"TURN ON A CHOIR"

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 11, 14 January 1932, Page 19

"TURN ON A CHOIR"

MUSIG. IN CHURCHES;

Successful experiments in. Canterbury; 'churches .with the use: of gramophone's; with electrical amplifiers, as,, substitutes for choirs, are described in\the'" CiinrchNews" (Christchureh); by the Eev. E. E. Maiden, vicar of;Amberlejy ~ who looks forward to the day when the Church will have ita own.radio station, to which small churches will; be able to tuno in for their music

"At Leithfield and Balcairn we are trying an experiment which bo far has proved. quite a success," writes Mr. Maiden.. "Armed with an electric

gramophone.smd/a good supply of \hymn records .-sung by some of the.bestvxhoiri in England, we are; how able' to turn on 8 choir at^a moment's, notice; but since a gramophone: by. itself;..might prove top Jeeble we.have a radio-ampli-.. fier with a'dynamic speaker attached to it,' by which means',we can haye.it; a» loud or as soft as we like; the whole; outfit, .which was iKiuilt.specially'for; : iis by a local espertj jean be" easily taken intheiback of'a: car-and .fitted up in church in a few minutes.

"Canticleß are'the, only.weak spot in. theserVice. So ;far .we-have, been unlable- to 'get 'any.fsung;;to,: sufficiently simple chants for the congregation' to join in also;, this.no dQubt ia a weakT nes» because people do'like to sing themselvesj, no matter how; beautifully if may-be tendered by the Choir of St; George's, Windsor, or Eochester Cathedral. For; the benefit of others who are .contemplating experiments 'in> this direction, we would- advise, a sufficiently, lone flex to;.enable:''the gramophone to 1 be' Sept in ihe yestfyy.where a boy can change, the 3;needles and records un-. obMry'edpwbile; a controlling button &t : .'the,reading. dealt: prevents anyone else turning" it on at the wrong moment; but theae are: only minor details. :'"The.main, thing is that we have a .'choir1' that really functions and leads the singing and which is not dependent on. the weather for its size or efficiency *—ilso we are able to put on good voluntaries, and anthems will no longer be heard only when we. go to town. It is early days yet to speak of its effect on-the numbers attending church, but so far a large increase in the congregation is shown, because we believe people really do-like good music, and are inclined to stop away if the music is not ao good. , 'fWo may add that the cost of the outfit is not ho great as might bo expected—about £20 we understand. The valves are supplied from tho .light point. Apart from; the ' choir aspect, the modern; 'electric.radio is so easily operated tljat'ifc is ta>'-trouble.to instal one temporarily, in a small church, when «j special;- jot vice or sermon,; is being broadcasted*" ; -