English Compline 1962 - Does it Exist Anywhere?
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    Does a book or PDF exist anywhere with English Compline? I'd like to add it to my family's evening prayers, and I might put together a book myself if it doesn't exist already.

    I'm familiar with the colloquium packet. I'm looking for every day, including the variations for lent/easter, etc.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    If you're willing to shell-out a small fortune : https://www.baroniuspress.com/book.php?wid=56&bid=59#tab=tab-1
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    The Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham have one which this blog: http://psallitesapienter.blogspot.com/2012/11/compline-according-to-customary.html claims is older and more like the previous centuries' Roman version.

    there are a couple in Latin and English which are 1962
    http://www.ccwatershed.org/blog/2014/apr/12/working-compline-booklet/
    http://angeluspress.org/Compline
    and I found a response to a similar query that "... there is a 1962 Lauds, Vespers and Compline available in Latin and English on lulu.com if you're interested in having them side-by-side while you learn. I plan to get one very soon to replace LOTH."
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 390
    "I'd like to add it to my family's evening prayers" -- I believe a huge illuminated manuscript is a must.
    Thanked by 1Adam Wood
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 390
    But if I ever were to choose an arbitrary devotion over lawful liturgical texts, I would definitely go for 1910 English Compline. (i.e. the truly traditional Roman Compline, before the modernist pope Pius X. at his will disfigured the Roman Psalter and replaced the non-changing order of Compline by a weekly cycle.)
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,782
    @igneus
    Sitting at my desk and sometimes used, (my family usually sing compline according to c.1934 calendar and Rubrics)
    "The Office of Compline, in Latin and English, Desclee, 1907" Described as the Solesmes edition as such books also had a version in modern notation. It includes tones for the Te lucis, for All Saints, and the Commons of Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, and Virgins.
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    @Salieri it's my understanding those just have music in latin, not english too.
  • a_f_hawkins
    Posts: 3,471
    The website here gives access to the ordinariate's current Compline. Since it is unchanging (though with a few options) it would be straightforward to type up. It has the advantage of being a lawful liturgical text, in English. I think it has all the bits in the 1962 Liber, plus an extra psalm and three alternative readings.
  • [There is also the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which if you interested in it (either for Compline or for other hours), feel free to PM me.]
    Thanked by 1CradleRevert
  • I have a Palmer-Burgess translation as published by the Anglican Benedictine sisters at St Mary's, Wantage - - -
    but some may not consider such provenance kosher

    There is also an order for compline in St Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter, which may be had from the Lancelot Andrewes Press.
    With this book you would have the complete Coverdale psalter set to Gregorian tones in square notes, plus the new Testament canticles set to all the Gregorian tones, plus the Marian antiphons with their attendant collects, plus a table of all the Gregorian psalm tones with all their cadences, plus several Sarum tones, and more.
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    For Anglican sources, there's also Canon Douglas's "The Monastic Diurnal, Noted"; but this, of course, is the Benedictine/Monastic office, not the Roman office, so there are no antiphons for the Psalms (which are sung to Mode VIII) -- however, Douglas's work does not include the psalms, so you would need a separate Psalter for that, but it's still a useful resource.

    Incidentally, Jackson, are you familiar with the Briggs and Frere "Manual of Plainsong", (Novello & Co.)? It's the 1661 Psalter set for chanting the BCP daily office, with the various Canticles (with Merbecke's service appended at the end).
    Thanked by 1M. Jackson Osborn
  • Salieri -
    I'm not familiar with the Briggs and Frere but will remedy that shortcoming. Many thanks. Speaking of such Anglicana, I would love to have a copy of the BCP in Latin, as was at one time used at some collegiate churches. I've been searching for such for many years.

    Too, speaking of Frere, et al, I just recently found a copy (at Half-price Books!) of Augustine's Confessions as translated by Edward Boverie Pusey. It's in a charming Victorian faux Tudor English. I had not known that he had done this.
    Thanked by 1Salieri
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    I can't find my copy of the Saint Columba Breviary (1970). Does anyone recall whether its version of Compline is close to the '62 Office, or to the modern LOTH?
  • SalieriSalieri
    Posts: 3,177
    MJO: You're looking for the Liber Precum Publicarum, then. justus.anglican.org has several on-line versions: the 1559, the 1662, and the 1970 US; here's the link to 1662, though I don't think they have a hard-copy for sale.
  • BGP
    Posts: 219
    Ben- is it 62 English set to music you are wanting?
    Text in English is readily available, set to music for Sunday exists. I am not aware of it all being set.

    Since this is private use anyway, if it were me I would just use the monastic form (same daily) or Roman use Sunday daily (which is essentially Roman use pre 1910 minus one psalm I think); but of course it isn't me.

    M. Jackson Osborn mentioned St Dunstan's Plainsong Psalter, off the top of my head the order for Compline is the same as Roman Sunday, one could substitute the other psalms on different days if one wanted and knew what they were, they're all right there in the psalter pointed with tones.
  • igneusigneus
    Posts: 390
    "set to music for Sunday exists"

    "Where?" I wanted to ask, and then I remembered: in the choir/organist edition of the Pius X Hymnal, page 449.
  • BGP
    Posts: 219
    It exists in a grey covered pamphlet from that era. Not sure who published it. I can look later.
    Thanked by 1igneus
  • BGP
    Posts: 219
    St. Johns Abbey Press, the copy I am looking at is 1951 with a 1942 imprimatur.
    The status/legitimacy singing the English publicly at that time ... ... ..........................
    Thanked by 2igneus Ben
  • Perhaps you might be interested in the English Performing Breviary from the Sarum rite site of the Gregorian Institute of Canada, being a translation of the Sarum office (thus no proper Compline for Christ the King or Sacred Heart). Compline should be mostly in this file from the Psalter part of the English Performing Breviary.
  • JonathanKK,

    If you happen to have a nice printout of the Little Office of Compline with the chants, I'd be interested. I'd like to somehow incorporate some version of the Office into our family's prayer life also, and the Little Office seems very accessible given how static it is through the week.