Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-04
EASTER DECORATIONS
Millions Are Expended in
the Large Cities.
DISPLAY OF FLOWERS
MILLIoNARIEs WHO REMEMBER
THEIR DEAD IN THIS WAY.
Churches Abloom With Natures
Sweet Reminders Of Purity
and Fragrance.


Written for The Evening Star by Anna s. Rich
ardson.
Easter is conceded to be the most bril-
liant of the many church festivals cele-
brated in American cities, SURPRISING even
Christmas in lavishness of musical pro-
grams, extravaganza of decoration, and
point Of attendance.
Millions of dollars are spent each year
for Easter lilies and alleluias, yet paradox
cally, the more wealthy the congregation,
the less the money which is paid out by
the treasurer. This is due to the general
custom of making Easter Sunday the &C.
casion of memorials to the dead In fash
ionable churches like st. Bartholomew s,
New York, where the Vanderbilts worship,
the floral decorations will represent several
thousand dollars, but of this sum only the
potted plants are paid for by the committee
in charge, and these are merely rented for
the day. The flowers are sent by the Van
derbilts, in memory of those of their fami-
ly who have disd in the church. Some
times these memorials come in the form of
set pieces, such as pillows, harps and other
funeral offerings, but SO skillfully are they
arranged by the decorators that the work,
when completed, shows only an admirably
massed chancel of green and white.
How the Decoration is Done.
Bermuda lilies. hyacinths, white azaleas,
narcissus and lilies of the valley are the
most popular flowers for decorative pur-
poses, but even white roses and carnations
are not despised when the prices of all
flowers soar skyward
The work of decoration begins on Satur-
day afternoon and is generally in the hands
OF professional decorators and florists, as
sisted or hindered, as the case may be, by
committee of the church people, In the
Episcopal churches the committee consists
OF what is known the altar guild while
IN the Catholic churches the work is done
by the sisterhoOds. The ceremony is ac-
complshed with much reverence and those
who make the rounds of the Catholic
churches at this time have an opportunity
TO study the exquisite workmanship in the
laces used In decorating the affairs, which
can never be seen during the crush of Eas-
ter Sunday. The finest laces owned by a
church are reserved for the Easter services
and often the wells used to drape the fig
ures on the various affairs are worth a
small fortune in themselves.
AT the conclusion of the last service on
Sunday the flowers are removed and they
are sorted for distribution by committed
In churches where guilds are formed to
minister to the sick these workers have
nrst right to the flowers and the rest are
distributed to the various hospitals The
palms and ferns rented by the florists are
removed on Monday unless thehWeek fol-
lowing Easter is to be marked by number
OF church weddings, in which case arrange
ments are frequently made for the decora-
tons to stand
A Half Million in These Cities.
"A florist who has stores in New York
Chicago and Philadelphia, states that fully
S2Oo,oOO will be spent in chancel decorations
In New York churches, $4,000 in Chicago
churches and like sum in Philadelphia.
This includes all sorts and conditions of
congregations, from the mission chanel
Where an expenditure of $25 or $50 is made
only after most mature deliberation, to edi-
noes like ST.. Georges, where J. Pierpont
Morgan will pass the silver plate for Eas-
ter offerings, and where the chancel will be
completely hidden by lilies and azaleas at
20 plant, hyacinths at half the price and
cut flowers, beside which the decorations
at ball or dinner sink into financial in
significance.
The Wealthy Church's Easy Task.
The weather. the church the more simple
does the choirmaster find the problem of
arranging the Easter music. His SINGERS
are kept up to the highest possible STAN
dard for every service, and he makes no
special effort for Easter Sunday, except in
an appropriate selection of music So Der.
1ectiy are his singers drilled for chorus
work that the introduction of additional
voices would injure, not improve, the en-.
semble work. Chorus singers in wealthy
churches are paid enough to make their
regular attendance an object.
students OF singing make up the majority
OF these choirs and the standard of music
demanded in a congregation of wealth is
such that 1t could not be improved for spe-
cial occasions. Moreover, the soloists are
also the best obtairable, so the choirmaster
finds that he has little to plan EXCEPT the
actual musical numbers
lot;
Certain hymns and choruses are demanded
on this day, including the triumphant
hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today, AL.
ieluai," and the magnificent choral, THE
HalleluJah Chorus from Handlers Mes
siah.' 1t Is daring soloist who will elect
to sing new aria pushed by some en-
terprising publisher when member of the
congregation who contributes her hundreds
each year to the support of the choir sends
word that she would like II Know That NV
Redeemer Liveth'' sung at the morning
service. The choirmasters admit that the
new Easter music is ephemeral, and what
was placed on the market last year Will
not be heard in the churches next Sunday.
Several Of the fashionable churches have
harpist or 'celloist, or both, throughout
the year, and these may be augmented by
other stringed instruments for Easter
otherwise the choir remains as usual
Grand Opera Stars Sing Gratuitously.
On the other hand, the choir master who
is compelled to economize and stint the
year around is expected to make more or
less Of a splurge on Easter. He is allowed
funds to secure noted soloist or two, per-
haps harpist. 1t is in regard to the latter
that he has most trouble. There are not
enough harpists in the average city to sup
ply the demand for this great festival of
music. They are engaged long in advance.
and are paid a much higher figure than
the soloists. A satisfactory soloist can be
secured for $50. but higher prices are some
times paid for names" For instance if a
good light opera company is playing at one
OF the theaters, the tenor or basso may be
secured for the Easter solos at a church
When grand opera singer is heard his or
her solo is an offering, without, money and
without price, to the church
Where the chormaster must reorganize
his workers on a more elaborate scale for
this one day, his task is arduous and in
wolves long and tedious rehearsals, even
though the music selected is of the lightest
order.
In churches where boy choirs are en-
ployed, the old English music, notably that
written by Sir John Sta.ner. is selected as
lending itself more easily to the choral
style of the English church. If a choir
master inclines to this work of American
ha caJa