Music Notes for Pride Evensong
Sunday, 1 June 2025 | 4pm
Music at this afternoon’s Evensong in celebration of Pride Month celebrates the music of LGBTQ+ composers, including the work of two local DC area composers. We give thanks to God for the gifts of their music for use in our corporate worship.
Our Voluntaries today are by Arlington, VA composer Christopher Hoh. The music we hear today comes from his collection of Airs for Organ, along with his setting of the Gregorian chant hymn, Ubi Caritas (Where charity and love abide). While Chris is known as a choral composer, he turned to writing for the organ during the pandemic. His Airs for organ hearken back to the Baroque and Neo-baroque. Each is a shorter piece that can be combined into a suite or used individually. These pieces allow us to hear several of the different tone colors of our Pasi Organ. Of Ubi Caritas Chris writes, “Throughout, with all the running figures and counterpoint, the tune abides somewhere in the texture. It symbolizes the Divine Presence, a compositional way to say “there is God.”
You can read Chris’s bio on his website here.
The Preces and Responses in today’s service are by Margaret Burk, Director of Choral Activities at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Written for the Yale Schola Cantorum, her Preces and Responses feature adventurous harmonies and challenging lines that illuminate these ancient prayers. Margaret’s twin sister is the Director of Music at Trinity Cathedral, Portland, Oregon. The two often collaborate. You can read more about Margaret here.
Howard Helvey, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of his generations most published composers. His a setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis are based in the styles of music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and Herbert Howells. In these canticles, Helvey masterfully sets the text of these two canticle which are appointed for evening worship. The Magnificat (Song of Mary) is Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel’s message that she will give birth to Jesus. The Nunc Dimittis (Song of Simeon) is Simeon’s response to his encounter with the infant Christ in the temple. These two canticles have been the inspiration for countless musical settings. Helvey’s canticles are one interpretation of these ancient songs. One that is beautiful, evocative, and soul stirring. Howard is the Minister of Music at historic Calvary Episcopal Church in Cincinnati. You can read Howard’s biography here.
Psalm chants this evening were composed by Washington, D.C. choral director, organist, and composer Ben Hutto. Hutto was the Director of Choral Activities at the St. Alban’s school on the Close of the National Cathedral, as well as, Director of Music at St. John’s, Lafayette Square until his untimely death. His compositions appear in our Hymnal 1982, as well as by several publishers.
Frank Boles, is the composer of the hymn tune Virginia Square, which was written for Saint George’s hymn, All-embracing God penned by the poet and hymn writer Susan Palo Cherwien in 2016. Boles was the Minister of Music at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis for 37 years where he built a nationally known choral program. His compositions represent diverse styles and the best of the American Anglican music tradition. You can read more about Frank here.