164 SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY. and when that, which we have heretofore described, shall universally prevail, Congregational singing will be excellent and effective. We have recently attended a rehearsal of the London Sacred Harmonic Society, under the direction of Mr. J. Surman, There are two societies meeting in Exeter Hall; the Sacred Harmonic Society, under the direction of Mr. Costa, and the one before mentioned. There were about one hundred and fifty members of the choir present at the meeting of the London Sacred Harmonic Society, with an accompaniment of about twenty stringed instruments. A new Anthem, by Dr. Elvey, of Windsor, was sung, and also Mozart's Twelfth Mass. The performance was decidedly poor-vastly inferior to the German choruses which we have recently described. The time was tolerably well kept, but tune was far enough from accuracy. The same feeling about for the pitch, and uncertainty of tone, was observable in the more difficult modulations, which is so common with our untrained New England choirs; with this difference, however, that we occasionally stop to correct a badlyintoned passage, whereas here it was passed over as if unobserved, or as if such a dissonant performance had become a matter of habit. There was, too, an absence of all those things that go to make up a good choral performance, as Forte and Piano, Sforzando, Syncopated accent, distinctness and clearness of vocal utterance, &c. The leader would occasionally sing out at the top of his voice, "Piano," but he did not seem to expect that attention would be given to what he said, and kept on, under a press of sail, until another opportunity should occur for calling out with like result. This was, indeed, a rehearsal; but if a choir is permitted to sing thus in rehearsal, will they not form habits that will prevent improvement, and will not the public performances be of the same general character? The violins were badly played. One could hardly help coming to the conclusion that they were mostly beginners, assembled for practice. It would not be surprising to hear as bad, or even a worse, rehearsal, on the Western Continent; but, in Europe there should be, at least, a correct performance of the technicals of music, if not something belonging to the higher department of appropriate expression. The contrast between the singing of this choir, and that of many of the choirs which we have heard, during the last six months, in Germany, is very striking indeed, and tells much to the praise of the latter with respect to progress in the performance of vocal music. We have not spoken of the great singers; the fact is, they have been often described and criticized; and then, again, we have not had opportunities of hearing them often enough to come to a full appreciation of their various positive or comparative excellencies; and, besides, it is with respect to church music that we wish more particularly to make report. Mad. De la Grange, of whom we wrote from Leipzig, has been singing for some time past with good success. Grisi, Mario, Formes, Lablache, Castellan, Favanti, and others of less distinction, are singing as usual; and the papers tell us that the most charming artist, HENRIETTE SONTAG, is engaged for a short time in London, previous to her departure for America. There is no singer who seems to give more universal delight than Mad. Sontag; and we are truly glad that there will ere long be opportunities of hearing her on the western shores of the Atlantic. The great composer and violinist, SPOHR, is now here, superintending the performance of his opera, Faust, in which he has been very successful. It has had several representations to full houses, and the author has been much honored. But the opera is too good (musically considered) to be very popular. Musi cians will delight to hear it; but it contains too much musical learning for the many. The lighter and more unmeaning compositions of the Italians are better appreciated. "It is very good, it will do for the Germans," said a Frenchman, as he came away from hearing Faust. Yes, it will do for the Germans, provided they be musicallyeducated Germans; but, whatever be the country to which one belongs, or in which he was born, he cannot understand or like Spohr, unless he has a cultivated musical taste. He is a great and a learned, but he can never be a popular, writer. He is too good for common use. On Sabbath last we attended Rev. Mr. Binney's church, Fish Street Hill, Weigh House Chapel. Mr. Binney was in America a few years sinee, and is well known to many persons there. He is not only an excellent preacher; but, although not a musician, he is a lover of music, and has done much to promote psalmody among his own people. The order of the service in his church is most beautiful; I hardly know that it could be improved; it is as follows: I-Invocation. The Lord's Prayer alone was used the Sabbath we were there. II-Hymn. III-Reading first lesson from Scriptures. IV-Prayer-half as long as the long prayer in American churches. VI-Reading second lesson from Scriptures-New Testament. VIII-Hymn. IX-Sermon. X-Anthem, a hymn. XI-Very short prayer, and benediction. There is no choir; the singing is congregational, and led by a precentor. It was quite good; one does not often hear a better performance of this part of the public worship, but yet it would be much improved if simple tunes, appropriate to Congregational singing, were substituted for the too difficult ones attempted on the Sabbath we were present. A peculiarity of the singing here, is, that the whole congregation engage in chanting. The 24th Psalm was chanted to one of the plain old English chants, with an effect far, very far better than one hears when he listens to the trained Cathedral choirs. We have heard it said that a congregation cannot chant together. It is not true: this congregation kept quite well together; nearer together than such Cathedral choirs keep, as we have heard. A very little practice of such a chant as Tallis' or Dr. Turner's, will prove the truth of this assertion. Another peculiarity of the singing here, is, that the congregation sing anthems. They have a little book containing a collection of three anthems for congregational use. Smile not at the number; it is sufficient for their purpose; and, when more are required, they can easily be obtained. Anthems, however, for Congregational use, must have a simplicity such as can hardly be imagined by one accustomed to the chants that commonly prevail in choirs. We are fully satisfied that not only Congregational hymn-tune singing, but Congregational anthem singing, and chanting, may be successfully introduced where there is a desire for it, and where there is a necessary knowledge to guide in the selection of appropriate pieces; and we should not be afraid to undertake to insure success to a congregation who would give us one or two hours preparatory practice. Mr. Binney's sermon, on Christian growth and development, was most able and satisfactory. The standing posture was observed in singing, and the sitting posture in prayer and the other exercises. From Mr. Binney's we went directly to the Chapel Royal, 168 REV. BAPTIST W. NOEL'S CHAPEL. St. James, where we heard an excellent organist, a poor choir, and an uninteresting preacher. Hence to Westminster Abbey, at three o'clock. organ playing, but all else very indifferent. Excellent LETTER XL. Church Music in the Chapel of Rev. Baptist W. Noel. MR. NOEL has been, until recently, a clergyman of the Established Church; he left this a few years since, and is now the pastor of a large and flourishing Baptist congregation in John street. We have not often attended a public religious service more satisfactory than that in his chapel; and we know not that we have ever listened to a preacher with greater interest. His subject, the morning we heard him, was The Sabbath. His text, Isaiah lviii. 13, 14,—“ If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." The heads of his discourse were 1. The authority for the Sabbath. 2. The reasons for keeping the Sabbath. 3. The manner of keeping the Sabbath. 4. The blessings of keeping the Sabbath. Such a clear and convincing argument for the Sabbath, and |