New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-06
THE MUSIC OF A SUNDAY
Singing at the Cathedral of St.
John the Civine-VioIiniStS
and Their Activities.


or the funeral service Of the late Ambas-
sador TO the Court Of st. James's. at the
| Cathedral of st. John the Divine, last
, Saturday. the purpose is only TO express
| feeling OF qualification Qhere purely artis-
uc) at the dignihed beauty and simplicity
with which all the music was performed.
/ AS was stated in the news account print
/ ed i'm this journal yesterday, no attempt
was made at musical pomp; nor would
any such attempt have been likely TO
| lead to anything other than dsappoint-
ment to anybody familiar with the burial
service of the Anglican and American
\ Episcopal Church. For centuries the
! marvellous beauty Of the Apostle Paups
| dissertation on death and immortality has
been paired with the simple grandeur of
! the chants and anthems which have ac-
| companied it in the funeral service The
| beauty Of last Saturdays service con
sisted largely in the preservation OF the
old traditions under circums tanccs which
might have led to amb; JUS efforts to
surpaSs them.
! II is doubtful il many, even among the
students OF ecclesiastical music, knew be-
| fore Saturday that the culture of the art
was making such beautiful progress amid
conditions which not only seem. but really
are, so foreign TO it, In vague way
! lovers of the old church art have known
that, like many other things i'm the Cathe-
dral of St. John the Divine, a lovely re-
spect was showing to the things which
are not good because they are old. hut
! which are old because they are good-be-
J cause they have been approved by 80
many generations Of men. and for the
cultivation OF these things inclinations'
means and opportunities are not always
on hand.
| Some twenty years or more ago the
writer of these notes made a very serious
study Of the question Of the growth OF
ritualism in the Protestant Episcopai
| Church, with relation to its effect upon
the music in the churches of the city. "A
great many artistic problems appeared 10
| perplex him then. and though the surphceo
I choir movement, which he looked upon Win
dubious favor at the time, has triumphed'
/ he has not yet been able to say frankly
| and with a whole heart that il deserNeu
SO TO triumph. There was then. as there
4
st,n is. the great question to answer
whether or not the church was willing
and able TO indorse the increased eX-
pense which proper service Vi 'n'
ancient style involved. Writing at lhe
! time in "Harper's Monthly magazine
| this reviewer said:
No choir is so poor as a poor boy choir,
| and no choir 20 costly In money ana care
as 2 good boy choir TINS Is a u ulsIli
which will receive the assent OF every
educated choirmaster. III IL Were pVis1
/ ble TO Introduce system OF seIecuon,
/ care and training like that when optaIls
/ in the Chapel Royal and the cnie,
I cathedrals of England, there is no uVuoS
/ that the choirs in the larger american
! churches might i'm time become poteiiff
agencies I'm tho development OF nhtoIla'
/ school of music and justify the declara-
! ton OF the late Sir George Macr an IN ~
that "a cathedral choir is the pest ~ IT. IT.
| for a musician our country azores Ane
most lustrous names In the history vi
English music have figured on the Io,eS
| of the Children Of the Royal Chapel,
ana though that yeneraoie r,ist tbsu IL
did in the reigns Of Elizabeth anu tne
! Stuarts yet Sir Arthur sullivan 10 VIZ, WIN
us to testify 70 the value OF the eu Ge,Sn,.
I lion which II still affords. The eihclency
/ OF the Chapel Royal and the cathedrai
! choirs however. is purchased AT cost
which not even so wealthy corporation
/ as Trinity is willing 10 assume; N Now
1 the Children Of the Chapel hoyal nNe
] with their Master OF Songe' In PIT
waite house in St. Georges Square, PIN
| leo. but originally they. we're boarded anu
| lodged at the royal palace ana, say tle
! old records, the eight had amongst them
| JaiIv s.tyvo leaves one messe OF create
meate. and ii gaiones OF ale" besides
! fourpence court hire when on a Jour
new with the Kings Chapel. They were
|
%aarc tbeir harnesse and liverey In
courte': nor did the royal care cease
with their youthfulness as singers. Tor IT
was provided that, on the Dtg ,i ~, Va
the King assygnethe them TO college OF
oxford or Cambridge OF his foundaciofn
there TO be at fynding and studye poth
suffytietnly tylle the King may otherwise