Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-10
'VALUEOE GO0OlMUSIC.
DIR. CALIsoH STEAKS of 1TAs THE
HASDs1AID OF RELIGIOUS FAITH.
PRAYERS ALWAYS INT0NED.
Possession OF Good voice Wa
Eyer Passport to Honor when
United to-Zeal and Knowledge
Conditions In America.

3 . -
1 Conditions In America.
1 One Of the most interesting addresses
on music ever heard in this city was de-
i livered at Beth Anaba synagogue last
! night by Rev. Dr. e. n. Calisch
! The sermon was particularly appro-
i pirate to the occas sion in that it drew at
tention- TO the new choir which has just
/ been installed in this place of worship.
Hitherto the loft has been occupied by
i a. very able quartette. It is still led
/ by four well-knoWn singers, but they
| are now supported by a large and very
! efficient chorus. At the present time the
| choir is composed of the following:
! Quartette-A1iss Mary Ashley Ben, So
{ prano; Miss Mabel McBa1n, contra1to;
| Mr.. r. M. Hunter, hasso: Mr.. Moses May,
| tenor.
! Chorus Sopranos, Misses Estel1e Whit
| lock. Essie Caron, Kate Binswanger, S.
| Bottigeimer, Mrs NJ. II. Asher. Mrs. NJ.
! E. Marcuse. Mrs. Louis Straus, 51rs
| Charles aStraus,. n 49,
Altos. Miss Blanche Kaufman, Mrs
Leon Wallerstein. Mrs. Sig. Hutzler,
Tenor, Mr.. Aaron Jacobs.
Basso. Mr.. II. Schwarzschild
DR.. Calsch spoke at some length on
! history of the art through the church and
spoke of it as "the handmade Of religious
faith The possession of good voice
he said was always a passport to honor
when unlied with zeal and knowledge,
and he gave an admirable description OF
the conditions existing in America to-
day
INTEGRAL PORTION OF SERVICE.
Rabbi Calisch said in part:
It is fact familiar to every Bible
reader that from the earliest days music
has been an integral portion Of every
public service The readiest outlet Of
emotion is sound. whether it be the note
of joy. the cry of anger. the vail Of dis
appointment OF the ululation Of sorrow.
And when sound Is carefully nlodulated
into melody it is not only the fruit, it is
as -well-the-- cause f@emc Lion. A tender
song will I'LL the the breast with nameless
longing and with adress-a Joyous tilt will
send the blood flying and the feet tapping
in answer to the awakened energy of the
heart. There's no passion in the human
soul but finds its food In music
The master passion of the human soul
is religious faith. and music has. ever
been her handmade, In all countries and
among all men. LII the Bible We find
many kinds of musical instruments men
toned. Harps, flutes comets, Tyres,
trumpets, horns, and others, both stringed
and wind, OF which we have no modern
count erpar tts We find many beautiful
songs ius1tle- Bible. which point to the
proud place which music held. Miriam
and her ma1dens sang q pean Of triumph
at the passage of the Red Sea and the
overthrow Of the Pharaol1ic hosts Moses
also voiced his gratitude in melody. Like
wise the part of the great leader
with his people was given as a song.
David lan1ented the death Of Saul and
Jonathan in a most tender song. and the
Psalms are lyrics Of the highest order
The musical portion Of the service dur
Ing the halcyon days when the temple
stood in it's gloryswas brought to a high
degree of perfection. There were chorals-
and choruses and antiphonal responses
Both vocal and instrumental perform
ances were highly perfected. But with the
downfall Of the temple the instrumental.
portion was at once destroyed. The rea-
son for this was at first purely physical;
later Oh it was rabbinical prohibition.
Immediately after the destruction Of the
temple there were no services, there was
nothing left of the Jewish nation. and
OF the Jewish religion only the indo1ni-
table, spark:<ip the breast Of the captives
chained in Roman dungeons, or the fugi-
itives> hiding in. mountain clefts and caves,
excepting the little school Of Jammia,
founded by. Rabbi Jochanan ben Zakkai
When several centuries had rolled by and
a breathing space from Roman tyranny
was afforded them, the Jews began to
renew their interrupted worship. But the
tTalmudic teachers OF the fifth and sixth
centuries declared that absolutely no Ia
Dor should be performed on the Sabbath.
and as the use of Instruments entailed
labor, they were barred Thus. excepting
the shofar, used on the New Year ibut
not when the New y ear falls on a Sab
bath and at the, close of Atonement-
Lay; Instrumental music had for many
centuries been an. unknown thing in Jew
ish worship. With the beginning Of the
last century a movement was inaugurated
to reintroduce it. We OF this generation |
know how bitter has been the strife. and
the strength of the opposition. The first
victory was scored in Vienna in 1899. In
this country the movement was begun in
Charleston, S. c.. in 1892. Since then it |
has gained Roadway, and there is no re-
formed synag ogue in the land that does
not have an organ, ana on occasions other
musical instruments, to enhance the beau |
ty of the service.
HISTORY OF VOCAL MUSIC.
The history Of vocal music is different.
The lnelodious voice has never been dis
placed in the synagogue. The sentiment |
OF Moses in his song. This is my God and
I VIII worship Him in beautiful man
ner." has ever obtained. The prayers of
the synagogue in former days were never
read. They were always intoned. Even
the reading OF the Bible had its certain
indicated in many texts by dia-
critical marks. Certain portions of the
ritual, especially for holy days, had their
own specific melodies. which became iden-
titled with them Some OF them remain
with US today. and are SO integral a part
Of the service that they are indispensable.
Who would ever think OF Atonenlent-Eve
without the Kol Nidre's soul-awakening