CHURCH MUSIC.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4717, 28 March 1876, Page 3

CHURCH MUSIC.

TO THE EDITOB OP THE LYTTELTON TIMES. Sis, —I would like, with jour permission, to make a few remarks on the letter of your correspondent who signs himself “ Anti-Funeral Dirge.” He calls himself a regular attendant, and yet writes of the chants for the Psalms used last Sunday as if they were new; whereas, to the best of my belief, no now chants wore sung, or if they were, instead of being so " wonderful,” as your correspondent calls them, to my mind they were so simple, that after having heard them once or twice any one so inclined could join in them. Far from its being impossible for the congregation to join in the singing, I can assure your correspondent that most of those around mo, that is in the back part of the Church, sang the chants heartily. His remarks with reference to the absence of the boys shows how much ho knows of these things; as I know, from experience, there are few things less calculated to hurt boys than practising singing, and I do not think they get more practice here than many of the choir boys do at Home. The ironical allusion to the “ enlivening chants " coupled with the notn de plume he assumes, convinces me still more that he knows very little about what he has written against, as any regular attendant at the Church knows it is customary to select tunes of a mournful style during the season of Lent. In conclusion, I may state that I am a regular attendant at S. Michael’s Church, but do not personally know either the choir master or any of the members of the choir, and I think they are more deserving of thanks for their disinterested work than that the results of their labours should be the subject of disparaging remarks from any one. I am, &0., ONE OF THE SINCEES. Christchurch, Match 27.