Article May 20, 1916 Issue

The Church Organ

J. M. BURRISS

An article in the Sentinel of May 22, 1915 on "Our Church Singing," impels me in a spirit of kindly criticism to say a few words with reference to the pipe-organ as it relates to our congregational singing. During a considerable number of years the writer has heard a great many organs in our churches and those of other denominations, and he has reached the conviction that all who give the matter their attention will agree that as a rule the instrument is played entirely too loud during the singing of the hymns.

It is provided in the Manual (Art. XIX, Sect. 1) that "the music in The Mother Church shall not be operatic, but of an appropriate religious character and of a recognized standard of musical excellence," it being our Leader's evident desire that the music should comport with the quiet dignity and simplicity of the church service. No criticism is here lodged against the character or standard of the music rendered, which in the main is satisfactory, the writer's thought being that a roaring organ, which baffles the attempt of members of the congregation to discern and follow the part they may be endeavoring to sing, and which drowns the melody of the hymn in its own powerful intonations, no more comports with the dignity of our church service than would a blatant reader. Furthermore, under such conditions the efforts of the soloist to lead the singing of the hymns are practically nullified, for it is very seldom that the soloist's voice can be heard beyond the desk.

The writer of the article referred to advises the congregation "to listen to and sing with the organ." One of the difficulties in the way of heeding this admonition is that the organ, as frequently played, does not lead, but rather overwhelms the voices of the people, so that in the confusion of sound the individual singer is usually unable to hear his own voice, and therefore does not know whether he is adding discord or harmony, either in time or tune, to the ensemble. During the playing of preludes and postludes there are passages where a full organ may be necessary to a proper rendition of the selection, but it seems to be characteristic of organists in gerneral to use the full organ, or nearly so, during congregational singing. In the writer's opinion this is a mistaken practice,—certainly so in connection with the singing of hymns in Christian Science churches.

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