18 January - Second Sunday after Epiphany

Compline is back. :) The music we sang at that service will follow.

In the meantime, here are my usual lists.

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church where I played the usual 10.30 am service. As usual, the numbers are out of The Hymnal 1982.

Second Sunday After Epiphany: Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Prelude in C Major (attributed to J.S. Bach)
Pro: 371, Thou, whose almighty word (MOSCOW)
Gloria: S-278 (W. Mathias)
Psalm: Psalm 139 (Ford; plainsong Mode 3)
Seq: 656, Blest are the pure in heart (FRANCONIA)
Off: 477, All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine (ENGELBERG)
Sanctus: S-128 (W. Mathias)
Lord's Prayer: chanted (S-119 in Hymnal 1982)
Agnus Dei: S-165 (W. Mathias)
Comm: Gather Comprehensive 671, Here I Am, Lord (D. Schutte)
Re: 535, Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (PADERBORN)
Postlude: Fugue in C Major (attributed to Bach)

Okay, before you throw rotten tomatoes at me because of my Communion choice: this group has in the pews an in-house songbook, which consists mainly of folk and praise worship type of songs. This is one that apparently this group knows and loves well. However, unlike with other hymns, I didn't hear much singing from the congregation during Communion. *shrugs* I know, from my experience, that not many congregations will actually sing during Communion. So I'm not sure if it's the placement of this song, or if it's the song itself. I will admit that it's not amongst my favourites, but I thought it complimented the first reading of the day (1 Samuel 3:1-10).

Moving right along ... this next set, the music was nearly identical, with the exception of the Communion hymn.

The Episcopal Centre at Duke University.

Second Sunday After Epiphany: Holy Eucharist Rite II
Prelude: Improvisation on Halton Holgate
Pro: 371, Thou, whose almighty word (MOSCOW)
Gloria: S-280 (R. Powell)
Psalm: Psalm 139 (recited)
Seq: 656, Blest are the pure in heart (FRANCONIA)
Off: 477, All praise to thee, for thou, O King divine (ENGELBERG)
Sanctus: S-125 (Community Mass; Proulx)
Comm: 706, In your mercy, Lord, you called me (HALTON HOLGATE)
Re: 535, Ye servants of God, your Master proclaim (PADERBORN)
Postlude: Fugue in C Major (attributed to Bach)

Much to my surprise, the students didn't seem to sing the Offertory hymn all that well. Or rather, I played through most of the first verse before they joined in. I wondered, didn't I make it obvious when my introduction ended? Naturally, I couldn't stop and say, "Okay guys, let's try this again," so I just kept on going. I thought they wouldn't know the Communion hymn so well, but they sang that quite well, I thought. I played my postlude without the pedal, which made the fugue a little thin. But I couldn't do anything else with the little Holtkamp positif organ short of picking out a different piece, or flex my paltry improvisational muscles.

Squee! Compline at the Chapel of the Cross is back! :-) Attendance was quite good, and it was really really nice to be back and chanting once again. For my readers in the Triangle area – you really ought to come to this service at least once. Imagine this: you walk into a darkened church, illuminated only by candlelight. The smells of incense envelope you like a warm, smoky blanket. And then, the sounds of the Schola chanting the Order for Compline (starting at p 127 in the BCP) swirl around you as it takes you up to a different plane. And then after the last strains of the Ave Maria of the day die down, the abfab David Arcus concludes the service with his improvisation of the night. Then, the acolyte snuffs the six candles behind the altar, and this is a sign for the people to depart.

/sighs contentedly

Ah yes. The music. We've been using the Order for Compline, as set by David Hurd.

Here are our little additions:

Domine fac mecum (Thomas Morley)
Psalm 91 (chanted to Tone 8)
Hymn: Christ, mighty Saviour (CHRISTE, LUX MUNDI, plainsong Mode 7)
In manus tuas (Sheppard; sung in addition to "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit ...)
Nunc Dimittis from Short Service (O. Gibbons)
Alma Redemptoris Mater (Marian antiphon right after the Dismissal)
Ave Maria (Tomas Luis de Victoria)
Organ Voluntary by the abfab David Arcus. He improvised on a theme from Christe, Lux Mundi.