Musical letters from Abroad

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

150-1

text excerpt

We heard, also, a very excellent example of Congregational singing in the St. Catharine Church. The congregation consisted of at least some twelve hundred persons. The exercises commenced by an organ voluntary of about four or five minutes, at the close of which the whole congregation joined in the old choral everywhere heard in Germany, the first line of which is 1, 5 3, 1 5, 6 6, 5, &c., in the key of E flat major. Two stanzas were sung, each taking four minutes. At the close of the second stanza, the organist, continuing to play, changed gradually his key to A minor, closing an intermediate voluntary of about three minutes, diminishing to pianissimo so as to hush the house to perfect silence; then, after a moment’s pause, the people joined again to the lead of the organ, in the fine old choral beginning as follows: e, a g, f e, d—, e—, &c. Four stanzas were sung of three minutes each. Here, then, were two hymns sung in connection; which, with the organ prelude and interlude occupied full half-an-hour in the performance. Men’s voices predominated, marking in strength the bold outlines of the tune; while female voices were heard and seemed to come in echoing, enriching, beautifying, and rendering that charming and lovely which otherwise would have been too severely grand and majestic. The organ was firm and steady, leading along the whole combined chorus with the utmost certainty, and giving full confidence to all the voices.

excerpt from 'Musical letters from abroad' pp. 150-1 (247 words)

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1448360754961