Last weekʻs Evensong at St. Andrewʻs Cathedral in memory of Carl Crosier was very well-attended and the Cathedral Choir seemed to outdo itself in the tribute to its former chorister. The Cathedral tower bells were rung continuously before the service.

The following paragraph was in the program leaflet: Carl was Cantor at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu for thirty-six years, and comptroller and business manager of St. Andrewʻs Priory School for Girls for twenty-eight years. After his retirement, he took a position as countertenor in the St. Andrewʻs Cathedral Choir. At his request, the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis sung this evening is Herbert Howellsʻ setting of the Evening Canticles, composed for Gloucester Cathedral. Under Carlʻs direction the Lutheran Church of Honolulu Choir and the Cathedral Choir performed this setting on February 7th, 2010. (Oh, yes! I was there!)

The service began with an exquisite introit composed by chorister Karol Nowicki: Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your loveʻs sake.

Then followed Preces by Bernard Rose, a hymn, Christ, mighty Savior, Light of all creation (INNISFREE FARM), Psalms 63 and 116, a reading from 2 Kings 20:1-21, then the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis of Herbert Howells from the Gloucester Service. (If Carl were there, he would have surely given me a look that said, “What happened to the sopranos at the end of the Magnificat?!!”)

The anthem was “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth” by Edgar L. Bainton, based on the Revelations 21:1-4 text which was also read at Carlʻs funeral mass (see my post “Requiem“). I liked the fact that there was no prelude except for the tower bell ringing, and no postlude. If you were not there and would like to hear the service, you can click the link below.

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All weekend I have had time to ponder what I wanted inscribed on Carlʻs headstone at the cemetery, since I had an appointment with the agent this morning. For years, people said that Carl used to absolutely drive himself (and drive others caught up in his insane productions!)

And so, this is what I came up with for Carlʻs epitaph:

Driven by the pursuit of beauty and perfection.

Ah yes, thatʻs so Carl.