‘Many of us can remember (indeed in some few places it still exists) the old village choir, assisted by the double bass, bassoon, wheezy flute, and cracked clarinet; the music and its accompaniment being an elaborate maze of shakes, twiddles, and turns, at every opportunity. Now all these quaverings and turns are not necessarily associated with the use of musical instruments alone. With the return of Charles II. was introduced a light and trivial style of music to please the king’s fancy in place of that which had been done away with by the Puritans.’
“London Gregorian Choral Association,” The Musical Standard, December 1873.
Thanks to Lisandro Abadie for making me aware of this passage!
The painting below is ‘The Village Choir’ by Thomas Webster, Painted in 1847.