A BAND OF MUSIC IN SURPLICES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1487, 10 May 1873, Page 3

A BAND OF MUSIC IN SURPLICES.

On a recent Saturday the surplice won its crowning victory in St. Paul's Cathedral. On that day, which was the festival of the conversion of St. Paul, it appeared before the astonished eyes of Londoners as the garb of a gathering of fiddlers, trumpeters, and players upon wind instruments in general. Such a sight was never seen in the world before, and it is doubted whether such a sight could possibly be seen in any other country but our own. When an old Roman, whose daily dress wft3 flowing and of the nature of a petticoat, went on a journey, or was engaged in any occupation which required freedom in the use of the limbs, he girded up his garment about him. Here, in St. Paul's, the very opposite method has been been adopted ; for.whereag the every-day coat atid trousers' of the time are eminently adapted to allow the free use of the legs and arms, the performers were deliberately wrapped in gathering of flooring linen, with the result, we should have imagined, of hampering their every movement. There are fiddling and trumpeting angels, it is true, in the pictures of Fra Angelico and other early Italian masters ; but their robes, though flowing, are totally unlike the modern surplice in form and idea ; and, bo far as we recollect, not even Angelico himself conceived the idea of an angelic violoncello player holding his cumbersome instrument between his knees. It was the first time that an elaborate musical per-

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formance has been introduced at St Paul's as a portion of the regular afternoon service of the church. St Paul's has got a new dean, a now organist, and a new organ, and moat of the canons are nearly new. On Saturday, of course, both sexes were admitted, and the throng was enormous, every seat under the vast dome was occupied as soon as the doors were opened, and a standing multitude crowding the nave and aisles to the very doors. The singers, about 150 in number, were ranged within the choir, close to the dome, the band occupying a platform in front of them, and extending some little way beneath the dome itself. Dr Stainer, the organist, in surplice, and with his Master of Arts hood over his shoulders, conducted from a slightly raised desk. The solos were sung by men and boys in their places among the choristers. The service was preceded by Mendelssohn's overture, well played, and fairly filling the ample space around. Then came a sermon, which might just as well have been omitted, as being inaudible to ninetenths of the congregation. The selection from the oritorio comprised the whole of the " Conversion" music and a considerable portion of the second part, including the final air and choruses. On the whole, the result was singularly striking. The songs and recitatives were naturally less telling than the choruses, but the union of voices was for the most part complete.