Vespers of Reflection for Lent: Remember not, Lord, our offences

The Byrd Ensemble sings at Vespers of Reflection for Lent on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at 5:00 pm. This service is at Church of the Redeemer, 6211 NE 182nd Street, Kenmore Washington.

Vespers of Reflection for Lent is a time to listen to readings and music about how God has redeemed all people. There will be no sermon.

As part of this service, the Byrd Ensemble will sing music they will be performing at the London International A Cappella Choral Competition in April 2014. Works that the Byrd Ensemble will sing include the following:

• “Remember not, Lord, our offences,” Z. 50, by Henry Purcell. The text for this 5-part choral anthem comes from one of the opening petitions of the Great Litany in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England. (With slight modification, the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church in the United States uses this same text.) Purcell composed the anthem around 1679–82. This was at the beginning of his time as Organist and Master of the Choristers for Westminster Abbey.
• Sanctus and Agnus Dei from the Mass for Four Voices by William Byrd. He composed this around 1592-3. Roman Catholics used this mass setting for clandestine celebrations of the Roman Tridentine mass. This happened in Protestant England after the death of Queen Mary Tudor.

The Byrd Ensemble

The Byrd Ensemble is a Seattle-based vocal ensemble. They specialize in the performance of chamber vocal music. Since 2003, the ensemble has performed medieval, Renaissance, baroque, and modern music across the United States. The ensemble is garnering international acclaim for its recordings of Renaissance vocal music. The Byrd Ensemble is an Artist-in-Residence at the first Episcopal Church in Seattle, Trinity Parish.

In the summer of 2013, the Byrd Ensemble recorded a CD of the music of Arvo Pärt at Church of the Redeemer. 

Church of the Redeemer

Community life at Church of the Redeemer centers on worship in the Episcopal tradition. Art and music vitally deepen this worship. Our faith expresses itself with service to people, locally to internationally.

Church of the Redeemer is in Kenmore, Washington, at 6211 NE 182nd Street. The campus is a short distance north of Bothell Way, near the Burke-Gilman Trail. Contact Redeemer at (425) 486-3777 or office@redeemer-kenmore.org. The website URL is redeemer-kenmore.org.

The Episcopal Church welcomes you.