- Compline Choir
-
The Compline Choir is a nationally acclaimed choral group that chants the Office of Compline every Sunday night, 9:30 P.M. Pacific time, at St. Mark's, Seattle in Seattle, WA, USA[1]. The Office of Compline is made up of sacred music including plainsong and polyphonic compositions, and chanted recitations of the Apostles' Creed and the Lord’s Prayer.
Contents
Compline – Last of the Divine Hours
Compline, from the Latin completorium, or completion, is the last of eight monastic services sung throughout the day. These services were defined by the Rule of Saint Benedict.
The Order of Compline at St. Mark’s Cathedral
The Order of Compline consists of short passages from scripture (chapters), psalms, an office hymn, a canticle (Nunc dimittis), a litany, collects and additional prayers. The liturgy, as sung by the Compline Choir, is based on An Order for Compline, found as an appendix to the 1928 Proposed Book of Common Prayer[2].
The Compline service at St. Mark’s opens as follows[3]:
- SPOKEN (Listen now)
- READER: The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.
- CHOIR: Amen.
- READER: Beloved in Christ, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist, steadfast in the faith. [from I Peter 5: 8, 9a]
- READER: But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us.
- CHOIR: Thanks be to God.
- CHANTED
- CANTOR: O God, make speed to save us;
- CHOIR: O Lord, make haste to help us.
- CANTOR: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
- CHOIR: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
- CANTOR: Praise ye the Lord;
- CHOIR: The Lord's name be praiséd.
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- continues...
Music Sung
The repertory of Compline Choir can be found in the online listing of weekly music presented[4].
Recordings and Available Performances
Archived recordings of Sunday evening services can be heard in podcast format. The Compline Choir also has made several recordings, which are available on CD.
- Night Music
- Music of Faith and Longing
- Feathers of Green Gold: The Office of Compline and Ten Psalms
- Carols Old and New
History of Compline Choir
The Compline Choir was formed in 1956 by Peter Hallock[5][6]. Hallock, who directed and composed for the choir, retired in 2009[7]. Dr. Jason Anderson (CC member since 2004) became the second director of the Compline Choir[8][9]. The choir is made up of approximately 18 men. A video of a rehearsal is available online. Media articles about the choir are available from the New York Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Seattle Weekly[10][11][12].
The Composer-in-Residence for 2011 is Derek Tilton.
Other Compline Choirs in the USA
Numerous compline choirs have been modeled after The Compline Choir at St. Mark’s Cathedral. Examples include choirs in Minnesota and Pittsburgh. The Boys Choir at the Cathedral of All Saints (Albany, New York) also sings compline periodically,[13] usually the first Friday of each month.[14]
St. Mark’s Cathedral
St. Mark's, Seattle is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. Saint Mark’s is also a parish church[15].
References
- ^ "The Compline Choir". The Compline Choir. http://www.complinechoir.org/. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "An Order for Compline from 1928 Proposed Book of Common Prayer". Society of Archbishop Justus. http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/CofE1928/CofE1928_Appendix.htm#Compline. Retrieved 2010-05-28.
- ^ "An Order for Compline". Complinechoir.org. http://www.complinechoir.org/order.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Music Sung by the Choir Each Week". Complinechoir.org. http://www.complinechoir.org/music.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Peter Hallock". Gothic-catalog.com. http://www.gothic-catalog.com/Peter_Hallock_s/680.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Peter Hallock". Complinechoir.org. http://www.complinechoir.org/hallock.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Ionian Arts, Inc". Ionianarts.com. http://www.ionianarts.com/. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Jason Allen Anderson". Complinechoir.org. http://www.complinechoir.org/anderson.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "musikus.net". musikus.net. http://www.musikus.net/. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "The Faithful Are Casual At This Sunday Service". NYTimes.com. 1997-03-16. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/16/us/the-faithful-are-casual-at-this-sunday-service.html. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "St. Mark's choir strikes an untraditional chord". Seattlepi.com. 2002-11-02. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/93971_compline02.shtml. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ "Seattle Best Non-Alcoholic Happy Hour - St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral - Best Of Seattle". Seattle Weekly. http://www.seattleweekly.com/bestof/2008/award/best-non-alcoholic-happy-hour-477128/. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
- ^ Katie Brown, "Fundraiser to help send choir to Italy," Albany Times Union, February 24, 2010. Found at Times Union archives. Accessed June 1, 2010.
- ^ Michael Weidrich, "1st Friday's enter year 4!" Albany Times-Union, September 29, 2009. Found at Times Union blogs. Accessed June 1, 2010.
- ^ "Saint Mark's Cathedral". Saintmarks.org. 2010-05-23. http://www.saintmarks.org/. Retrieved 2010-05-27.
Categories:- American choirs
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