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 the Christian year.
The Compline Choir of St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle, has continued its singing of Compline, but to an empty cathedral, with less than a third of the singers. Those of us in the choir over 60 (like myself) were exempt from singing. The service has been broadcast live since 1962, but with the whole congregation “virtual,” the choir has been live-streaming the service since March 15.
I was very moved by the anthem “Salvation is Created,” sung on The Sunday of the Resurrection, April 12, 2020. Eight singers, socially distanced, in the resounding space of the empty cathedral, gave this classic Russian Easter anthem an extremely moving performance, and I wanted to share it with you at this special time.
ANTHEM: Cпасение coдeлaл (Salvation is created), composed by Pavel Chesnokov (1877-1944); arr. for men’s voices by Vladimir Morosan
Cпасение coдeлaл еси посреде земли, Боже. Аллилуия.
Spaseniye sodelal yesi posrede zemli, Bozhe. Alliluiya.
Salvation is forged in the depths of the earth, O God. Alleluia.
—Psalm 74:12
To listen to podcasts or see video streams of the Compline services during this unusual time, go to the Compline Underground site.
This is beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you Ken and the Compline Choir.
Bonnie Baker Ruff