's
book is admirable summary of this history
II is written in interesting and lucid style
full Of sympathy and understanding Of the in
huences that governed the development of music
70 the service of the church, of Catholic we'll
as of Protestant, though he writes wholly from
the Protestant point Of view. He justly says
that the practical administration of music in
public worship is one of the most interesting OF
the secondary problems with which the Chris
tian Church has been called upon to deal, and
his book is an attempt TO show how this problem
has been treated by different confessions and in
different nations and times
Professor Dickinson holds that music alone in
and of itself, never makes people religious.
There is no such thing as religious music per
Sc. Mhen music in religious ceremony inspires
a distinctly prayerful mood it does so mainly
hhrough associations and accessories And if
tlls MOOD Is not induced by other causes music
alone can never be relied upon to create it.
The office of music is not to suggest con-
SIete images or even to arouse definite namahle
sentiments but rather to intensity ideas and
ee5inss l aITeady existing or TO release the mind
a. liu , Put II into that sensitive eXpectant state
In which conceptions that appeal 10 the emotion
may act unhampered.
His treatment of the whole subject is from
this point Of view, and is sane and sympathetic
He begins with a discussion of the origin of
music, finding that the earliest attempts at song
must have been occasioned by religious motives.
and that from them came the symbolic dance
and the choral chant, the most primitive forms
OF art He traces the rise of Greek music and
Its adaptation with many other elements of
ancient lie and art. into the worship and prac-
tice Of the Christian Church Professor Dickin-
sons discussion Of this difficult and uncertain
period is clear and connected, based on the most
recent researches, and giving good view of the
early steps by which the liturgicaI music of the
church was shaped in the direction that condi-
toned its future development. One of the secrets
of the spell eXerted by the Catholic Church is
TO be found, among other things in its music
he says; Music in the Catholic ritual seems to
act almost in excess of its normal efficacy 1t
may, without improperly, be compared to the
music of the dramatic stage in the aid it derives
from accessories and poetic association" and,
indeed. Cardinal Wiseman has so spoken of it.
The mass and the ritual chant are the sub
jects Of careful study and explanation The
chant is a projection into modern art of the
altar song of Greece. Judea and Egypt and
through these nations reaches back into the re-
motest past. Professor Dickinson can scarcely
find words to describe the solemn unearthly
sweetness of these tones. the true af1uence of
this medieval treasure, of which only a minute
part can now ordinarily be heard in Catholic
churches. In describing the development of
the liturgic chant Professor Dickinson gives us
the most recent opinions to Gregory who
probably had little TO do with the final shaping
influence upon il. The legend arose from the
commanding place that he occupied in the sixth
and seventh centuries. 1t is probable that the
musical system of the early church was derived
directly from the secular forms of music prac-
tised by the Romans.
Professor Dickinson gives a graphic picture Of
the development of the medieval school of
eapella polyphonic music, a school presenting
peculiar fascination to the student. Yet it is
Of all the products of the Middle Age the least
familiar These are true words:
Any intellectual man whom we might select
would call himself but scantily educated if he
had no acquaintance with medieval architecture
and plastic art, yet he would probably not feel
at all ashamed TO confess total ignorance of that
vast store Of liturgic music which in the ff-
teenth and sixteenth centuries filled the incense
laden air Of those very cathedrals and chapels in
which his reverent feet love to wander The
miracles Of medieval architecture the achieve
ments OF Gothic sculptors and the religious
painters OF Florence, Cologne and Flanders are
familiar to him, but the musical craftsmen of
the Low Countries. Paris, Rome and Venice
who clothed every prayer. hymn and Scripture
lesson with strains Of unique beauty and tender
ness. are only names. if, indeed. their names are
works would doubtless be found to equal the
whole amount Of the music of every kind that
has been written in the three centuries following
their era; while in technical mastery and adap-
ration to Its special end this school is not un-
worthy Of comparison with the more brilliant
and versatile art of the present day.
The Palestrina myth receives its proper treat
ment at Professor Dickinson's hands-that story
Of his saving church music through the compo-
sition Of the Mass Of Pope MarceIlus to appease
a commission of Cardinals from the Council of
Trent, and turn its purpose from the abolition
of choral music in the church No reform was
instituted but such would come about in
evitably; the commission had jurisdiction only
over minor questions of discipline in the Papal
choir. and If the was ever sung before it
IL had been composed a number of years earlier
But the glory Of the mass and OF Palestrina's
fame is in no way diminished by the dissipation
Of this legend. Professor Dickinson's treatment
of the modern musical mass is quite in line
with the understanding that he has shown all
through his book This style is the result Of
the intrusion into the church of musical meth
DDS fostered under purely secular auspices
methods adopted by the church under a neces-
sity which she eventually strove TO turn into a
virtue The development of the art which
swept it into a share OF all the activities and
Joys Of modern life compelled the adoption Of a
novel style in the church. if it was to retain
its hold through the power Of music Further
more, IL is the nature Of the highest artistic
genius to express Itself in its own individual
way, and the composers who are willing to
yield TO a strict iturgic standard in form and
expression will be only those Of the third or
fourth grade.
With the rise OF the Reformation came the
necessity of popular participation in the SER
vice, and hence Of the congregational hymn