679 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06119
Choral Evensong: Choir of St. James’s Church, West Hartford
Experience a powerful connection between your earthly life and the divine. The ancient and beautiful service of Choral Evensong is presented on the fourth Sunday of selected months at St. John’s. Join us on September 25 for music by the youth and adult choirs of St. James’s, West Hartford, Vaughan Mauren, organist and choirmaster.
Click here for the Service Bulletin.
Service Music:
Voluntary Psalm Prelude Set 1, No 2 Herbert Howells (1892-1983)
Preces and Responses Philip Radcliffe (1905-1986)
Canticles (in D) Charles Wood (1866-1926)
Psalm 119: 81-96 (Coverdale)
Anthem Evening Hymn Balfour Gardiner (1870-1950)
Hymn Christ, mighty Savior Mighty Savior
Voluntary Postlude in D minor Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)
What is Choral Evensong? “Evensong … is a very tiny fragment of something else: it is a fragment of the worship which is offered to God by Christian people every hour in every part of the world. When you come to Evensong here it is as if you were dropping in on a conversation already in progress — a conversation between God and people which began long before you were born and will go on long after you are dead.”
Why celebrate Evensong? Evensong offers to us the opportunity to gather and spend time in prayer while listening and participating in music that is especially selected to bring us into deeper understanding of the mysteries of our faith.
How long does Choral Evensong last? Approximately 35-45 minutes
What should I expect at Evensong? Hymns, readings, Anglican chant and anthems sung by the choir
Will there be a sermon? No.
Why does the choir sing so much at Choral Evensong? In Choral Evensong the choir sings on “behalf of” the congregation. The settings of the Canticles of Mary (Magnificat) and Simeon (Nunc Dimittis) are always sung by the choir alone. The Suffrages (prayers) and the Responses between the Officiant and People are also sung between the Officiant and Choir on behalf of the people. This allows the congregation time to meditate and enter into deeper prayer through words and music.
What does the congregation do in Evensong? The congregation joins in the singing of the hymns, the Apostle’s Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. The congregation joins in silent meditation through the prayers and canticles.
How will I know what I should do during the service? A bulletin outlining the service will be available.
What is a canticle? A canticle (from the Latin canticulum, a diminutive of canticum, song) is a hymn (strictly excluding the Psalms) taken from the Bible.