Lighten our Darkness
Music for the close of day, including the Office of Compline

The Cambridge Singers
Reader: John Harte
Precentor: Simon Wall
The Cambridge Singers directed by John Rutter

The Office of Compline has inspired a great deal of music over the centuries, dealing with the themes of night, death and ressurection.  This ancient monastic service is sung just before going to bed, and typically concludes with an elaborate anthem to the Virgin Mary.  John Rutter and The Cambridge Singers bring polish and atmosphere to this program of works related to Compline; a second disc has the unadorned Office of Compline, beautiful in stark simplicity.

Two discs for the price of one!

Disc 1: Motets

In pace—John Sheppard
Libera nos, salva nos—John Sheppard
Justorum animae—Orlande de Lassus
Pater noster—Jacob Handl
O Lord, the Maker of all thing—William Mundy
Abendlied—Josef Rheinberger
O Christ who art the light and day—William Byrd
O gladsome light—Louis Bourgeous
Te lucis ante terminum—Thomas Tallis
Alma Redemptoris Mater—T.L. de Victoria
Ave Regina caelorum—T.L. de Victoria
Regina caeli laetare—T.L. de Victoria
Salve Regina—T.L. de Victoria
Ave Maria—Francisco Guerrero
Bogoroditsye Dyevo—Sergei Rachmaninov
In manus tuas—William Byrd
In manus tuas—John Sheppard

Total time for disc one: 77:33

Disc 2: The Office of Compline

Opening Sentences and Responses
Psalm 91
Lesson: Come unto me
Respond: Into thy hands
Hymn: Before the ending of the day
Keep me as the apple of an eye and Nunc dimittis
The Apostles’ Creed and Lord’s Prayer
Versicles and Responses
Confession and Absolution
Responses and Collects
We will lay us down in peace
Closing Responses and Blessing

Ttotal time for disc two: 22:42