He did not confine his attention to any particular kind
of work to the exclusion of other kinds; he was able to express
himself in any way he chose."[226]
But as what was really religious in him found itself in agreement with a
current of thought that was rather powerful at that time, it was
inevitable that this one side of his genius should be first brought to
light, and that religious music should be the first to benefit by his
work. And also one of the early manifestos[227] of the _Schola Cantorum_
dealt with the reform of sacred music by carrying it back to great
ancient models; and its first decision was as follows: "Gregorian chant
shall rest for all time the fountain-head and the base of the Church's
music, and shall constitute the only model by which it may be truly
judged."[228]
[Footnote 225: See the Essay on _Vincent d'Indy_.]
[Footnote 226: _Revue d'histoire et de critique musicale_,
August-September, 1901.]
[Footnote 227: "The _Schola Cantorum_ aims at creating a modern music
truly worthy of the Church" (First number of the _Tribune de
Saint-Gervais_, the monthly bulletin of the _Schola Cantorum_, January,
1895).
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