CHURCH MUSIC.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1348, 7 January 1905, Page 2

CHURCH MUSIC.

MR. BOULT'S LECTURE.

Ur. Boult's lootuce last night «u deeply interesting. Ho showed how music was, in the earliest years, the child of the Church ; how for 11 long time it never went outside the churches an il mcnastries, and then when’ it did appeitr outsidejMt was still the handmaid of religion ; then how, as a God-given art, U/ehould be offarod back to the Giver of alii good thingsin an artietio form; • , ‘ Ur. Boul* gave a very interesting iff. count of tL Temple worship, 1 and a list of the instruments there used, i bowing how similar they were to the composition-of a modern orchestra. -A dsseription of the form of worship iu the Temple followeSu The next, division of the leoturii .dealt with plain song melodies,' 'Whioh were traced: baok to the haloyon days pi Eygptian sooiety, and shown to have been origiaaVVi hymns to idols. The influence FalQßtnna, Merbeoke and Tallis touched upon and it was pointed out that

the modern Gregorian was bearable not because at She beauty of itsivielcdy, but because j)f _ the gorgeonmess of its dress of modern 20>h century harmony. The work of the late Sic John Staines was next eulogised, and it wag shown how his researches amongst, plain song manuscripts , have leavened the contrapuntal school and created' a. genuine school ti English churoh music. A description was given of the difference between contrapuntal and modern romantie 1 cubic, showing how the former had exercised a bettor, ficial influence on the mote ie:ieut moderfj school. An amusing smßcdctii was given to demonstrate the diiforenoe between anthems and . hymns, and ijf very fine description was given, of the performanea of Bach’ii passion music in St. Paul’? Cathedral. The faot that the chiilr system OJ,tbe English Churoh is the backbone of the society and musical .life in Snc* laud ‘-was dealt with, andM%s«rriiduA& elimination oi the choir'hcv fr (&**' J

church was greatly deplored. She t&Sh tion was as follqwa:—* Art has doog much fo? the world—through architecture, painting, add many other*in soothing sorrow and "stina:jl»**'' but moßt of all in enabling'' '* n ®J?JSS oar innate craving fo» ~~~~ -»■ *>!» *O-“Pfw» Great Goa; worehip of-too not on* *•' all the branohea of art, ►— _ .a more capable of rcaching-that jo tty aim than that which hovers rK]pd the cradle, iia the handmaid of the pleasure of the home, and hymns its farewell - over the grave—music.’ 3 The illustrstiono given -hy the choir were excellent. The excerpt from Dvorak’s .“Stabat Mater ” was extremely fine ana beautifully sung,.and the last- carol was charming.: The. boys’ voices,... though sounding -h little tired, were very sweet. The Bev. Dawson Thomas thanked Mr j Boult for his able lecture, and: Mr Boult { thanked Brut the Mayor for presiding, and ’ then thanked the people of Gisborne for -

tbe?r grfjat aoapitality, saying. tthat ho fclfc it so much that he could' scarcely ado. jj quatoly put it into words, hut that they—one and all—were deeply anil lastingly grateful. -The boys and men testified to their! eharada the gratitude by hearty and prolonged applause.. The accompaniments were splendidly'TJlayedi by; B&e Horses Hunt and. Miss Dot’ll Boolt OB 1 osno Mi§ jHsaow*?, -zxK- : ■*