INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 65, 7 October 1875, Page 5

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.

To the Editor of the Clutha Leader.') Sis,- The Rev, Mr Baunermaa has written U your Journal to prove that the Editor of thi ' Evening Star' has enunciated an absurd sentii ment m characterising congregational singini without instrumental accompaniment " barbar ova." This is Mr Bnnnerm;>n's inforonco, no my words. But I will not ta to space in expla nation. I will give hiiu tbo benetit of lug diß coverv. Had he alone been concerned I shoult havoleft him to enjoy his opinion, but he is not. A largo class is interested in having the vexec question of instiumental music iii churchef placed before tliem freed from sectarian bias, anc as his lottor has oponed it on its merits, divestec of theological prejudices, the rare opportunity is afforded of discussing it on strictly scientific grounds in a public journal. I have littlo to say of his letter, beyond that his logic is bad, anc judging by the nonsense he has written, his know lege of the subject is very rudimentary. Mv answer to him will tend to explain tho views ] hold m common with competent musicians. It is a very ungracious task to reply to a minister of the gospel, for no one likes to prove him wronc k'ft.ili 0?? who "homologate" (anglici-" agree with ) the verdict should imagiuo him capable of uror in graver matters. He has howover somewhat recklessly _ taken up tho gauntlet, and though he has laid himself open to be hard hftten, much allowance must be made for tho prejudices of his education. r ,/««"*». Firstas to thebasis of his alignment. He appears to have attended a concert of amateurs, some of whom were instrumentalists, some vocalists, and to hivo been charmed with tho effect of unaccompanied voices singing a few simple harmoniesu He reasons thus from his ephemeral experience « Ihe Clutha vocalists pleased me better wl • t singing by themsolves than whoa accompanied by instrumentalists. Tho instrumentalists rendered the accompanl vents " in a way infinitely suporior to what nine out of ten of our congregations are ever likely to have. 1' (His moaning may bo guessed, albeit his form of expression is somewhat shady.) Therefore, he concludes, congregations sing better without instrumental accompaniments than with them. Certes, a most extraordinary conclusion from promises so slender. Every logician must smile at the absurdity of Mr Bannerman's method, and, with every musician, will have no hesitation in pronouncing such reasoning pure nonsense. This will be tho more evident if tho roverened gentleman's account of tho proceedings is critically considered in reference to its bearing on congregational singing. In fact it may bo oonoedod that his report of tho concert may even be accopted as true to the letter, and yet the value of an instrument in supporting a congregation remain unquestioned. Suppose Mr -Bannerman's statement* true, there are a fow circumstances connected with every concert, and this iv particular, that can never enter into an estimate of congregational singing. I will enumerate some of them. First, he says the singers had been m training for thrco months. Is that the case with congregations ? Secondly, they had been trained by a skilled teacher. Is that the case with congregations ? Thirdly, ifc is evident they had been trained, in this instanco, with a view to giving a special musical fete. Is thafc the case with congregations? Fourthly, the fact of their giving time to tho cultivation of musio proves they are lovers of it, with most probably voices of better quality than the average. Is that the case with congregations ? Fifthly, they had the music to themselves, and had not thoir attention distracted by a mass of voices disturbing the pitch and dragging thorn out of time aod tune. Would they have been free from these disturbing influences if leading a congregation ? So much for tho vocalists. These questions wmch each can answer for himself, point to the folly of drawing a general conclusion from thoir success. Mr Bannerman does not do justice to tho inBtrumeutalistfl. Like all uniustructod cmnoisseurs he undervalues that which is most difficult of attainment. Any ono of them capable of i playing his part effectively in an orchestra, must know very much mora of tho theory aud practice i of music than a more vocalist. Ho must be able to keep time with a precision that appears to bo thought wondeful by Mr Bannormau and some of his friends, and to execute pa-sages with facility that not one in a thousand, or even ten thousand, who know nothing beyond using their voices, could read without study. Ho must keep his mind free from the influence of other instruments, probably running through florid postages by which he is surrounded, although listening to them is as to unite with them in expression; and he must not allow himself to lose his perfect self command by tho harmony he has to assist in creating. The training of an instrumentalist ia valuable; he learns not only to give first attention to au object in common with his fellow players, but to be able to distinguish tho effect of e<ich different melody as rendered by different instruments in forming one grand harmony. Hia mind has. to direct his fingers in thoir mechanical movements, to comprehend tho composer's meaning, and to give to the notes ho produces correct intonation and expression. If Mr Bannorman's report of the concert, be true, certain conclusions would bo arrived at by one competent to judgo. He would infer that if tho instrumentalists were what are represented, tho vocalists were moro tyros, who had very much to learn before thoy could take an effective place in a choir. If tha vocaluts were so able as is stated, tho instrument talist» were not up to their work, and might bo evt n very fair players without knowing How to work togethor or to accompany singera." Or Listiy, I would think it quito possible and highly probable, that the music of tho second part waa much moro difficult than was before attempted, and, that the singers and players had ! not sufficiently practised togethor—a very com* I moa fault in amateur performances. One further i Idea might, present itself, viz., that it was quito | possible both vocalists and instrumentaliaU did I well without Mi- Bannerman knowing it. j The barbarism of which I oomplain in Presby* fcericni. Churches, is the result of th? mass of tho j peoples voice overmastering thepickod choir; an effect that jio jvuihan efforts in the present state of-musical Cultivation could- withstand.: The hitman vplco when grained;is a, magnificent instrument) but it requires tiainingto produce; even tolerable musio. To sing really well neces* v skates years ofr soientlfio praotioe* Mr Banner- j m^ a i o»*f thiok it.easy to use hi*} voice in singing. I never heard him try-so cannot say what Borfe of bt pipe ho possesses; but ah Hexiieriencod mv« ■steiao conrfdera.it a.; power that few evwn, gifted muuwofi. possess of singing through p., simple hyifya tttrie,' unHUstaindd,hy ah instrumftrit/withj'oufcinfsbihA degree -fetfrorving from 'the pitch of tbp key.fo whjch ho#fcrted; - Tbo only-remedy i* r aninitfrumjmt which should b* usepl a? a sustain* ing n6V in bvWihasterihg power. 'An irrftriiroenfc 'does betdo away>with the necessity fwaitrainsd ,ohoit» It tondora % defects of. an uuWnpd one ■ mora apparent. In my opinion tlie best musical troimhgfora'dhoir is to learn to' read 'ft'tleight, an:instrument; tbofcoe use ih„p*iroohgregationalßinglhgJis a-' babel; id Which, : '^P«^ioa;u»';|*PHfc ,Jt.wQuld.be .better, tpladopfc ; .JW,^.!?. ev,ery v <»ee singing in unison than, i 'WprtM ' •tytntony' when. eVerv' man' is f Ms own ! •tumtxanlßk- Nowiit fe:thia inability toiriuder- ; **&*& th« b,eaut^;and jeff^ctiva^s, of harmony ia ' ty?,,W,? t lW.?\ fiWS that! uiilieaitati'ngly pro. i baHWian^M 1 Sange ' ;up andidown • the - scale;not knowing; wliec"!, they ;> weightandwhon thoy are..wrongjandppasibly-\ since discprdis Harmony not uhaeifltrtoa,7lbere'| 6w' Winds ><&'pab*Ur of 'en'jftihiiig tfuch'f6nwftored 1 Blioutfng.ir.lrjnpi^bei; iei^vy. them their? renjoy-i 'f%Wp.P$v r WPpctyte 0)0. wisdom of; tutors who 1 COilushV fak'th' thjdr aa ufti,nte)Jigoht exeffise of" -theirfaculties:ln i thb 'servldo Of.pratoptoiHim) betwr than availing, themselves <jf aids toperfeo-l 'tioh &4fi546.b% n/eii 6f,'cuft'ivated4nt aeTle'|tattdll •penned'.tauta. v: i!-...{•-, r:> ii-.-Mip v ~i ll -.^IP VM W^.9sm*R'Vty\i^t?hMq& I***; the.rpmarka I-have made, and at'auv raw?, lArtn WWtffiflbfi Il>a»e-i»fU"M, 'j^Ntotifoiot wS hfvldl; pi*6fised.both as &$. fafyh&j&^WtAm vooalistf foV^y&W.—l' int>'&e< JFIU ©Hj "Jj oi- ;woo ,Jf «f« Ai JSfaM&(mw^& J':''i i £■■} k-1 am

- ' *" <7*r/ the Editor'bf-the Clutha Leader.) '< Sir,— Haviiig ; observed in a late: issue of the Lka'oe'r that a' very handsome ■ tribute has been paid to Mr E. Devine7 by various doners, in commemoration of his first .trip through to the Mataura from Balclutha,. I was at once moved to think that those doners had j set us an example which we. should | have s hown them, they not being residents in our locality. Ido not say but Mr Pevine is worthy of the douceur, but I do say that Mr Robert "Williams is well worthy of some tangible token from some of these whom he piloted through the tf mud proper" during the \ past four years. Some will say, "He done it in view of self interest ;" no I doubt he did ; but they are few and far between who would continue a line of j Coaches on such a road us that between Clinton and Balclutha four years ago ; and more, they are still fewer who j would if willing to risk their horses and j coaches, brave all weather and drive themselves, as Mr Williams did, much to his credit and to the advantage of "many at the time, and who, I hope, will upon this suggestion come forward and signify their approbation of Mr Williams' kind, obliging, and courteous j manner, at all times and seasons. Many of the residents of Balclutha < will well remember the very numerous and anxious gazes up the road towards Clinton on Wednesday and Saturday mornings to see if Bobby was in sight. I know-full well I shall long remember it; together with various prognostications that on many occasions he would not get in, by travellers who had just travelled the road ; but to their and our astonishment Bobby used always to turn up, and in good time too. Sometimes he would resemble a concrete man — ice. and mud, a lair of each alternately : yet he has stood it out ; and I say let us give him a douceur in recognition of "his thoroughly trustworthy and gentlemanly manner at all times to us when either on the road, or desirous of sending or receiving a parcel to or from any place. I iave spoken to Mr P. S. Canning, manager of the Clutha Leader, who will confer with any one favorable to the above j but confer as I have done — put your hand in your pocket, and leave him to do the. remainder for the. time being. — I am, &c, Traveller.