New-York tribune., 1903-07-19
EARLY CHURCH MUSIC IN NEW-YORK.
MYTHICAL PSALMODY OF THE DUTCH SETTLERS
AND ENGLISH CONQUERORS.


Genevan SPsalter provided the only musical ser
vice that to be tolerated in the sanctuary
and neither its words its melodies were to be
altered. Those songs and melodies" said Calvin.
which composed for the pleasure of the
ear. and all they call ornamental music and songs
for four parts. do not behoove the majesty of the
Church. and cannot fail greatly to displease God"
Ten years after the adoption OF the Genevan
Psalter Claude Goudimel, the teacher of Pales-
trina, set the psalm melodies in four parts counter
point, and these harmonies in time found their
way into the Reformed Church. but Goudimel
who fell victim to the massacre of st. Bartholo-
NEW in Lyons, careful to state when he pub
lished them that the three parts which he had
added to the psalm tunes not designed for
the use of the Church, but FOR the enjoyment of
God at home"
This psalmody unyieIdingIy stiff unrhythmical
syllable, unharmonzed. unsupported by musical
instruments OF any kind, was exclusively employed
for nearly two centuries by the Reformed churches
of France Switzerland and the Netherlands and the
CalvinIstc churches of England Scotland and
America. Germany alone in its Lutheran chorales
and its few hymns Of the Moravian and Pietistic
sects, boasted a body of church song capable of
being the foundation Of uplifting. inspiriting
and beautiful art. The representatives of the
Anglican Church in New-York were in no better
plight than their Dutch neighbors. The struggle
between Establishment and Puritanism had dealt
the church service blow which. in spite of the
Restoration, kept it staggering until deep into the
nineteenth century. 1t was only twenty years be-
fore the capture of New-Amsterdam by the Eng
lish that the House of Lords banished the Prayer
Book from places of public worship, prohibited all
liturgic music and substituted for it congregational
singing of psalms 1t was also enjoined that while
every one who could read should have a psalm
book, the minister "or fit person appointed
by him and the other ruling officers, do read the
psalm line by line before the singing thereof"
The singing of metrcal psalms had found its way
INTO the English Church early the time
of Queen Elizabeth, but 1t was tremendously
promoted by the temporary triumphs of Puritan
ism, and when the Establishment was again set to
rights the tastes of the people. the prejudice born
and bred in many against vestments the posture
of kneeling antiphonal singing and other signs of
rtualism, and the inability of all except cathedral
churches, royal and college chapels and a few
wealthy ecclesiastical corporations. made a strict
service like that of the Catholic Church impractical
BILE The Anglican Church shaking off the
strictive clogs placed upon it by Puritanism, re-
turned to the conception that the service was
properly and completely musical one that is
that psalms, canticles and hymns should all be
uttered in a musical manner, and not read
cited in the tones Of ordinary speech. But 1t was
found in the course of time that this conception
could be realized only in conservative and wealthy
establishments. So three different modes of per
forming the service, the choral, parochial and
mixed grew up and received authorization In
the choral (also called cathedraD mode everything
is chanted sung, except the lessons In the
parochial the liturgy is rected in a speaking tone
unaccompanied by music There is no chanting
or singing of canticles anthems. but instead
metrical versions of the Psalms are sung at GER
tain intervals between the various offices In the
mixed mode parts of the service are sung by A
choir but the prayers, creed litany and responses
are recited in the speaking voice. These three
forms adjust themselves to all possible needs and
are cultivated throughout the Anglican community
to-day.
The congregation of Trinity Church New-York
whose first services were held in the Dutch Church
after the departure of the Dutch congregation,
contented its musical soul with unaccompanied
metrical psalms for the first forty years of it's ex
istence. The version used was doubtless that OF
Sternnold and Hopkins, which. first published in
l0tZ endured triumphantly against all efforts to
supplant 1t for more than two and a quarter CEN
turies- We can imagine the picture presented each
Sunday at Trinity during its period of unaccom-
panied psalmody.
The Parish Clerk armed with his pitch-pipe oc-
cupied his place below the pulpit lined out the
psalms appointed for the day and unless the habits
or the colony had galvanized him and the u,or
shippers into life different from that of their old
nome, drawled out the tune at a lugubrious nace
with the congregation following after The nsaInns
OF Sternhold and Hopkins were not very inspiritine
poetry though there were evidences of strength in
them. for which later criticism has begun 70 ex
press appreciation They gave way I'm 1905 ITO +ba
orlsker version made by Nahum Tate Cpoet laureate
10 "lIiam I'D and Nicholas Brady, D. D. an Eng
lIsh ulVlne' This version commonly spoken of as
DANNe' in
l7o7 and is still respectfully represented in The
hymnal of the Protestant Episcopal Church in tho
United States, while Sternhold and Hopkins is for
gotten. The first of these joint authors was a
Gentleman of the Privy Chamber TO Edward VI tho
second SUFFOLK clergyman and schoolmaster
1t was doubtless the degraded state of nsaIr,od,,
INTO Whlch psalmody had sunk which made the
ne" hgIhoIogy which came in the eighteenth
century and became so powerful agency in the
renglous awakening which attended the Iabors oF
Methodist
ley, High Church of the High Church mon
IN MS oxford days reverenced and loved the ut-
uisy oI ms church, but he was quick to see the
need of reformation of the dead-and-alive service
"Hch had seized upon the parish churches Like
many another of his time the somnolencv and sIo+b
IuIhess or clergy clerks and congregations filled
MN Win Indignation and disgust In good round
terms he rallied against the formal drawI of the
Farlsh Clerk, whom he characterized as a .'poor
humdrum wretch who can scarce read what he
drones out with such air of Importance: the
screaming or boys, who baWl out what thev neither
feel nor understand" He had been brought I'D on
Sternhold and Hopkins at Epworth his father
adherng TO the old version though seemingly pre-
ferring Tate and Brady. They must he content
with their grandsire Sternhold," said he But his
son John set down the venerable paraphrases as
scandalous doggerel." DIR. Wattss hymns had
followed Tate and Brady, but the mood of the dis
Senters was not ripe for their acceptance Like a
sunburst opening brighter era -" saws Professor
Dickinson came the Wesleyan movement" Wesley
hao recognized the need of whole hearted congre-
gational singing. and he at the work of sun
plying it in the spirit of Martin Luther. With this
spirit he had doubtless become acquainted through
MS association with the Moravians in his voyage
10 Georgia and after his return to London Among
eiie horaVlahs the service of song was living or
dnance. Their German sources were opened ~
Wesley and when he began to write hymns he in
coTporated into his collection no less than thirty
transatons from the Lutheran and AIoravian body
or hymnody. His coadjutOr, Whitehead was NOT
behind him. He sang himself and ,rge9 +ho ,...,.