Thursday, September 2, 2010

Compline at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, NC—08.29.2010

Compline at Chapel of the Cross.

This was our first Compline of the academic year. We've been using the Order for Compline, as set by David Hurd.

Here are our little additions:

Lord, for Thy tender mercy's sake (Farrant)
Psalm 91 (chanted to Tone 8)
Hymn: To you before the close of day (TE LUCIS ANTE TERMINUM, Mode 8)
In manus tuas (Sheppard; sung in addition to "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit ...)
Nunc Dimittis from Short Service (O. Gibbons)
Salve Regina (Marian antiphon right after the Dismissal)
Ave Maria (Tomas Luis de Victoria)
Organ improvisation by the abfab Van Quinn on Salve Regina

Despite there being some sort of frat party across the street, we still managed to attract at least 150 people. Not bad for the first Sunday back. :)

It felt really, really nice to chant Compline with my friends again. And we have a very good group whose voices blend together very, very well. And the sopranos were on pitch! No flatness there, no siree.

Now I'll need to do a little homework. Van has me singing alto, and he wants to bring back the Parsons Ave Maria. I've only ever sung the ethereal soprano part. Now I'll have to learn both alto lines because he may call on me to sing either Alto I or Alto II. And I had a difficult time following it.

So I'll be hitting the books and studying it carefully... but happily. I am looking forward to having this wonderful piece back in our repertoire! :)

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