|
34 The National Music of America.
line before singing it) was not used by the Pilgrim Fathers. Such a proceeding, most inartistic from a musical sense, was established by Parliament in England, in 1644. New England then seems to have taken it up with avidity. The result was sometimes a most awkward one, when the pause necessitated at the end of the line, disturbed, or even contradicted, the sense of the poem. Here is an example quoted by Hood in his " History of Music in New England." '
" The Lord will come, and He will not Keep Silence, but speak out."
But as the deacon read the lines they became rather puzzling:
" The Lord will come, and he will not."
Which the congregation faithfully repeated. After which came the rather mystifying request :
" Keep silence, but speak out."
xPage 201. |
||