style and "Happy Day" of the second. Melodies in the ranges of both these tunes should therefore be practised.

In the earlier lessons it is better to keep the voluntaries sung in the pentatonic scale, as there is less liability to error in doing this, but after the children begin to get some confidence the two difficult sounds, Fah and Te, should be taught. This is not an easy task, but it can be accomplished with patience and perseverance. Here is where the value of good methods comes in. The children must be taught something about intervals and the difference between major and minor intervals, especially in the case of thirds. It must be pointed out that while the intervals Doh Me and Ray Fah are both thirds, there is a great difference between them; one being a major interval and the other a minor. Show that Me Soh is a minor interval, and that to get the seemingly difficult interval Ray Fah, one must think of the similar interval Me Soh.

As the three notes, Doh Te Ray, form the three notes of a common chord on Soh, point out that Soh Te is the same interval, a major third, as Doh Me.

Also point out that to come down to Fah from Lah is the same operation as coming down from Me to Doh.

For all these demonstrations a modulator is necessary. The standard course I have mentioned above shows how this should be made, and there is also a picture of a modulator in Mrs. Mateer's excellent book on vocal music. In Mrs. Mateer's work is also found the terms used for the words "interval," major, minor, etc.

In teaching the singing of the notes Te and Fah, it is necessary to give plenty of patterns of singing the semitones Me Fah and Te Doh, also the difference between the major intervals Doh Me and the minor interval Ray Fah. The children should be trained to listen for these intervals.

From the above remarks it will be seen that the work of teaching singing is best undertaken by those who have a fairly good acquaintance with Chinese. A beginner in the language is hampered by not being able to point out mistakes made. A capital combination is for a missionary of some experience to do the actual teaching work, while a new arrival plays the instrumental accompaniments and sings the pattern phrases.

I am hoping at some later time to be able to write out a model lesson with the Chinese phrases employed in teaching

a simple tune.

This lesson, of some later date, I hope can be

published in the RECORDER.

In regard to the provision of melodies for church use, it is important that they be written in an easy compass and that the melody should move easily, and in as many cases as possible should conform to the pentatonic mode. It is not enough that the tune be pentatonic. It must be melodious of itself. I have seen some attempts at pentatonic melodies doomed to failure from the outset, because the melody was pitched very low and kept on a low note continuously. In my own experience of composing such melodies I must confess to some failures because these important matters were not sufficiently considered.

Some well-known tunes which one would naturally think, as being pentatonic, would be sure to go well with Chinese congregations, present some difficulties in teaching, through starting and remaining on a very low pitch. Such are: "I am so glad that our Father in Heaven," "Come every soul by sin oppressed; " these tunes start on a low pitch and remain there too long. When they begin to rise, their flight, like that of the Wright brothers' aeroplane, is easy and successful.

The three tunes published herewith are of recent date. I hope that they will be found useful. [See Music Supplement.]

My old music master used sometimes to say to certain of his pupils: "As Macbeth did murder sleep, so do you murder music!" Anyone who has heard Chinese school boys in Foochow singing the tune set in the Foochow Hymnals to "Thou didst leave Thy Throne," will be reminded forcibly of this remark. The progressions in that tune, though it is melodious enough, are difficult for Chinese to sing correctly, and a terrible hash is made of it. My tune to these words, printed herewith, being pentatonic should be more suitable for use. I hope that it will be welcomed by those who have suffered through hearing the other sung so incorrectly.

"Changteh" is a simple tune which I have found to be easily sung by Chinese congregations. I hope it may prove useful elsewhere. "Morrison" is an attempt to provide Miss Havergal's noble hymn with a dignified setting more worthy of the hymn than the unsanctified jig so frequently used.

I hope that what I have written may be of real use to those who are endeavouring to help Chinese Christians to develop the musical gifts they have, to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Symposium of Opinion Upon Church Music in China

PREPARED BY W. NELSON BITTON.

HE Editorial Board of the CHINESE RECORDER having decided that it would be useful to devote an issue to

THE

the question of Church Praise, it was felt that an opportunity should be given to a number of those interested in the subject to express themselves upon the main points connected therewith. The writer prepared, therefore, the following series of questions and sent them to a number of foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians. Especial interest attaches to the replies received from the Chinese friends who are interested in this matter. It is hoped that one of the results of this expression of opinion will be a continued enquiry into the question of Church Praise and a definite attempt to set a standard for Chinese hymnology, so that worthy hymns and satisfactory tunes may be placed within the reach of the worshipping congregations of this empire.

The answers received to the questions are stated below in the following order: for the Chinese replies, Arabic numerals have been used, and each of the numbers, 1, 2, 3, etc., represents a different Chinese correspondent. The foreign replies have been denominated by the letters of the alphabet. The questions were as follows:

CHURCH MUSIC IN CHINA.

QUESTION I. Are you satisfied with the present condition and outlook of Chinese hymnology and church music from the Chinese point of view?

a. No, I am not satisfied. My chief reasons are given in the answer to the next question.

b. From the Chinese point of view, the tunes of the church are more satisfactory than its hymns. The Christians constantly complain that the latter have no and very little; whereas they are not judges of airs sung in a tempered scale. But from a Western point of view, the hymns, though leaving often much to be desired, are far superior to the musical rendering they receive.