n case you are planning to write us to ask a question or two, please read through the following questions and answers to see if what you are interested to know has already been explained. If we have not done so, please write to us with your questions.
What is Compline?
The Compline service comes from the last of the seven Roman Catholic monastic hours of the day (Lauds, Matins, Terce, Sext, Nones, Vespers, and Compline), and one of the eight Orthodox Hours. Typically, the service is done just before one goes to bed. The term ‘Compline’ (pronounced “Comp’ - lin”) comes from the Latin word completorium meaning ‘completion’, since the service completes the liturgy for the day. Please see the entry in Wikipedia for more information.
When and where does the Compline Choir sing?
The choir sings the Compline service almost every Sunday evening at 9:30 p.m. Pacific time, at St. Mark’s Cathedral on Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. The exceptions to this schedule include the day Christmas Eve is on a Sunday (as it was in 2006) when the cathedral has a special Christmas Eve service, and when the weather is so snowy that travel is dangerous in Seattle. These exceptions are quite rare. The choir also sings in the Advent Procession, held on the evening of the first Sunday in Advent, which ushers in the new church year.
What version of the Compline service does the Choir sing?
The choir sings a version published by The Plainsong and Medieval Music Society in 1949. Its source is from the Proposed Book of Common Prayer (1928) for the Church of England. Please see the Other Links page for references to this and other versions of the Compline liturgy. Also, you can view the liturgy as sung by the choir.
Are the people who sing the service monks?
No. Currently, no one in the choir is a member of the clergy. A former member of the choir, Father Ralph Carskadden, occasionally comes and reads the service as an officiant. Members of the choir have jobs of their own, are going to school, or are retired. Several have degrees in music, some are attorneys-at-law, some work for major corporations, some teach, and some are looking for work. Some are members of St. Mark’s Cathedral, though that is not a requirement. Some are Episcopalian, Roman Catholic, Lutheran or another denomination; some are not believers. All members volunteer their time and talents to sing the office of Compline.
How old is the Compline Choir?
How long has the choir been singing the office of Compline?
Please refer to a separate page that answers these questions.
How long has the office of Compline been on the air?
The Compline service has been broadcast on Classic KING FM 98.1 since 1966. Other than the few years when it was on a one week tape delay, or the occasional evening when contact with the radio station is impaired, the service is broadcast live. Because Classic KING FM 98.1 streams its broadcast on the Internet, this service can be heard around the world.
Are podcasts available of the Compline service?
No, not yet. The choir is looking into various methods for providing delayed Internet delivery of the service. There are computer/server technical issues that need to be addressed as well as royalties issues. There are pieces sung by the choir during the service that have current copyrights, for which royalties would be owed when a service is downloaded in some form like a podcast. Because all of this will incur expenses the choir has never had to bear previously, the choir needs financial assistance to cover these costs. (See the question below regarding online giving to the Compline Choir.) Notice of such podcasts or delayed streams of the service will be given on this website once they are indeed available.
Is Peter still conducting the choir?
Yes. Peter Hallock, who founded the Compline Choir, continues to direct. Every so often, he lets members of the choir have the opportunity to direct the choir in a service. These people are mainly music students in the midst of their doctoral work, or are music graduates.
Is the choir available for hire?
No. While the recognition is appreciated, the mission of the choir is to sing the office of Compline. The choir has been involved with special projects and concerts, but these have been in support of singing the service. There is no truth to the rampant rumor that the choir does weddings and bar mitsvahs. The choir has sung at the funerals of members of the choir. It has also sung at special services and conferences at the request of the Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia.
Is the composition of the choir strictly all male?
Yes. On rare occasions the choir has been supplemented by female singers and instrumentalists.
How does one become a member of the Compline Choir?
Membership is exclusive, and new members are brought in only when there are openings for Alto (countertenor), Tenor, or Bass vocal parts. There is a process a candidate undergoes before he is able to join. A candidate must have experience as a classical musician prior to joining. The candidate has to demonstrate his ability to sing: he must sing with the choir at several rehearsals, where members evaluate his abilities to read music (square note and modern notation), to blend with the choir, vocal quality and musical discipline. The candidate must be willing to devote Sunday evenings to singing the service and make it a high priority.
Why is there an online means for giving to the choir? Doesn’t the money I give each Sunday in the offering basket at St. Mark’s go to the choir?
It is important that people who come to the Compline service give an offering. The moneys collected each Sunday evening go to St. Mark’s Cathedral. The cathedral uses these funds to pay for the light bill, the utilities bill, the heating bill, and the staff that help maintain the building. For the past six years, contributions have been steadily decreasing. It is hoped that this trend can be reversed.
The Compline Choir does not receive any portion of the moneys that are collected on Sunday evenings. The choir is solely dependent on contributions that are made directly to it. It has set up this means for online giving to provide an easy way to receive contributions from listeners like yourself. It makes use of the Amazon Honor System program from Amazon.com. The choir continues to accept checks (made out to The Compline Choir) via snail mail:
The Compline Choir
C/O St. Mark's Cathedral
1245 10th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98102
Thank you for your contributions and offerings. They are greatly appreciated.