It’s Saturday morning, and my usual custom upon waking is to retrieve the daily newspaper hanging on my door. I may be one of those rare persons who turns to the Religion Section on Saturdays first — to find if I recognize an event which I have submitted (Thank you, Pat Gee, and before her, Mary Adamski, and before her, Nadine Scott, for always publicizing my news events in the Religion columns!)

Today I was very interested to find the following item in today’s paper. What caught my eye was in the announcement about Peter Hallock’s Lamentations of Jeremiah.

As many of you know, it was the threesome of Peter Hallock, Carl Crosier and myself who formed the company, Ionian Arts, in 1986 to publish Peter’s music.

I sent this news article to Jason Anderson, Peter’s successor of the Compline Choir in Seattle, and Jason reminded me, “And of course the edition of the Hallock Lamentations we all use was done by Carl!”

Most unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the event because I will be in a rehearsal at that time. So I listened to the recording done by the Seattle Compline Choir, as posted on Kenneth Peterson’s Compline Underground blog.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/116287103″]

Words: Lamentations of Jeremiah 1:1-2
Music: Peter R. Hallock (1924-2014), 1972, ed. Carl Crosier, 1986
Recording: “Night Music,” The Compline Choir, 2001

English Translation:

Here begins the Lamentation of Jeremiah the Prophet. How deserted lies the city once so full of people: how like a widow she is, who once was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary. Bitterly she weeps in the night, and tears are upon her cheeks: Among all her lovers there is none to comfort her. All of her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Jerusalem, Jerusalem, return to the Lord your God.

Tomorrow it’s Palm Sunday at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, and I’m substituting for their organist who is away. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday I play for regular chapel services at Iolani School. Then I have choir rehearsals on Tuesday at St. Pius X Church, and Wednesday at Sacred Heart Church, and will spend the Triduum and Easter Day at both Catholic churches. On Easter Monday, I’ll be playing for All-School Easter Chapel service at Iolani, with a choir rehearsal at 7:15 am.

You call this retirement, right?! Here’s to Holy Week, everyone!