Compline Choir

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.

The Compline service at St. Mark’s runs as follows:

(Listen now) READER: [spoken][opening prayer/collect; varies]

Orison: CANTOR & CHOIR: [chanted/sung]

SPOKEN READER: The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end. "CHOIR: Amen. CHANTED

Psalm; varies week to week, sung by the choir

SPOKEN READER: Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name. Leave us not, O Lord our God. CHOIR: Thanks be to God. CHANTED CANTOR: Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. CHOIR: Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. CANTOR: For Thou has redeeméd me, O Lord, Thou God of truth CHOIR: I commend my spirit. CANTOR: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. CHOIR: Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

Hymn; varies week to week, sung by the choir

CHANTED CANTOR: Keep me as the apple of an eye. CHOIR: Hide me under the shadow of thy wings. CANTOR: Preserve us, O Lord, CHOIR: While waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we rest in peace.

Nunc Dimittis sung/chanted by the choir

CHANTED CHOIR: Preserve us, O Lord, while waking, and guard us while sleeping, that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.

Apostles' Creed; all stand MONOTONE

CHANTED CANTOR: Lord, have mercy upon us. CHOIR: Christ, have mercy upon us. CANTOR: Lord, have mercy upon us. MONOTONE CANTOR: Our Father CHOIR: Who art in heaven, hallowéd be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen. CHANTED CANTOR: Blessed art thou, Lord God of our fathers CHOIR: To be praised and glorified above all forever SPOKEN READER: We confess CHOIR: To God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, that we have sinned in thought, word, and deed, through our own grievous fault; wherefore we pray God to have mercy upon us. Almighty God, have mercy upon us, forgive us all our sins, and deliver us from all evil; confirm and strengthen us in all goodness, and bring us to life everlasting, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. READER: May the almighty and merciful Lord grant unto us pardon and remission of all our sins, time for amendment of life, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. CHOIR: Amen. CHANTED CANTOR: Wilt thou not turn again and quicken us CHOIR: That thy people may rejoice in thee CHOIR: Amen

Anthem; announced and text read before singing

CHANTED/ SUNG CANTOR:[chanted] We will lay us down in peace and take our rest CHOIR:[sung] For it is thou, Lord, only, that makest us dwell in safety. SPOKEN READER: The almighty and merciful Lord, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, bless and preserve us. CHOIR: Amen.

Music Sung

The repertory of Compline Choir can be found in the online listing of weekly music presented. Generally (in addition to the standard liturgy) 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 podcast format. 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 several recordings, which are available on CD.

What Hand Divine (2015)

I Will Meditate (2013)

Carols Old and New (2006)

Night Music (2001)

Feathers of Green Gold: The Office of Compline and Ten Psalms (1994)

History of Compline Choir

The Compline Choir was formed in 1956 by Peter Hallock (Nov. 19, 1924 - Apr. 27, 2014). Hallock, who directed and composed for the choir, retired in 2009. Dr. Jason Anderson (a Compline Choir member since 2004) became the second director of the Compline Choir. 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.

The Composer-in-Residence (since 2011) is Derek Curtis-Tilton.

Other Compline Choirs in the USA

Numerous compline choirs have been modeled after The Compline Choir at Saint 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, 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.

Saint Mark’s Cathedral

Saint Mark's, Seattle is the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. Saint Mark’s is also a parish church.