Concert Report 3
On Sunday, March 8, 2020, at 9:30-10:00 pm, I had an opportunity to attend a choral, classical, Early music concert at the Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, by the Compline Choir. The performance was fascinating, and everyone enjoyed the live performance.
St. Mark’s Cathedral is at the top of a very steep drop-off to Lakeview Boulevard East. The wooded hillside is known as the Greenbelt. St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle, Washington, is the seat of the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia. The church founded as a mission church of Trinity Parish Church. When you observe the exterior appearance of the cathedral, it appears to be furnished smoothly with staircases leading to the main entrance of the church. The tall trees outside the temple give it a serene environment for everyone. With ample parking space at the east door of the cathedral, it makes it easier for the concert attendants with vehicles to come in and live at any suitable time due to ambiance. The interior of the temple has a well-developed altar and a nave for priests to smooth the progress of the service at strategic positions. Each window in the nave is well designed and fitted with a lamp to provide proper lighting to the entire cathedral. The cathedral has a Flentrop organ (St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 2018) in the choir loft at the back of the nave. The temple allows thousands of audiences of all ages to attend the concert. It is because each individual is allowed to contemplate and reflect on one’s life.
The Compline Choir chants and sings in the cathedral’s nave every Sunday at 9:30 pm to thousands who attend in person or by live media on KING-FM, 98.1. The Compline Choir performed: The Easter Canticle, Come, and Holy Spirit both of, Of the Lord’s Mercies, The Willow Carol-Carols Old and New, and Born on a New Day-What Hand Divine. The Compline Choir is composed of men who lead the formal choral service, which is a tradition in Seattle. The Compline Choir attracts an audience of 500 people each week for the meditative service. An Order for Compline is in the Book of Common Prayer as part of the Anglican services of daily prayer, known collectively as the Daily Office.
The meticulous Compline Choir soloists’ performance aroused me much. The Easter Canticle-Of the Lord’s Mercies and Come, Holy Spirit-Of the Lord’s Mercies, both excited me much. The performances kicked off with a slow tempo from the start to the end, with vocals singing in unison. The texture of the songs carried me away by the melodies that added the beautiful sound to the performance, and I heard the very low basses that combine the rich tone to the performance, making it lively. Lack of instrumental accompaniments in the production did not give it a pleasing and poignant effect at all. But, all in all, I enjoyed the performance.
Through the experience of hearing from the Compline choir performance, I could comprehend the talents, and I feel that I have a greater understanding of choral, classical music in general. I figured out the expertise for all, and I feel more satisfied being able to analyze portions of other choral, classical music compositions.