Evening star., 1926-10-31
NJ MUS &c
BY HELEN FETTER.

son of Harvard Glee Club fame,
studies the finest music and p ,epares
few but we'll balanced programs un-
der the direction of John r. M Monroe.
One of these programs is listed for
Tuesday.
The mode for choral groups seems
to be gaining in popularity. In
Washington the season dashed forth
with two-the Orpheus Choir of
Glasgow and the Ukrainian Chorus
from Stony Point and originally
from the Ukraine. Next III the list
OF big visiting choral groups will be
the Westminster Choir of Dayton.
Ohio, remarkably fine. and original
type OF organization with genius as
leader and earnest ordinary Ameri-
cans, even as you and |. in its person
mel of 90 folk who sing. Although
this cho;r's chief aim is TO promote
better church music their programs
on tour are not confined to religious
music but show excellent discrimi-
nation in the choice of secular num-
berS as well.
The papers are telling how the
United Lutheran Church OF Ameri-
cas- special music committee is is
suing an edict to the effect that too
much unreligious music is sung by
individuals hired for the purpose in
the churches, and too little corgrega-
tional singing is encouraged. The
committee says:
The function of the choir in the
Lutheran service is to lead the con-
grcgation and. in certain parts Of the
service, to alternate with the con-
gregation. but it must never domi-
nate the congregation nor regard it
self as a body to entertain the con-
gregation. All its acts must be acts
Of worship. and if All anthem be
sung. it must be chosen with due
reference to the day. season or oc-
casion. and be sung in manner to
inspire devotion. Much that is in
utter conflict with this is heard in
our churches. Better no anthem at
all, and in its place d congregational
hymn tune, than the kind often
heard and the undevotional manner
in which they are frequently sung.
not only by poor choirs, but by
cho;rs that pride themselves on their
proficiency. II many churches the
liturglcal music is sung very in
differently-sometiines atrociously;
and all hymn tunes are taken in the
same tempo. whether set to words
expressive of the highest JOY or the
deepest penitencc. Thus. hymn and
tune and the devotion of the sincere
worsllipper arc ruined
1t seems to the writer that there is
but one real and sensible solution to
the better church music problem.
That is the thorough education of
efficient and really talented choir di-
rectors, who will not only teach the
choir of church how to sing the
finest church music available and
recognized i'll the churches Of the
various denominations for the
Luthcrans have by no means a
monopoly on this music trouble-but
will also teach the congregation how
to sing. By that time everybody will
probably be ready for the millennium.
At any rate, there is hope looking
backward in the fact that every per-
son OF any education at all in Merrie
England of Queen Elizabcth's time
had to learn to read music notes and
to sing and perform on musical in
Struments just as much as they had
to learn geography and keep up with
the newest styles, such as smoking
Virginia tobacco. Also, there is hope
in looking forward to the results
achieved when the 90 members in
the first Westminster Choir have
completed their training under Mr.
Williamson and started 90 better
church music programs i'll that many
churches throughout the country.
Again. i'll church music as in con-
cert music and every other kind of
music i'll fact, everything involved in
the basic problem lies with an in
telligent and complete training for
all little children in music to develop
understanding and appreciative list
eners as well as capable amateur par
Elephants i'll music