New-York tribune., 1919-09-17
Vatican Choir of 70
Tn ants It's First
Song in New World
Pontifical Organization That
Never Left Rome in 500
Years Reaches Port; Per-
forms at the City Hall

~ Seventy members of the Vatican
On hoirs, composed of picked singers from
the fifteen chapels at the Vatican ~
rived yesterday on the steamship Rel-
vedere. Never before in the historv
OF OF the Roman Catholic Church have
tne pontifical singers been permitted to
sing outside Rome, but special dispen
safion has been granted for tour of
tne United States and Canada.
James Slevln, president of the St,
gregory Musical Society, Inc, 437 Fifth
Avenue. accompanied the singers on
thelr trip to this country The society
ne ne represents will arrange the tour.
Inc first concert will be given at Car
neg!e Hall tomorrow night.
ElEhteen members of the choir. bows
from eight to fifteen years of age. were
not permitted to land with the other
memners OF the choir, but we're taken
10 Elias Island. According to the i'm
migration laws, children under sixteen
years OF age, unaccompanied by their
parents, are not permitted to enter the
country until their cases are passed
upon by a board of special inquiry. The
young singers, all sopranos, were per
mlttAd to land after brief examina-
tion. eNS''''''''-
The choir, which originated in the
1o'xrth century, will De directed here
by the Most Reverend Canon Mon
slgnor Raffaelc Casimiri, headmaster
or all the Pontifcal choirs and also
speclal chamberlain to Pope Benedict.
Master Gregorino, eight years old,
IS the youngest member of the orpan-
ization. and the oldest is Tomasso
Mori, seventy years old. All the bow
singers were dressed in blue Norfolk
SUITS and Eton collars. while the older
men wore frock coats. Signor Mori.
aithough ne has been singing for many
years, still retains his soprano voice.
Twelve priests accompanied the
singers and each morning on the trim
IRON trieste twelve individual masses
were said on board the vessel. Bv
directlon of the Pope, the choir is not
permitted to go to hotel or a private
o"eillhg, but must stay in religious
ssemlnary. SC During their visit in New
York the singers from Rome viii ha
lodged at the St Francis Xavier Sem
mary on West Fifteenth Street.
- At Pier 7, Bush Terminal, where the
helVedere docked, nearly eight hun
arcd persons gathered to welcome tho
choir. VIC
The children's choir from the Church
OF Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. 18TH
street and Belmont Avenue, under the
rev rather Magliocco, sang at the
p.o,,' LOUISA 0lannOnc, five -VCar-Old
glrl, presented a large bouquet of flow
ers to the Most Rev Casimiri as he
stepped off the gangplank.
Inc choir proceeded in automobiles
TO the City Hall. where they we're
greeted by Mayor Hylan and members
OF the committee Of welcome. The
Mayor spoke of the fame of the Sistine
Choir and the Most Rev. Casimiri re-
sponded with a brief address, thanking
the Mayor in behalf of his country
men. The seventy singers Joined in a
LATIN !l chant on the plaza, singing for
tthe first time in the Western World
before the arrival of the choir q rc-
cruit detail. called "Americans 4 +"
from camp Upton, executed drill for
nations before a large crowd assem-
pied to meet the singers. Xhc soldier
represented fourteen different nations.
The Belvedere carried total of $50
passengers: Among them were DR.,
William II. Sugarman, 3Sl Saratora
Avenue, Brooklyn, who has been in
IaIestlne as member of the American
Jewish Medical Unit; Mrs. Sugarman
native of Palestine, and Miss Rose
kolombers, 566 West 162d Street. hcad
nurse of the American Zionist Medical
Unit, who organized Il base hospjtal At
Jerusalem. 80