CATHEDRAL CHOIR DO NOT HEAR SERMONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19247, 8 December 1930, Page 6

CATHEDRAL CHOIR DO NOT HEAR SERMONS.

POSITION OF PULPIT BLAMED FOR FAULT. Special circumstances are blamed by, architects for the fact that the choir in the Christchurch Cathedral does not hear the sermon. It is stated in the “Church News” that the choir has not heard a sermon for years and the installation of loud speakers has been suggested. It is believed that the Cathedral is the only church in Christchurch which suffers from this disability. One city architect blamed the location of the pulpit and the chancel screen. The pulpit is in front of a large pillar, and the preacher’s voice; goes out forward and sideways; the pillar prevents it going to the rear. The screen, the architect added, also stopped sound going to the rear, as the whole of the fretwork of the screen was glassed in. He said that little trouble was experienced in regard to acoustics with churches in the Dominion, for they were all, comparatively speaking, smalL Anglican and Catholic churches were, broadly, in the shape of a cross and this was not conducive to good hearing qualities, especially in the case of a very big church. He mentioned that in Westminster Abbey, it was almost impossible to hear at any length from the pulpit, but this difficulty was got over in ordinary services by seating everybody in the choir stalls, where there was also a pulpit. As far as the Nonconformist churches in Christchurch are concerned, most of the choirs are in front of the preacher and, according to a number of ministers spoken to this morning, no complaints have been received. In many cases, the members of the choir slightly turn towards the preacher during the sermon, but this, it was stated, was more for the purpose of seeing the minister than to aid the members in hearing. In one or two city churches, the choirs are seated at the rear of the pulpit, but in these, apart from the Cathedral, there are no obstructions to the passage of sound, and the full sermon can be heard by the choristers.