Waters of Babylon, compositions of the Pacific Northwest composer Jeff Junkinsmith, is the latest release by the Byrd Ensemble, a Seattle group directed by Markdavin Obenza; they recently celebrated their 20th anniversary and are becoming known on the international scene for their performances of music of the Renaissance and of contemporary composers. The five pieces […]
Music
A Memorable Concert
I recently had a recording of a 1993 concert digitized, and wanted to share some of the music with you. I felt a bit sheepish for letting it languish for so long (29 years!) – but it was a Digital Audio Tape (DAT) and I put off converting it to a CD. Probably another reason […]
Ascension – an update
Today’s the 26th of May, but I would rather go with the liturgical calendar, which makes it Ascension Day. I decided to update this post, which I wrote two years ago. That was in May 2020, when COVID was relatively new to all of us, and I spent a couple of paragraphs lamenting my own […]
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A Hymn of Faith
On January 30, 2022, the Compline Choir at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, sang an anthem composed by Gregory W. Bloch (b. 1977), a member of the choir. The text is taken from the poem “No Coward Soul Is Mine”, written by Emily Brontë (1818-1848) – the last poem before her death. Several stanzas (below in […]
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Compline Re-Opens to Attendees!
On Sunday, August 22, 2021, the doors of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle opened again to attendees – the first time since March 7, 2020. For 76 weeks (almost a year and a half), the choir sang in an empty cathedral, due to COVID-19. In March 2020, churches were closed to in-person congregations; many started […]
“Faire is the Heaven” at Thirty
In 1925 composer William Henry Harris (1883-1973) set to music some lines from the poem “An Hymne of Heavenly Beautie,” by Edmund Spenser (1552-1599). Scored for unaccompanied double chorus of four voices each (soprano, alto, tenor, bass), Faire is the Heaven is one of the most sublime pieces in the English choral repertoire. I’ve […]
A Song for New Year’s Day
Words by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1822), published in 1850. Music to an anonymous hymn tune from the 18th century. Modified and arranged by Gregory Bloch, a member of the Compline Choir, St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, recorded on New Year’s Day 2017 (see Comments). Maybe even more perfect for today, because 2020 is now history: Ring […]
Thanksgiving, COVID, and Religious Freedom
This post started out as an invitation to everyone to view the fall concert of the Seattle Bach Choir, called “…Hunted and Persecuted on Every Side: The Mayflower Voyage and Religious Intolerance.” The concert, in video form, was aired on Sunday, November 22 – the beginning of a week of Thanksgiving observance in the United […]
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Russian Easter – an Anthem
Easter was celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on April 19, 2020, just a week after Easter Sunday in the Western Church. But no matter when or where it was celebrated this year, churches were empty due to preventative measures during the coronavirus pandemic. A prudent but sad way to celebrate the greatest feast in […]
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Compline and Coronavirus
By March 15, 2020, Governor Inslee of the State of Washington had mandated that social distancing was required, and that schools would be closed. Large public events – cultural, sports, religion – had to be cancelled. As the coronavirus progressed, the orders evolved to “stay home, stay healthy.” St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, like […]