New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-09
MUSIC IN THE CATHEDRAL
Over Two Hundred Vested
ChoriSters Sing.
AN ANNIVERSARY AFFAIR.
A Festival Service in Honor of
the Protestant Episcopal
Convention.

| United States OF America a festival ser
vice was held ir the Cathedral Of 81.
John the Divine last night which was
| probably the most imposing as we'll as
Impressive meeting OF its kind that the
| country has ever witnessed In a way.
which probably never entered the minds
OF those who arranged the festival and
| carried IL 70 a remarkably successful con-
! cluson, IL partook of an anniversary
| character II is just fftythree years al
most 10 a day that the first supplied
choir OF men and boys sang in an Epis-
copal Church in New York. The occa-
sion Their was brought about by the at
| tendance OF the Prince Of Wales on
| divine service In Trinity Church.
Boys Of the Charity School had been
singing in Trinity Church for some
| time before then, but they wore
roundabouts and sat in the front
! pews An agitation had been going on
F, for some time to put them into supplies
and move them into the chancel, but the
anti-ritualistc party had kept them out
| OF both When the prince sgnihei his
| intention 10 attend the service the or
| gari.t and the high church party back
OF him saw their opportunity. Vestments
were already on hand. though they had
been kept locked up. They were brought
| forth Under the circumstances. the
vestrymen who had opposed their Use
were silenced, and a supplied choir OF
men and boys for the first time sang the
service In the choir stalls The date was
| October IA. 1850, a date which becomes
l - -. 10 rags
congregation every gathered inside the
cathedral walls witnessed and heard last
night.
| There were twenty-three singers In the
choir which sang the service ffty-three
years ago In the presence of tho
future King Of England; there were
| more than ter times that number
in the choir which sang last night.
Though we know what the music was
which was sung then, we can only guess
at the manner in which IL was sung.
Last night beautiful specimens OF Ansli-
can music were performed under circum-
stances and In a manner which must
have moved the souls of churchmen and
mere music-lovers with equal power.
The series was the nrst OF three which
have been arranged in connection with
the convention by A committee composed
Of Miles Fsrrow. organist and cnoiT-
master OF the cathedral chairman. Or.
G. Edward Stubs. OF 81. Agnes S Chapel:
Arthur 8 Hyde. OF the Church Of St Bar
tholomew; Victor Batter. OF Trinity
Church: Walter Henry Hall, formerly OF
81. Jamess. now Of Columbia Universe
ty. Richard Henry Warren. OF the church
| OF the Ascension James NJ. Helfenstein,
Of Grace Church. and Felix Lamond on
| Trinity Chapel. The second service. one
| OF unique interest. will take place In Sy-
| nod Hall on October IL. when the music
| will be that OF the orthodox Nreek church,
sung by the choir OF the Russian cath 1dTaI
| OF St Nicholas. The third Will be per-
| Torrance OF Horatio Parker's "liora
| Novissima" at the Church OF St BaTthol-
! omew on October o. the singers being
| the choirs Of that church and the Church
| Of the Ascension. the conductors Arthur
| S. Hyde and Richard Henry Warren.
These choirs contain supplied women, be-
! ing Of the kind which. when they were
first introduced. were termed "ancelic.
| The delegates 10 the convention who are
musicaly inclined will therefore have an
excellent opportunity TO get acquainted
with various types OF ecclesiastical music
ancient and modern Anglican. ancient
Russian in which the organ is prohibited
and the modern oratorio with orchestral
accompaniment.
! Six choirs were united In last nisht S
service namely. those of the cathedral
| Trinity Church. Trinity Chapel, St
Agnes's Chapel. Grace Church and St.
Jamess Richard Henry Warren played
the prelude and professional MARKHAM
impro visatlon; Mr.. Farrow played the ac-
| compartments To the service; Mr.. Hyde
the postlude. a pontihcal march from
Widor's first sonata for the organ. Walter
Henry Hall conducted the anthems, Men
I, delssohns Psalm. Judge Me. o God. -
for eight voices, capella, and j..
Stainer's Lord. Thou Art God" in which
Daniel Beddoe. Of Grace Church. sang
the tenor solo.
The music OF the first hymn was Ho-
ratio Parker's setting OF 'Oh. Twas a
joyful Sound TO Hear; the psalm. "Oh.
How Amable Are Thy Dwellings" was
Battishlrs chant in ID; the "MagnIhcat."
|
| She festival service held in ST Paurs
Cathedral London, In aid Of the ROYAL
School for daughters OF officers OF the
army on May IS. 1873; the "Nunc Dimit-
It's" Martin, In l. fat and b fiat. The
other HYMNS we're 20, God Our Help in
Ages Past tune: st Anne'D, and "Je-
rusaIem. My Happy Home" set by Ed
ward Stubs. NJ. A. The Amen after
the blessing was the traditional setting
Of the Dresden church which Wagner en-
ploys as the musical symbol OF the Holy
Grail in his "Parsifal."
Every available inch Of room in the vast
structure, including the organ galleries
and the aises behind the grills. were oc-
cupied by listeners who were also wor-
SINNERS. Seats and all available standing
room were filled long before the time an
nounced for the beginning OF the service,
and hundreds waited long In the rain al
ter the doors were closed more than half
an hour before the opening. The picture
nresented within the cathedral was awe
insplring. and the music thrilling and up
lifting. The occasion did not invite criti-
cal comment OF any kind; only an ex-
pression OF amaZement and admiration
At the progress which ecclesiastical mu-
s,c has made in New York within the
thirty years during which It has been I'M
der the observation OF this writer. Under
IT'S influence II would be strange II SINH
,ar fas,,yals should not become periodi-