Evening Star Newspaper, December 22, 1934, Page 18

Music at Christmas Time BY ALICE EVERSMAN, {4 HRISTIANS, awake, salute the morn,” rin through the Christian world for the celebra the greatest feast of the year because of “Through tl'\e dark the dreams come true.” in the hearts of the'old pagans—philosopher, sybarite or peasant—there lay ever a longing for spiritual peace and an § assurance of the continuance of life after release from earthly existence. Varied were the methods by which they sought compensation for what they believed to be their destiny of annihilation. Suddenly, “One hallowed night” over “The silent hills” where “Sleeps Judea fair,” there were “Lovely voices in the sky,” “Holy angels singing” and a “Bright star shining.” To the lowliest of the social rank, the shepherds in the flelds; the celestial song made known the A coming of a new order. From a sphere the pagans vaguely dreamed of came the voices of strange hosts proclaiming “peace.” Music such as has graced no pagan revelry greeted their world-wea and the stars danced and the colors of the earth Me with a glorious light unimagined by their most sk And through the message of the earthly birth of a King whose realm awaited them beyond the portals of death, there rang the word “peace,” “peace on earth to men of good will.” From the time that peace departed from the Garden of Eden the peoples of the earth have desired tranquillity. In searching for every method and yet there was no assuagi Here in their midst was a little of the soul's to burst into happy song for all on earth to hear and to A Y Y PN NN give the heavenly assurance of peace to those who were & worthy. It was an hour of glorification of happiness, sim- plicity and music. y With these three simple elements, so long ignored in the feverishness of life, “the Holy Child” linked His heavenly environment to His new earthly home and laid at the feet of a weary, sophisticated people the key to the celestial door. The Yuletide has always been a season of rejolcln{ for its significance in the solar year and there were barbaric festivities celebrated with dance and lusty song. Now in the souls of men the symbolic beauty of the events at Bethlehem brought forth new branches on the withering tree of life and the hardy songs were stilled to give place to tender, loving adoration of the One who had brought the gift of “peace.” In the earlier days, when the shadow of pagan pgielosophy walked beside the new Christian, their awakened joy was expressed in awkward, but endearing, fashion. But always there was present happiness, simplicity and music. The drama of that first Christmas has ever fired the imagination, not the tragedy of a child born with the doom of a fearful death before him, but rather the picture of a lovely Infant, with a young Mother, gentle animals, humble people and stately Kings bending before Him and the heavens ringing with “The Chorus Triumphant.” The musical recording o? the story of the nativity begins, as the story of Christianity began, with childlike artlessness and naivete, the first musical blossoming of the seed of divine music implanted in the human consciousness that “holy night of memory.” The early Christmas carols charm us today with their reverent simplicity and the natural gayety that expresses the rejoicings of a people who have found tranquillity in the religion they profess. Tender and gay as the atmosphere which surrounded the “Holy Child,” they sing of the small things of a life as simple as theirs, heeding the angel’s word, “Fear not, behold, I bring you good tidings.” Lovingly the'y speak to Him with homely words re-creating the Virgin's lullaby and the shepherd’s song of adoration. The elaborate carols which, at the King’s command were composed for the chapel royal, with their more involved form, could not take the place of the natural, happy, uncouth voicings of the common people whose ranks the Child had chosen to join. As the full significance of the coming of Christ entered into the daily life of the world, and the solace of teachings became more understood, there crept a dee into the music that commemorated the day of His music approachin angels sggg In t%\e hymns of the church, the oratorios of masters and the cantatas of beautiful melody, there rings the echo of the music destined for our enjoyment, one happy day. More touching than the history of their daily life is the struggle of the great writers of music to catch the strains of a melody that has never left the con- sciousness of humanity since it was first heard the night of the coming of the Lord. : Soih In the divine scheme of the universe surely Chr realized that many could best be led to the tranquillity He came on earth to make known to the world, through music. To a chosen few He portioned out sweet harmonies of His angelic choirs so that a beauty beyond our hu{nan nvention could be ever present with us. Only an angel’s touch could open the locked door of marfa' hearts to give the soothing peace of music entrance. Ba ing all scientific research, the phenomena of music can only be explained by linking it to a divine source. And the tranquillity, the peace, the renewa} of courage which steals into the soul on the “wings of song was part of the Christ Child gift to the people. He came to save when He took upon Himself the burden of earthly existence. = : ; Before His coming music was an incidental accompani- ment of religious and civic festivals and whatever its type, its impress on the world’s consciousness was small. Since the angels sang for human ears, it has developed in beauty of sound and perfection of outline as the great composers sought to give form to the echo of a divine message which came to them with greater clarity as the simple teachings of the Lord took-hold of rebellious mankind. What will the music of the future be? Wwill we draw still closer to celestial song as we march on our way and will our finer spirltugl vision open the ears to yet un- dreamed-of melody? Can we when he wrote, “Lord, what music hast Thou provided for Thy saints in heaven when Thou affordest bad men such music on earth?” P S S P MM ANNENNENNNNEY) irth, & the great ‘g“; ‘ i % : § SPICIAL Christmas music will be rendered at both services at the First Congregational Church, Tenth and G streets, tomorrow at 11 a.m. and 8 pm. The choir of 60 voices, under the direction of Ruby Smith Stahl, will sing, assisted by the quartet composed of Ruby Smith Stahl, soprano; Dorothy John HE Christmas music at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church will include & program by the quartet of the church, under the direction of Paul W. Fishbaugh. The members of this quartet are Dorothy W. Fish- baugh, soprano; Ruth Kobbe, con- tralto; Bernhard G. Spille, tenor, and Arthur C. Gorbach, basso. The church Bible school vested [Wilson Halbach, contralto; out 3 of § which, § it the ingenuity of the world had exhausted & hunger. 'hild, born In ¥ hu&%le surroundings, whose simple advent caused the angels & r note $ nearer the heavenly harmony the glad 3 not wonder with Izaak Walton. & chorus will sing a group of Christmas carols for 15 minutes before the be- ginning of the 11 o'clock worship serv- ice, under the leadership of Mrs. B. B. Wallace. The Christmas festival chorus of 60 voices, under the direction of Dr. Edwin N. C. Barnes, will sing the processional and recessional hymns and the old German carol, “Holy Night,” at the morning service. The quartet will sing “Hark, What Mean Those Holy Voices?” by Turner-Mal- ley; Dorothy W. Fishbaugh will sing Thompson, tenor, and Dale Hamilton, bass-baritone. Paul De Long Gable will be at the organ. The program of music follows: MORNING SERVICE. Organ prelude— “The Shepherd Pipes and the Star.” Stcherbatcheft “March of the Magi Kings’ . ... Anthem, “All Knew He Was There,” ‘Turner-Maley “The Christmas Song,” by Speaks, and | A2e the offertory anthem by the quartet will be “Bethlehem,” by Harris. The organist, Paul W. Fishbaugh, will play (Continued on Page 5, Column 3.) At All Souls’ Church (Unitarian) the following numbers will be given at the 11 o'clock service by Charles Trowbridge Tittmann, bass; Elsa Raner, violin; J. Alden Pinckel, cello, and Lewis Corning Atwater, organ: Instrumental Prelude, “Pastorale.” Tiert Solo with obblisato, “The Christimas y with “ds SRoH T e A R e Tthe aftermoon’ at & eiock, Brylawski, contralto, will assist Mr. Atwater in a program of Christmas music as follows: “ as Meditation” “Rhapsody on M Organ prelude, * . Anthem, “Bring & Toreh. arranged by Dickinson rtory— an, “Cantique de Noel” “The Christ Child" T i special Christmas music at the National City Christian Church tomorrow will be as follows: MORNING. Chorus by senior and chapel chol “’The Shepherds'” Chrisimas Sone. Reimann-Dickinson (Ineidental solo by Miss Dorothy Sellers. ano, Contralto solo. “Gesu _Bambino”. .. ‘Yon (Helen Turley.) Afternoon at 4:30, evening at 8 8 | o'clock: Cantata and pageant, “The Coming 3 | of the King,” by Dudley Buck, drama- tized by H. Augustine Smith. Pre- § sented by the choirs and the church school, under the direction of Prof. H. § | Augustine Smith, director of church and community music, Boston Univer- & |sity, assisted by Rev. J. Raymond Mills, minister of religious education; W. E. Braithwaite, director of music. Soloists, Mrs, B. D. Shreve, soprano; Helen Turley, contralto; Mrs. Leo Tooley, alto; A. V. Llufrio, tenor, Leo Tooley, tenor; A. M. Pedersen, bari- & | tone; George Stonebraker, bass; Ly- man McCrary, organist. AT HAMLINE METHODIST EPIS- COPAL CHURCH, Sixteenth street |at Allison northwest, an elaborate program of music has been prepared by the director, John H. Marville. It will be performed by the chorus choir of 50 voices, the solo quartet of which Ethel Stickles is coprano, Mabel Flehr, contralto; John Murphy, tenor, and Mr. Marville, bass, and by Edith Athey, organist. The following addi- tional soloists will be heard at the evening service: Estelle Gates and Florence Yeager, sopranos; Harry Crow and John Palmer, baritones. The complete program is as follows: MORNING SERVICE—11 O'CLOCK. Inf The pageant, “Glorified Gifts,” will | choru be given tomorrow at the Ninth Street Christian Church, Ninth and D streets northeast, Clifford H. Jope, pastor, as the climax of the two-week Christ- nigl g will be in charge of Grover Strong. ‘The public is invited. The Christrias music at Columbia | sol Heights Christian Church will consist of Neidlinger’s anthem, “The Birth- day of a King”; a duet, Torovsky’s FEJRERS éa§§§E§§ l.’udlnt-l!onuo ustav_Holst old carols) . .G Cld Prench). “Angels O'er the Pleid" e shmkm‘ 8tory” .Clarence Dicl Quartet, “Shepherds on This Hill"” 2 Traditional Greek earol Organ: Christmas Eyeni; “Hallelujah Chorus’ EVENING SERVICE. 8 pm. paseant. * which the foilowing numbers performed. Chorus, “O Holy Night "Glory to God’ “Beautiful Savio; “Mary’s Cradle So o8 “The Birthday of the King" Nei T “While 8] emer Watched”. -auuu‘ Duet, “We Three Quartet, “A Babe Lies in a Cradle.” ’ Chorus. T Graber “Stille Nacht” Christmas music at Waugh M. E. Church, Third and A streets north- (Continued on Page 5, Column 1.) Seventh-Day Adventist. TBlcomblnedMnottthm Park Seventh -day Adventist Church will give an evening of Christ- mas music tomorrow at 7:30 o'clock . D ’.'%e Holly and the lvy".nul:crfi lrm::: A9 ngs of m‘fi;fif&wu hymns 'HE following musical programs will be rendered by the choir of the First Baptist Church of Washington, D.C.: TOMORROW MORNING. Organ prelude. “Glory to God. them. ““Th the ‘Glory of God" Quartet, “Shepherd’s Oftertory- : fertory. anthem. Postlude, “Chorale”. EVENING, Prelude. |'Chorale" Anthem. “8ing, O Male quartet, “Joy to the World Mixed quartet— “Lo. How a Rose E'er lmmln‘.' raetorius “Bring a Torch. Jesnette. Isabelia.” id Frenchi noel Male quartet, ‘It Came Upon & Mid- night Clear.” Miged quartet. “In a Btable M-E Herald Angels Foundation.” ria,” from Moza Declare .Marchant Christmas Sonsg.” A Babe Liet i & - les . *bickinson “Becker and ckinson Read ig: oore. PP, art, ne Moore and Chlllc‘ director: Raymond E. The choir of the Second Baptist mggl Church, Fourth street and Virginia avenue southeast, will render the fol- lowing Christmas anthems at the 11 o'clock morning service tomorrow: k | “Come and Worship,” Ira B. Wilson; “Softly the Stars Were Shining,” To- rovsky; “Heaven's Starry Portals,” Kohlman, and “Behold, the King Has Come,” Judson. The col will be “O Come, All Ye Faith- ful” “It Came Upon s Midnight Clear” and “Silent Night, Holy Night,” (Continued on Page 7, Column 2. thudist Protestant 'HE choir of 8t. Mark’s Lutheran Church, Eighth street and Con- stitution avenue southwest, consisting of Emma Beyer, Virginia Cooper, Ger- trude Cornell, Margaret Gross, Beulah Frants, Marie Stuts, George Cornell, Frederick Foster, Wilfred Nerlich and Russell Woodin, under the direction of Earle L. Phillips, organist; assisted by William Dreisher, violinist, will sing the following music for the Christmas season: TOMORROW, 11 AM. “Shepherds Rejoice" . Anthem, £ “The Christ Chl Baritone solo, Nerlich. CHRISTMAS MORNING, 6:30 O'CLOCK. Anthem, “In an Humble Cattle Shed.” Hamblen Baritone solo and chorus, “Gesu ‘Bambiro" Hopkins " Mr. Soprano solo with vielin, u Miss Cooer and Mr. Driesher. ‘The pageant of the Holy Nativity, arranged by Leonard Young and David M. Williams, will be presented by Zion Lutheran Cholr at the 8 p.m. service, tomorrow. The choir is under the direction of Savona Griest and the dramatics supervised by Mrs. Edward Goetz. Solos will be sung by Henry Bagelman and John Wilcox, tenors; Virginia Wittstatt, contralto; Dorothy Luckett and Mary Barnard, sopranos; Wilbur Balderson, Louis Nightman, William Koch, William Major, Rev. Edward Goetz, Philip Krautwurst and Walter Baumgartner. Congregation join in singing “Silent Nigh't, Holy Night,” during tableau. Christmas music at Luther Place Memorial Church will be: TOMORROW MORNING. Prelude—Prelude to * the e Anthem, Holy Voices?” Quartet, “‘Shepherd’s Offertory solo, “He Comes! Mrs. G. J. Chaillet. TOMORROW EVENING. Prelude, “Fantasy on Holy Night" . .Harkef snu:'e:l. “Pirst Noel.” “Brightest and Best of the So est 8 ns of the “0 Little Town of Betnlehe m. » .I';:n the Midnight Clear. Kings.” f Buck Stair inson legel 2e.eq0s Dubols 1 | CHRISTMAS MORNING AT i1 0'CLOCK. Prelude—Prelude to “The Coi i the Klnl"..f g .'.l thems— Cantatag and Pageants Cantata, “The Eve of Grace” (J. Sebastian Matthews), Mount Tabor & mmcm Tuesday, 8 p.m. E Pageant, “Starlight,” tomorrow g Church, evening at Takoma Park Baptist & y muumamg"mamuo«mmfimmcm mchunh.w.tl:”-m.ym. ] Cantata, “Incarnation” (George B. Nevin), 11 am. tomorrow, at ® First Methodist Episcopal Church South, Hyattsville; pageant at 8 p.m. Cantata, “The Christ Child” (Hawley), Sixth Presbyterian Church, Pageant, “The Lighted Highway,’ # Church, tomorrow at § p.m. Metropolitan Memorial M. E. 3 Cantata, “Immanuel” (Norwood Dale), Woodside M. E. Church, j; & Sllver Spring, Md., tomorrow evening. ¥ Memorial Church, tomorrow at 4:30 pm Pageant, Georgetown Presbyterian Church, tomorrow at 8 p.m. Pageant, “The World’s Enduring Miracle” (R. Dean Shure and ¥ Maude Nuttall), Mount Vernon Place Church, tomorrow at 8:15 p.m. Pageant, “The Three Wise Men,” Second Baptist Church, tomorrow & at 7:45 p.m, - Pageant, “The Light Eternal,” % tomorrow, 8 p.m. West Washington Baptist Church, Cantata, “Messiah Is King,” Westminster Presbyterian Church, to- morrow, 7:30 p.m. Pageant, Eastern Presbyterian Church, tomorrow, 6 p.m. Cantata, “The Christ Child” (Hawley), Kellar Memorial Lutheran Church, tomorrow at 11 a.m. Pageant-drama, “Let There Be Light,” St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, Monday, 11:45 p.m. Cantata, “Tiding of Joy” (C. Church, 7 p.m. tomorrow. Cantata, “The Birth of Christ” H. Lowden), Central Presbyterian (Richter), Columbia Heights Chris- tian Church, Christmas morning; evening, pageant, “The Christmas Bells.” & Pageant, “Glorified Gifts,” Ninth Street Christian Church, tomorrow. Cantata, “The Adoration” (Nevin), Takoma Park Seventh-day Ad- ;3 ventist Church, tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. iz SOLII(N mass will be celebrated at midnight at St. Patrick’s Church. Starting at 11:30 o'clock, the choir will render a program of Christmas carols: 1 “Do: Dixit.” Introlt, “Dominus DRI, aten) Collection “Kyrie, o “Mass of the Sacred Heart Tenace Mitterer “Glorla.” “Mass of the Sacred Heart " Tenace Mitterer “Tecum Principium’ ass of the Sacred etentur Coeli”....V. ““Adeste Fidelis.” ‘Novello ass of the Sacred Heart. Mitterer ass of the Sacred Heart.” Mitterer ass of the Sacred Heart.” Mitterer Communion, “In Splendoribus”...Viadana During the communion “Panis An- gelicus Casciolini Esca Viatorum,” Jsaak, will be sung. The Christmas music will be repeat- ed Sunday after Christmas at the 10 o'clock mass. On New Year day the full choir will render Christmas carols at the low mass at 12 o'clock (noon). Quartet—Mrs. Norwood _Cassidy, Clelia Fioravanti, Mrs. Raymond Holden, James Nolan. Chorus of 35 voices; organist and director, Jennie Glennan. | Musical program for the midnight | mass at St. Aloysius Church will be: Processional from “Athalia”. . Anthem. “O Holy Ni .. Adam Mass in_honor of St. Benedict by Joseph Ignatius Muller. Offertory anthem. “Adeste Fidelis.” Novello arrangement Anthem. “Silent Night”. . . . Gruber Communion. “"Quartet Op. e Postiude, “March Pontificall The above program will be rendered by a mixed quartet under the direction of Victor L. Boenau, choir master and | organist, consisting of Florence Sin- dell, soprano; Ruth Kobbe, contralto; Louis Annis, tenor, and Wilbur Sindell, basso. The string orchestra has been selected from the National Symphony with the following players: 8. Minster, first violin; J. Severley, second violin; S. Feldman, viola, and C. Kohen, vio- loncello. “The solemn high mass Christmas eve | at the Holy Rosary Church, Third-and P streets northwest, will be sung at midnight. McGrath's mass will be used. Proper of the mass by Toszer. Hymns will be sung before mass and at the communion. The soloists are ‘Teresa Milice, Giovannia Botazsi, Jen- nings Langley, Baldo Balducci, As- netta Briggole. Eugenia L. Slattery is organist and director. ‘The solemn high mass on Christmas eve at St. Stephens’' Church, Twenty- fifth and Pennsylvania avenue north- west, will be sung at midnight. Stehle’s “Salve Regina” mass will be used, with proper of the mass by Tozer. Hymns will be sung before mass and at com- munion. The soloists are Angelina Ciffo, Mary Daley, Josephine Soukoup, Joseph Repetti, Albert Henkel and Nora O’Connor. tery is organist and director. Introit apt ¢ | Introlt spihem. sunta Balducci, Lelia Sari and Dio- | Rec Margaret M. Slat- | anth At St. Dominic's Roman Catholic | g mmxmué Eptacopal MUBIC to be rendered at the Washington Cathedral by the Cathedral Choir of men and boys, under the direction of Edgar Priest, at the festival service in the Great Choir on Christmas day at 11 am, is announced as follows: B¢ | processional hymn, “Oh. Come Al Ye . 'mn of the ..John E. West B Charles V. Stantord Hymn before g ey c'::;mon Tt Came Upon the Offertory anthem. “Now Once Again.* Commynion hymn. O Littie Town ot Beth- Recession; e An.tbgflly_xmn ‘Hark! The Herald “Communion Service Christmas music at St. Thomas' Episcopal Church, Eighteenth and Church streets, will include the fol- lowing: At the 11 a.m. service tomorrow: Prelude of Russian chorales played by vioe lin, cello and organ. Offertory anthem, ‘O Thou That Tellest.” At the 11:45 p.m. service Chrat‘;:;sl eve: “Benedictus” and Ofteriory, “The Eve of G . J. Seb: Matthew: At the 11 o'clock service Christmas | morning: “Benedictus Es" Custa: Indroit, “In Bethiehem's Manger Lowly. aditional. arranged by Dickinson | Offertory. “Sing We Noel. oe! Sixteenth century Prench carol ( he solo quartet consists of Gfi:‘s‘ Carl Henning, soprano; K. Lee Jones, alto; Paul Garber, tenor, and Robert Frederick PFreund, baritone. L. B. Aldrich is organist and choir director. At St. Paul's Church, Twenty-third street near Washington Circle, the mu- sical program for the Christmas mid- night celebration of the holy com- munion service, starting at 11:30 o'clock, will be as follows: Organ preludes. . Yon Kyrie, ‘“Threefol, “Gloria Tibi" “Gredo” hymns, k “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. Redner Benediction. “Silent Night"...... Gruber Hark! the Herald Angels Mendelssohn Pirst Organ na wose...Guilmant The solo parts will be sustained by Harry Forker, basso-baritone; Newton Hammer, tenor, and Leigh Nettleton, soprano. Samuel A. Leech will pre- side at the organ. The choir of the Church of the Transfiguration, Beatrice Seymour Goodwin, director; Jesse Heitmuller, organist, will give the following pro- Christmas eve, midnight: Processional, “O Come All Ye Faithful.” “Sleep of the Child Jesus” Gevaert Church midnight mass, Christmas eve, |, _J (Continued on Page 5, Column 8.) I Reformed I T THE 11 o'clock service tomorrow morning the following music will be offered at the Grace Reformed Church, 1403 Pifteenth street north- west: ESe T S Hymn. “Joy to the World” ] Following the hymn the Christmas service as arranged by Rev. Henry Harbaugh will be given, including al- ternate reading of scripture and sing- ing of prophetic chants. Offertory anthem. “Thers Were Serlonai” 6 " Liitd “Town of Beth . “iiaiiehijal Chiorue®: - Hondel Monday night at 11:30 o'clock the choir will give a service of hymns &nd carols as follows: Prelude, “Christmas in Settimo vnum; 8hep- At services, midnight Christmas eve and Christmas day, 10 a. Church of the Ascension, Rev. F. A. (Continued on Page 5, Column 5.) 'HRISTMAS music at the Univer- salist National Memorial Church, Sixteenth and S streets northwest, tomorrow will comprise the following: 1 AM. Organ Drlllld.——(;vlrlun. M e tie_Town of et f Bethlehem" . .. .Redn: " P ehrist Chiid” Hawiey Besuteous Heavenlz ' Ba