CHURCH MUSIC.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 25, Issue 8, 1 August 1935, Page 1

CHURCH MUSIC.

(To the Editor pf the Church Gazette.) Sir, — I have read with much interest m the last issue of the Gazette, the paper prepared by the Rev. W. T. Drake, on "Church Music," which was read at a recent meeting of the Hawke*s Bay Clerical Association. Your readers were encouraged to make comments upon it, and I should like to say that so excellent a paper is worthy of the consideration of all those who are responsible for the music m our Churches. The paper had evidently been very carefully prepared, and it deals with a subject that is of no little importance m connection with the musical portions m

our public worship. As a rule, too little attention is paid to the music m our services, and, m many cases, the results are anything but edifying. Sometimes too much is attempted without any regard to the material that is available, and the best way of using it, and sometimes the music itself is not worthy of the object for which it is used. I quite agree with the writer that for a country choir to attempt a cathedral type of service, is, unless under very exceptional circumstances, quite unsuitable. It should certainly be the first aim to give of cur best to the service of God, and even the simplest service can be rendered m a devotional spirit, and pains taken that the music shall be neither too hurried, nor too slow, but expressive of the thought that is contained m the words. We are far yet, I think, from having solved the problem of a worthy and helpful way of singing the psalms and canticles. Congregational singing is out of place m an elaborate cathedral service, where the highest art is employed, and the greatest care used m the training of the choir, but while this may apply to certain of the services where the worshippers may learn much through the listening faculty, there is no reason why some special services of a simple character should not form a regular paft of cathedral worship, and, where congregational singing should be encouraged, with regard to the clergyman's pjart, it should be a matter of course that, if he had neither a musical ear nor a musical voice, he would fulfil his part much more devotionally, if he used his natural speaking voice, instead of attempting to do what would only bring distress to a musical ear. — I am, yours truly, F. W. CHATTBRTON. Tauranga, July 18th, 1935.