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 States. It will be available to view until the end of the year, and I recommend it (more following).
But the shadow of COVID-19 has been looming large this week, as it runs rampant throughout America, causing new Washington State restrictions that have affected the services of the Compline Choir, as well as a U.S. Supreme Court decision, announced on Thanksgiving Day. So the issue of religious freedom seems to be at the forefront for me this week!
Because of the “new normal” for choirs during the pandemic, the Seattle Bach Choir recorded their parts individually for nine pieces from the 15th-17th centuries. The choir’s director, Daniel A Mahraun, not only edited the musical scores, rehearsed the choir on Zoom sessions, then edited all the takes and wrapped it along with contemporary art in a beautiful and informative video. The performance itself is presented on anywhereseat.com, and the 90% of the $10 ticket goes to the Bach Choir. Once you get a ticket you receive a code which is good for as many return visits until the end of the year. Click here for link to the performance and FREE program notes.
The music brings to life many of the sad consequences of religious intolerance, such as Juan del Encina’s “Una sañosa porfía”, a lament over the defeat in 1492 of the last Islamic stronghold – Granada; or Johannes Eccard’s “Erhalt uns, Herr, bei deinem Wort,” which contains the lines:
“Preserve us, Lord, with your word,
and control the murderous rage of the Pope and the Turks,
who would want to cast down Jesus Christ, your son,
from his throne.”
Four 17th-century English psalm settings lament religious persecution, as well as hidden messages in William Byrd’s “Domine, tu jurasti,” which compare life as a Catholic in late-16th-century England to that of the Israelite captivity in Egypt. The concert begins with “Ein keloheinu,” written in 1623 by the Italian Jewish composer Salamone Rossi. The concert really explores its subject, with virtually no group left out of the story. There is even a short presentation by Rev. Terry Kyllo, Executive Director, Paths to Understanding, in which he addresses “demonization” of “the other” – a subject which can’t be more appropriate for our times!
And now, here’s a recap of news from the Compline Choir:
On Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, we received word that updated guidance for faith-based organizations issued in Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-25.8 applies both to in-person and livestream/broadcast worship; further, we were told to come into compliance as soon as possible. Therefore, beginning Sun., Nov. 29, and continuing until further notice, Classical 98.1 KING-FM will broadcast archival recordings of previous Compline services appropriate to the season. We will also re-release those same archival recordings through our podcast feed. This will continue until current restrictions are lifted.
The Compline Choir will continue to offer the Office of Compline at 9:30 p. m. Pacific Time, in Saint Mark’s Cathedral, but with just two people: a Reader and Cantor — thus continuing an unbroken tradition since 1956. The blog Compline Underground, which has been posting the texts of the Compline Service since the Cathedral was closed to the general public in March, will continue to post the texts of the service as broadcast on KING-FM until further notice.
While restrictions last, you can hear the last service broadcast live (ironically the last Sunday of the liturgical year) at Compline 2020: The Last Sunday after Pentecost.