Evening Hymn
Published by Lithuanian Composers’ Union in Vilnius, Lithuania
This piece is based on the ancient hymn that has been sung in monasteries and convents for centuries for the service of Compline – the service that “puts the church to bed” for the night. We used to sing the English version in my church on Friday evenings in the summer and I have fond memories of hearing and singing it when I was a child. For this piece, I have used the original tune from the 7th century in the original language of Latin for the opening and closing, sung in an aleatoric style by solo female voices. It is meant to evoke the sound of this hymn echoing in darkened churches through the centuries. The middle section of the piece is in English and in eight parts a cappella, written with an original melody and rich, warm harmonies, and is meant to contrast, as well as complement, that ancient feel with a more contemporary take on the prayer for an evening blessing.
The piece won second prize at the Vox Juventutis Competition in 2020.
