Evening star., 1922-03-24
Canned" Music for Churches ,,;ss
Versus Better Paid Musicians
cCoRD1NG to a recent news
\ dispatch, q clergyman ad-
dressinE convention nf

A cCORDING to a recent news
~ Dispatch, q Clergyman ad-
~ dressing a convention Of
members Of his denomination
took occasion to criticise the music
in the church. urging more pep"
and doing away with "wheezy
choirs." He told of one church that
paid $3.50 a year for, its organist and
$3.50 for the choir. Later, he said.
the church dispensed with its choir
and organist and substituted a pho
nograph with $25 worth Of records
yearly. with the result of a much
better satisfied and larger congrega-
ton.
That raises a question of interest
to all churches and one that is often
discussed, sometimes In a narrow and
unvisionary manner, and sometimes
broadly. and with an eye to the
changing conditions of the present
day.
Originally the music that went
along with the church service was
based upon congregational singing
and perhaps was more effective in ap-
peal TO the emotions.
Now the music has changed and
congregations are hesitant about
heartily singing the hymns. Tnet
tendency Is to place the burden of
the music on the choir. The average
service calls for two selections by
the choir alone. three organ selec-
tions, besides the hymns. This nat
ufally takes up fair amount of the
time of the service and raises the
choir to an Importance that requires
that it be good. or the service will
suffer.
Taking up the church to which the
clergyman referred. he said that the
organist received. $3.50 a year, or.
roughly, So a Sunday, and IL he was
required to be at prayer meeting as
wen. 81 a service.
Before the organist has fitted HIM
self for the position he has been re-
ouired to study and practice at
length. He has been forced to pay
out considerable sums for instruc-
ton and for his music. That means
q total expenditure that is not often
appreciated. -,
His playing must be more than a
| mere mechanical reading Of his score.
Considering him as having arrived at
the point where he is able to play In a
| manner that would warrant his holding
| 1tlS pOSltlCil, luelc ID lIic QGSStlCi Va ttit
| amount Of time required Of him. Fo,
! his two Sunday services, regardless oi
any practicing he might do, he mus,
\ actually put in three hours. Each week
| day he should practice at least an hour
| In some cases he must play at prayer
meeting and trair his choir which will
| add about three hours more TO his work
| That makes a minimum of twelve hour.
| that he must spend at his music.
| He plays SIX times on Sunday ant
| must have six selections. In order t
avoid monotony. the greater part o
| them should be new. Considering hal
! Of them as new and costing an averagt
| OF 40 cents apiece. he must spend S1.2'
! for new music a week. Eliminating al
| question of carfaTe or other transporta
| ton. he has $3.50 a week left out OF his
| salary TO compensate for twelve hours
| work, Of the encouraging salary O
| about l. cents an hour.
| Figuring from present day rates o.
pay, 1t is small wonder that the organis
at that particular church could he sur
passed by instrumental records on s
| phonograph.
| = x X x
| Take the choir: $50 year was tn.
| sum spent on the choir. If the choil
consisted of a precentor alone, tn,
return Is little more generous thar
in the case of the organist. but il thu
choir consisted Of a quartet-and fol
real satisfaction it should have. be