ORGAN RECITAL, TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1902, 13 September 1884, Page 3

ORGAN RECITAL, TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE.

Ax organ recital was given in the Presbyteriin Cliuicli, Cambiid«c, on Weenies day evening last, when Mi J. Hooton, organist of Bu-esfoi d-st leet Cliiuch, Auckland, pi elided at the instrument. k The church vas w ull filled, and the m following progiamme va& c/Fecthely m given: — Organ sole, "AudaiiteCmtibile ' W (Mozart), Mr Ilooton ; anthem, " Bffoie [ Jehovah's Awful Tlhouc," choir; ,via, " Consider the Lilies," Mr A J. Lwins ; anthem, " The Riehteous 8li.il! be Glad," choir; inaugural addiess, liov. JT. 11. Dewsbury ; anthem, "Holy is the Loid our God," choir ; organ solo, («) " Largo Appasiotiata " (Beethoven) ; {>>) "Ga\otte (allegro) (Bach) Mr Hooton ; aria, " Nazareth," Mr Simms ; anthem, " Lord for Thy Tender Meicy'b Sake," choir; organ solo, "March of the Isiaclifces,' (Costa) Mr Hooton ; anthem, " Thine, 0 \ Lord, is the Greatness, ' choir. I Mr F. J. Biooks tondncted, and the [ choral selections weic excellently lenI dered, especially as to timr and cxuies«,n, 1 y an efh'cient choir. The sweet d rich tones of the oigan were heaid perhaps to the best ad\antagu in theiiist 1 and third selections chosen by Mi Hooton, the "Lugo App-i&ionati " and the "Ga\ottc" which followed, alloi ding as they did an oppoi tnnity of the player exhibiting his command of the lnstmment, were scarcely so pleasing as the other pieces chosen : the former being too classical, and the latter too jiggy, if such a word may be allowed. An excellent effect was pioduced in the accompaniments to the vocal solos. The charming accompaniments to "Consider the Lilies" and "Nazareth weie beautifully given by Mr Hooton, and showed how so poweiful an instrument as the organ could be made to accompany a single voice without the softest tone of the singer beiug lost. The accompaniment to the last anthem on the programme was played by Mr A. J. Evans, organist of the church. The Rev. H. R, Dewsbury was asked to give the inaugural address, and alter acknowledging the courteous and kindly feeling to himself and the church foe represented, which had prompted them to ask him, said that it afforded jidditionalevidenccofthecordial, brotherly and truly Christian feeling in existence between the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. He congratulated the Presbyterians on being in the van as regarded church music, and had no doubt that the other bodies would follow suit as soon as coin wts more plentiful. In speaking on '-the subject of church music, he said it •. '^fc 8 f a r too important to be dealt with * 'TOiaustively in the limited time at his disposal ; he held that congtegational j u gj n j/ was inseparable fiom tiue religiousi feeling. P»aiee appeals to the holiest feelings and deepest sympathies of our nature. Preaching is but the \oice of one man talking to others. Prayer is « request for blessings or mercies. But oraise is theadoiation of a self forgetting nature. The speaker leferred to the m- - Suence~of popular songs upon the masses, >^«ad ''* said it had been questioned as to i^flhether Moody 's addresses or Sankey's kSlo kafl produced tho the greater mv ;

prcssion. Many people cared but little about sermons, and in the words of George Herbert : — " A song may catch him who a sermon fill",, And turn delight into a sacrifice. A ccntniy ago the church was noted for her hyninody. A grand hymnody, it was tiue, but what singing ! Tune& winch would make a barbarian's hair stand on end were then in \oguc. Now we had excellent tunes, which went straight to their woik, and stopped when they had finished. Jlc contended that thu .esthetics of chinch music were not suuViently attended to. The statement would very likely be challenged, but he hold that piaise should not only be smccic and earnest, but beautiful and ti ue, God is a spirit and searches the heart ; but we who woiship have both a spiiitual and a sensuous natuio, and aie l.ngcly under the influence of the sensuous part if it in our leligious feelings. The speaker was lather severe on the Pmitiins, for the tot tines they inflicted upon themselves and all who came in contact with them, in the horrible tunes, diawlcd out m execrable time, with an mutteiable nasal twang, which they called singing hymns. It might be said that beautiful music was not woiship, but it may help to develop woiship. Mubic ichncs and does not tend to weaken 01 emasculate our icligiou& feelings, but will stiengthen them and make them more lobii'-t. The congregation had taken a step in the light direction and he trusted it would be follow ed up by then' all. The choir should conseci.ito their gifts to God, and, conseciating their hearts to him, would lind their acceptable m his sight, and with the means now at their disposal, would uttiact a iaige number of woi shippers and be a gieater power for good in the laud. At the contlubion of the service the dovology was sung by tho congregation and the benediction pionounced by the Rev. W. Evans Mr Hooton played an ofleitoiic by Leybach as concluding voluntaiy.