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, Washington, US. 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.
Compline – Last of the Divine Hours
, 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, psalms, an office hymn, a canticle, 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. The Compline service at St. Mark’s runs as follows:
Orison: CANTOR & CHOIR:
Psalm; varies week to week, sung by the choir
Hymn; varies week to week, sung by the choir
Nunc Dimittis sung/chanted by the choir
Apostles' Creed; all stand MONOTONE
Anthem; announced and text read before singing
Music Sung
The repertory of Compline Choir can be found in the online listing of weekly music presented. Generally each week includes singing a new or different setting of the following: a psalm, a hymn, a Nunc dimittis, and an anthem.
Recordings and Available Performances
Archived recordings of Sunday evening services can be heard in . The radio station KING-FM broadcasts the service each week; this contributes to the precise timing of the start time. The Compline Choir also has made , which are available on CD.
Feathers of Green Gold: The Office of Compline and Ten Psalms
History of Compline Choir
The Compline Choir was formed in 1956 by Peter Hallock. Hallock, who directed and composed for the choir, retired in 2009. Dr. Jason Anderson became the second director of the Compline Choir. The choir is made up of approximately 18 men. A of a rehearsal is available online. Media articles about the choir are available from the New York Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer and Seattle Weekly. The Composer-in-Residence is .
Numerous compline choirs have been modeled after The Compline Choir at Saint Mark’s Cathedral. Examples include the in Pittsburgh, conducted by Dr. Mark A. Boyle, currently offering compline each Sunday at , and the in St. Paul, Minnesota, conducted by Adam Reinwald and offering compline once a month. The Boys Choir at the Cathedral of All Saints also sings compline periodically, usually the first Friday of each month. Episcopal Campus Ministry in Seattle also holds a Compline service at 9:30 on every Wednesday night of the academic year at Christ Episcopal Church in Seattle's University district.
