The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-03
WOMEN To LEAVE
CATHOLIC CHOIRS
AGAINST CHURCH RUBRlC.
TO ALLOW WOMEN TO SING In
CHOIR, SAYS POPE Plus X.

Change VIII Not BE Made in Snvan-
nah Churches at Once-Figured
Music and Famous Masses Written
by Old World Masters Must BE
DrOpped-BOy ChOirs Must BE
Trained to Chant GrcgOrian Music.
the Only Music AdmissibIe-Mat-
ter Now with Individual Bishops.
In all probability women singers will
be debarred from the choirs of all Ro-
man Catholic churches.
The action will probably be delayed
and will not become Immediately eff
fective in Savannah, although in some
parts of the country the change has
already been made. In the diocese of
Brooklyn the new order of things pre-
walls.
This action on the part of the church
is the result of the desire on the part
of Pope Plus X to return to the more
simple music and to conform to the
strict rubrics of the church. He gave
utterance to his wishes in his latest
encyclical, "Motu Proprio," in which
he stated that the service of women
singers in the churches was clearly
inadmissible, thereby practically order
ing the women from the choirs.
Figured music, too, will be aban-
doned and nothing but the plain chant
or Gregorian music, as it is properly
known, will be allowed in the churches
during the celebration of the mass, or
during benediction and vespers. This
means practically revolution In the
church music, barring nearly all the
great masterpieces of the last half CEN
tury.
The magnificent Twelfth Mass of Mo-
Fart will have to be abandoned, one
of the most famous of all musical
compositions. Bach Festival Mass,
Beethovens Mass in c, Gounods Messe
Solonelle will all be abandoned in
course of time, and in their places will
be heard only the chanting of the male
voices and the boy choirs. Much of
the music has entranced the large con-
gregations in the different Cathedrals
on Easter Sundays, and other occa-
sions will have to be dropped here
after.
No Immediate Effect Here.
Rev. Father Kennedy, rector of the
Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.
does not believe that the women viii
be debarred at once from Savannah
choirs. The action of Bishop Nc
Donnell of Brooklyn in putting the
wishes of the Pope into immediate eff
feet concerns only the Brooklyn do
cese. Until some further word than
the ''Motu Proprio" has been received
the question will rest with the indi-
vidual Bishops.
The process of making the change"
said Rev. Father Kennedy. lis bound
to be a slow one as we must train our
boy choirs and the male singers. In
the cities very creditable choirs can
be secured with comparatively little
difficulty, but in the small parishes,
in little towns. the new ARRANGEMENT
will be an exceedingly hard one with
which to conform. In such places all
music is largely dependent on the
lady singers.
II suppose that the figured or pro-
fame music has been carried to ex-
tremes in Rome and other old world
countries, and that it was rapidly APP
preaching the operate style. In order
to avoid all this, and to keep all the
services in strict conformity to the
rubrics of the church the Holy Faith
err has taken this ground.
"As vet. / believe, the latter rests
with the Bishops of the separate do
ceses, and they may take what ac-
ton they wish ON the matter. Bishop
Mcdonnell has seen fit to put the rule
into effect at once. No especial ac-
ton has yet been decided on for the
this diocese"
May Mean Doing Away With Organ.
Another prominent Catholic clergy
man stated that he believed this was
only the first step toward doing away
with the organ and orchestral accom-
paniments. A complete return to the
early music of the church, as found be-
fore the entrance of the organ and the
exquisite masses of the famous old
world masters, is believed to be the I'LL
innate object.
''In many ways he said, such ac-
ton would be good thing. There can
be no doubt that the singing, as at
present conducted, is bordering closely
on the operate, though it is true that
there is a reverential feeling about the
beautiful masses commonly sung. Yet
the Gregorian chants, when properly
rendered, are also beautiful and are
further distinctive church music.
THE different churches must begin
at once training boy choirs and prepar-
ing for the rendering of the plain Gre
gorian chants. None Of the famous
masses can be rendered by male voices
only, as there are distinctive parts for
the sopranos and for lady voices The
'Motu Proprio' is the beginning of a
great revolution in church music ana
return to the music of the early
church"