Evening star., 1927-11-27

progress. The reason is that
instead of talking boresomely
on the subject. more and more really
worthy examples of the singing OF
the best religious music are beng
brought to public attention. Talk
ing about a thing is all very well
but it is action that counts most CT
fectively-as the old adagc has 1t.
Two weeks ago today the famous
American group, the Westminster
Choir Of DAYTON. Ohio. under the re-
markable leadership of John Finley
Williamson, gave two programs OF
fine music beautifully. The follow
ing day they gave a third. The
large audiences were extremely en-
thusiastic over all OF these pro-
grams.
Wednesday of this week singers
from the more ancient organization
known As The Vatican Choirs OF
Rome, Italy. will give program OF
the old Italian sacred music for the
benefit of a local school This group
under the skilled Monsignor Raffaelo
Casimiri specializes i'll the music OF
Palestrina, one OF the great masters
of polyphony on which their leader
is an authority. Mgr. Casimiri IS
canon Of the Basilica of st. John
Lsteran and, in addition to being a
singer and conductor. is a music
composer and editor of renown. He
also is professor of composition at
the Pontihcal Senior School OF
Sacred Music and professor OF Ore
gorian Chant at the Pontihcal Semi
nary of the Lateran. He is secretary
general of the Italian Association OF
St. Cecilia and secretary OF the
Roman Commission for Sacred
Music.
There is a little confusion caused
by the fact that the group is known
as the Vatican Choirs. This means
that singers have been selected from
several choirs, all of whom sing III
the Vatican instead of just one Nati-
can choir of unchanging personnel.
The choirs which compose the group
include 90 voices selected from choirs
of the Sistine Chapel. the Basilicas
of St. Peters. St. John Lateran. St.
Mary Maggiore-patriarchal basilicas
of Rome. Ali the voices are mascu-
line and include II boy singers OF
the Schola Puerorum of St. John
Lateran. The ages vary from to
90 years.
The Vatican Choirs have toured
America only once previously, &C
cording to announcement. and that
was eight years ago. They visited
4S cities at that time and this year
on the tour they will sing in /lO7
American cities.
INSPIRED by the success and
marked cooperation afforded for
the Civic Massed Concert given last
Spring, the Washington Church
Music Council announces that it is
formulating plans for something
even more neutrality-suspicious. OF
festival proportions-for presenta-
tion in the National Capital next
May.
1t was unusual and very encourag-
ing that last year the D. {. Fedora
ton of Music Clubs and the Church
Music Council united their efforts:
and so secured the cooperation of
MANY church choirs of varied de-
nominations for this concert last
wear. when 700 Washington singers
took part and John Finley William
SON conducted. Mr.. Williamson not
onlv conducted with the marked
ability for which he is noted, but
he also gave series of five practi-
cal and exceptionally interesting lee
lures on choir directing and his
theories in bettering the music of
the churches all over the country:
before an enthusiastic audience OF
about 100 local choir leaders and
organists.
Mr.. Williamson especially en-
phasizes that choir director should
be a singer, not an instrumentalist.
as singer can really understand
how to bring out vocal beauties, and
music a capella is always much more
effective than that which is tied to
the mechanical limitations of in
strumental accompaniment and the
direction of one who must play at
the same time as directing. There
is plenty of opportunity for the in
strument, logically the organ, in
church services, but the choir is
best without accompaniment. OF
course. the entire musical program
both for organ and voices. should be
built up carefully each week.
OBSTRUCTIVE methods in the
- better church music for America
crusade have been mentioned in the
press at various times. Recently
the attack has especially centered
A L. 6rTla p-..,4.f,,f L. II
Somewhere" The title sounds like
a musical comedy hit. The number
is not familiar to the writer. 1t has,
however, aroused the ire of such in
dividuals as Cardinal O'Connell of
Boston. who banned it from use in
the Roman Catholic services in his
diocese. The cardinal stated he con-
sidered the song TO be trashy, inane,
sentimental and maudlin."
Many other preachers have sup
ported the cardinals attitude, the
most recent being Dr. s. Parkes
Cadman. who. addressing a group Of
Methodist leaders. declared:
Cardinal OConnell was perfectly
justified | urge the clergy to unite
in casting out the inferior stuff
WHlNH SoR5 INC IHdlIot "Heels OF
God"
1t seems that the first objection
to Beautiful Isle of Somewhere"
came not from minister. but from
a preachers son at Sunday school
convention in@ Trenton, \. J.. some
years ago. when 5000 persons sang
the song with all their might. The
date was October |. 1911. Gov
Woodrow Wilson rose from his scat
and walked 10 the center of the plat
form. His words fell with astonish-
~. Il 4