Evening star., 1922-12-23

message, Peace on earth and good
will to men" as sung By the angels
on the hills of Bethleham 2,oc0 years
ago. may well form the moIif of
both song and sermon To offset the
note of discord in the norld ;oday.
From time immemorial music has
played an important part in the cere-
InonalS of Christmas. telling in
scriptural song the story of the birth
Of the infant Savior-a brief ory
as told in 217 words by the evan
gelist, St. Luke. in the gospel. As
early as AID. 131 it is said that the
Bishop of Rome ordered that the
hymn of the angels be sung in the
keeping of the feast. and so down
through the ages it has gradually
come TO be sung in all the Christian
churches on the great day. Every
country has its individual and char
:,cteristic method ot celenrt,inE the
feast, as is shown in its music ana
social custom.
The earliest known "Weilnachts-
leder." as We know them todIN.
originated III Germany in the eleventh
and twelfth centuries, the uoelS. as
the French term them. III the CleNenth II
century and the carols, of England
IN the twelfth century. The carol
was originally q ring dance. accom-
panied by singing, and the dance
gave the name To the carol, by which
L was accompanied, and gradually
:hc word came into use in most of
he languages Ot western Europe. In
Franco and England carol singing
'.as always held an important place
in Christmas festivities and some of
-he best known carols are said to be
fragments of the old mystery. or
miracle PLAYS that were performed
usually at Yuletide. The majority Of
hose now in use were translated
from the Latin and are the old ira
ditional airs.
The beautiful custom of singing
Christmas carols in the streets on
the eve of the feast is being grad
lally revived. and last year many
hearts were gladdened by groups Of
both children and adults who stopped
with their tuneful offerings bcf"r"
every house where lights in the viii
slows indicated the desire of the resi-
,,ents to participate in this part OF
he holiday celebration.
Christmas music may he said to be
divided into three classes-muslc OF
the community. music OF the nome
and music of the church. Because ~
the essentially religious nature Of
the feast, elaborate preparations nave
been made for the musical portions OF
the services tomorrow ana NCndaS.
and hypercritical indeed must he the
listener who can find for these joy
Gus and spiritual messages anything
but praise.
At the First Congreea tionaI Church
the vested choir of sixty voices and
-he quartet will assist Harry Edward
nIu. Ter with the Chris mas music
They will sing AT all three services.
and the morning program tomorrow
Will be as follows: Organ SOLO.
christmas PaStoraie" ttog"r>'.
choir anthem. "Oh Come, All fe Faith
Ful"; carols by the choir, shepherd
Christmas Song sleep, Holy Babe.
God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen,
"Holy Night; soprano solo. "ReJoice
Greatly" from The MESSIAH Han
ueD. by Miss Estelle Wentworth; an.
them. Chime, Ye Bells of Heaven
CShelley). with incidental solos by
Miss Wentworth and Goidie d Hutch
tns: choir. "Hallelujah Chorus tHan-
deD: organ. "Rhapsodlc on Christmas
Chimes (GuilmanD.
Afternoon, 4:45 ,o'clock, the vested
chorus choir OF sixty voices and quar-
,et, composed of Estelle Wentworth.
soprano: Goldie u. Huitchins. con-
tralto; Albert Parr. tenor. and James
L. S. Kinsella. bass: will render the
Coming of the King" by Dudley
Buck This is one of the best known
of the Christmas cantatas. being very
musical and containing number OF
familiar choruSes.
The vested choir and quartet vii!
render the cantata, The Holy Night
(Brewer). at the evening service. be-
gaming at 8 o'clock. 1t IS an eSpe-
cially appropriate cantata for the
night after Christmas.
The following Christmas musical pro-
grams will be given at the Noun. Pleas
ant CONGREGATIONAL Church tomorrow,
by the Mount Pleasant chorus and the
solo quartet, which is composed OF MISS
Frances Scherger, soprano; MISS tic"
Scanland, contralto: William =. Shana-
han. tenor. and Herman Fakler. bari
tone, under the direction of Norto NJ
Little with Claude Robeson at the
organ.
At 4 O'Clock. an hour before the yes
per service, the usual Christmas carol
service will he given. when the chorus
and the Junior choir will sing. The
programs follow:
Morning service - orTan prelude:
tGuilman): anthem. GLORY to God in
the Highest" PcrSolcGi,: bass solo.
Calm on the List ming Ear of Night
iBarker), Mr.. Fakler; anthem. LET Is
Now Go Even Unto Retlil"'lem M Wood
mani: "Hal!elujah Chorus from THE
Messiah tHandeD organ prelude.
''AIarch of the Magi Kings (Dubo;s).
Nesper service-Anth"m. "Gloria"
from MASS in b Flat" tFarmer'; con-
CBuck), Miss Scanland: anthem. "The
ABSORPTION (Woodman); organ post
lude. "Christmas Morning" Mal.ing).
MIS-. ffenTy ffunt Mchee VIII nave
charge of the musical services at
both Ingram Congregational Church
and Sixth Presbyterian Church to-
morrow.
The morning services at ingram
Congregational Church will consist Of
selections from Gcibel's Christmas
cantata. THE Incarnation" Flora
Brylawski contralto, will sing the
lullaby from this work and also He
Was Despised." from The Messiah"
by Handel. Other soloists Will be
Mrs. Charles Eeall soprano: q. \.
Johnson. bass. and Mr. Swain. tenor
Program as follows: Prelude. Pas
toral symphony" from THE Messiah.
Mrs. Mckee at the organ; alto solo.
"He Was Despiscd" (HandeD. Flora
Brylawski; selections from The In
carnation" (GeibeD: postlude, Halle
1ujah Chorus" from THE Messiah"
IHandeD. Mrs. Mckee.
The evening service will be in
charge of the Sunday school, thus
enabling a portion of this church
Church. at which the program for
this church is as follows:
Morning-Robert Ruckmann at the
organ will render few selections of
music appropriate to the day; so
prano solo. "He Comes" from THE
ofrertory solo. Rejoice Greatly"
from "The Messiah" (HandeD, Miss
Craig.
Evening-Selections from Geibers
"The Incarnation" with solos by Mrs.
Charles Beall, Lillian Karn, G. A.
johnson. bass. and Mr.. Swain, tenor,
with Mrs Mckee at the organ; Offer
tory, 20 Holy Night" (Adam): Incl
dental solo by Mrs. Charles Beall.
Special Christmas music will be
rendered tomorrow at the Church of
The Covenant At the afternoon Serv-