PRH (1924-2014) as he is known to me as I cannot call anyone I revere by their first name, has fallen. He died peacefully at home north of Seattle on Sunday, April 27th, surrounded by some friends. He was 89 years old. After English training as an organist and counter tenor he took a position as organist/choirmaster at St. Marks Cathedral in Seattle, a position which he held for 40 years. He is known for various and voluminous choir and instrumental works. He started the Compline Choir in 1956 and wrote scores of works for AATB men's choir, especially the almost 50 Psalm settings. These are works of a genius. I know, as I have engraved them all. For more information go to Peter R. Hallock's CaringBridge account, which garnered 1500 hits during the week he was in hospital. I have never seen an outpouring of well wishers like this, for anyone. The current Compline Choir director, Jason Anderson (who wrote his Doctoral thesis on the life and music of Hallock) spearheaded the care group toward the end and kept a journal of events on Caring Bridge. I am still in awe of Peter Hallock's legacy and in total woe with his passing. Pax in aeternum, PRH, Pax in aeternum. jeff reynolds, retired bass trombonist , LA Phil, current director of four Roman/Anglican Compline Choirs in tiny Nevada City, CA. The apex, the nut of Compline for me is the chanting of "In manus tuas, Domine, Commendo spirtum meum" in any of its many guises. Below is the Roman version we use: This is as close as you can get to meeting your own maker.
I had just yesterday learned that Peter Hallock was gravely ill, and now I am deeply saddened to learn of his passing.
Peter Hallock was a musical giant in the Episcopal Church, having served at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle for some 40 years, composing almost innumerable sacred works of uniformly high quality. His tenure there saw the acquisition of their outstanding Flentrop organ, the organization and development of the Cathedral's long standing and renowned Sunday Compline services, which he directed and for which he composed much music. Mr. Hallock received his Master of Music degree in Organ Performance and Composition from the University of Washington, and during his lifetime earned many accolades, including Doctor of Sacred Music, honoris causa (Church Divinity School of the Pacific [Episcopal]); Associate of the Royal School of Church Music; Associate of the Royal College of Music; Canon Precentor (emeritus) of Saint Mark’s Cathedral; and Canon of Honor, Diocese of Olympia - the first layman in the Episcopal Church to be bestowed the title of Canon Precentor, a signal honor indeed.
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