New-York tribune., 1903-07-26

ried DR.. Hodges's aims for vested choir and
choral service TO accomplishment put end
to his usefulness TO Trinity Church by undertake
ing concerts in various cities with the choir, to
the ignoring Of his duties. On May l. 1865. he went
away leaving matters in the hands Of assistant
without adequate choir. On June 30 the vestry
terminated his engagement for absence without
leave Subsequently he organist at st. AL
bans. Holy Trinity and Christ Church. this city,
and St Pauls, Troy He then went to Boston
tired from active work and died at Swampscott
December ., 1902.
Between his incumbency and the memorable one
Of DR.. Arthur H. Messter which lasted thirty-one
years. and the results of which still fresh in
the memory of the lovers of church music in New
York, the brief regime OF ". A. NJ. Diller,
the son of a Brooklyn clergyman. He died in 1880,
and DR.. MessiteT says of him that from his
twelfth year until the year of his death he never
passed 4 Sunday, without playing the service at
some church with which he was connected He
organist of Trinity for year, and
succeeded by DR.. Messtter on June H. 1866.
DR.. Messiter born in 1884 at Frome SeIwood,
Somersetshre, England, and began the study OF
music at seventeen. To this end he was articled
to Charles McKorkeI, of Northampton, a pupil OF
Moscheles He afterward took a short of
panofOrte lessons from Joseph D0rffel, Aus
trian musician whose playing of Beethoven had
interested him. and studied singing with Signor
Arrigotti He came to America in 1853 sang for
short time volunteer in Trinity choir, then
went to Philadelphia organist Of 81. Marks
college in Poultney Vt. he was successfully or
Eanist St Paul's, Calvary Chapel and st.
James the Less in Philadelphia He came 10
New-York in the early part of 1866 Dr. Messter
describes the condition Of things a Trinity when
he began his duties in effect as follows: The choir
numbered twenty-one voices-twelve trebles four
altos two tenors. three bassos The principal
features Of the service the solos of the first
alto. Cullen =. Grandin. Loose surplices of the
cathedral pattern were worn without cassocks
The mode of service was choral. but there were no
professionals offertory anthems. No hymnal
with tunes had yet been adopted. the choir singing
from manuscript copies. The metrfcaI Psalm seIec-
tons were from a revised edition of Tate and
Brady. There choir library: each previous
organist had provided his music and taken it
away with him on going out OF office. Procession
ais seem TO have been instituted by him at once,
and within the first year offeTtory anthems,
socks and cottas We're introduced. For the greater
part of the year, also, there a daily choral
service with the aid of a supplementary choir of
boys from the parish school The Psalms were
chanted- Nothing difficult attempted, but the
experiment failed. In 1870. on Ascension Day a
day on which the services at Trinity are always
elaborate it being the anniversary Of the conse-
Grafton Of the church, orchestra. conducted by
John P Morgan, associate organist, was employed.
and the use Of a band at each of the five prin-
cipaI festivals custom for seven years. This
resume must suffice d history OF Trinity's music
during the thirty-one years in which it remained
under DR.. Messiter's care II might be extended,
trace the careers Of some OF the many church
musicians. organists well singers, who have
come from the ranks OF the five hundred more
boys who have enjoyed his instruction He found
his successor in of his boy singers and
pupils For the rest let the following list of sing
ers. organists and leaders suffice:
III. Theodore Toedt. G. W Raeburn, HalloIk'
Thursch, Emil Haberkorn John Bishop Victor
Baier, R ZingsheIn, J. Pickslay. J. I Irvine,
Morris Keller, r. W Terry, Henry Letdel H Ber-
naTd CoOmbe. James H Ward. Paul Stucke. War
ren +. Hedden, Charles Baier. Henry L. Case,
Oscar Schulitt James S Hedden ". J. Caulheld.
Charles HOnig. Il. 8. Quick, W. B Denham, X
o. Irvine. Frank Fruttchey, s Richardson. n F.
n. Won der Heide, Harry Reilly. Howard w.
Knapp, julius Baier Albert Ford. Charles Beilng'
Frank Garland. Arthur L Brown, Howard Long.
John Goodrige. Howard n. JafTray. @. s. Trim
bic, II. 3. Neesen 3. H Old. Frank W Riker,
T. ". GlanZmann. H S. Garland. r. G.. Simpson,
Eugene c. Knapp, ]. Harold Knapp
The present organist of Trinity Church. an e1-
choir boy and for thirteen years before his ap-
pointment DR.. Messters assistant. is Victor Baier
In the beginning of the year 1897 the vestry in
formed Dr. Aessiter. who was growing hars of !!