New-York tribune., 1915-03-30


not an essential part Of the harmonic
structure, in most cases.
"The lowest tone in this 'Cherubinl
Song ia ID, and the choir sang this.
believe. as printed. at least tho
Folian Choir has always given IL AS
printed. None of the published num-
hers have been arranged but have
been merely published with English
texts after being discovered
N. LINDSAY NORDEN.
There was some surprising informa-
ton in this letter for The Tribune
reviewer. lie had assumed from the
fact that all of the Russian worship
music which he had published through
G.. Schirmer, one Of the pieces beng
the "Cherubinic Song" in question
contained the legend, arranged Ior
mixed voices by n. Lindsay Norden'
or an equivalent, that Mr.. Norden nad
really done something to the music 70
help its effectiveness for mature SO
pranos and contraltos. IL seems that
he was mistaken. BY putting English
words in place Of the Russian, Mr. Nor
den became an "arranger." II was also
a surprise TO learn that Mr.. Norden
was also a "discoverer" of this Russian
music-a very great surprise, indeed
to the reviewer, who had himself
trained a choir 70 sing some OF Boru-
nansky's music forty years ago, and
who had heard the Musical Art Society
sing some of this worship music seven
teen years ago, and written somewhat
extended notices Of the concerts ana
services OF the Russian Cathedral
Choir.
SO the reviewer sought information
from Mr. Norden, and an am able and
it is TO be hoped mutually prohtaDle
correspondence ensued Some OF the
points brought out ought also to inter-
est the public, especially those inter-
osted in church music. Mr. Notden
pointed out that his first publications
had been unsatisfactory 10 hir, partly
because he was given credit for haV,
ing arranged the music when he had
done nothing OF the kind. 80 he nad
taken to publishing the music for ms
H,olian Choir himself lie cOurteously
sent copies of the pieces, but untort-
unately some Of those personal litno-
graphed publications also contained
the words Arranged by" etc. As TO
his claim that he had discovered the
music, he admitted IL was - little
strong" He added (the excerpts from
his private letters are printed with his
permission):
"Up to my beginning the recitals OF
the .Eolian Choir there were available
for use in church about dozen or so
Russian church pieces. These had
been moro or less extensively used
NY work has been TO make vast col
lection of Russian church music an o,
lutely unknown in this country, and
TO prepare editions for use IN our
churches. Foolishly, / attempted 10 d.
this through Schirmers, but long since
have stopped this method of publicca-
ton. and have published Tor the
Eolian.Chor to date twenty-three un-
known numbers, and have about dozen
in manuscript.
"As far as have any way OF tell
ing. my editions Of GretchaninoH, has
talsky, Arkhangelsky, Schyedou'
TschesnokoiF. Rimskv- -Korsakof, Rach-
maninof, T. IvanoH, Smlrnoh. "lNcisfy'
Musitchesky, IppolitoF-lvanoh and Paw
lof were the first church composItio,h..5
bv these composers 20 be offered with
English texts, and in several instances
thcv were the first time the composer
had been heard of in this country, nav
ing not been given b. the Russian
Choir.
up to date I cannot claim to Be
much Of a 'discoverer, as far as me
public goes. but if | should begin 90
publish some Of the great amount o.
material have gradually collected per
haps / could Justify that title 70 some
degree. OF course, this would never
have started without The founding o.
The Russian Choir, but our work radi-
ates in different direction. Then, TOO
| could have accomplished but little
without the valuable assistance OF my
friend, DR.. Kahn"
e.. is a lau able ching 20 wish for INC
wide use of the best o. the wors-
music of the Russian Church but we
foar Mr.. N5rden's zeal as bit cNces-
e.ye. II there IS % be a return 70 u
c0DeIld music to any considerable eN,
tent it vii. be wiser Tor episcopal
choirmasters 20 turn 10 -Jre or the o'a
Anglican services and settings adapted
from the Italian classics than 10 pace
too large a dependence on the compoSi-
tions Of modern Russians, whose style
is not always ecclesiastical, OuI some
times borders on the dramatic, not "
say theatrical Besides, when Il comes
to portions Of the liturgy when arc
common TO both the Eastern and me
Western churches, some comp.aIif'
ought 10 be found with the changes n
the text made necessary 70 ADAPT eng
lish word, % music created 70 De d
vehicle for old Slavic.
He would be sorry churchman "hc
would hymn the Virgin Mary IA sucu
singular English as this: hou, true
l.a IL
and known no dcdlemcnt" IL IS oDV4
ous. of course. that Ir. Norden intends
:. have his excerpts from the kus- an
liturgy sung in the churches o. '"i-
country and England.
To that end he may have been jus
titled in proclaiming the procession oi
tho Holy Ghost from the Son In the
setting By GretchaninoH Of the Greco
but I'M Justice TO the Eastern Church
he .bould have added foouote telling
of the liberty he had taken; for thar
niece of DOGMA prOclaims an irrccon-
cilable conaict between the Greek
church on the one hand and the Roman
and ANGLICAN or the other Mr.. Norden
will also find a well grounded objection
on the part of scholarly musicians 10
singing "Al le-lu-i-a," a. the Rus nan
COMPOSERS pronounce the word about
bal- the time What becomes Of the
ORIGINAL significance II Praise JAN u
g. be turned into Praise ! ah!' There
are also other strange things n the
translat.ons. Except for the parallel
ism suggested BY the words used by
Mr.. Norden, We have no means oI
knowing the derivation Of the ter. oil
a Communion Verse" set by Iscnes
nokoF, but we fancy the Slavic Is a
translation OF a passage from the '4th
psalm: For God is my King of Old
working salvation in the midst Of the
earth" Now, what is the meaning o.
Mr.. Nordea's text: salvation IS
created in midst Of the earth, o God
A-le-lu-i-a!" And who will accept re-