21st Sunday after Pentecost – 21 Oct 2012

Calvin Hampton

Opening Voluntary: “Interlude” from Sonatina for Worship No. 5. – Robert W. Jones

 At the Communion: Prelude – Earnest H. Smith (1862-?)

 Closing Voluntary: Fantasia aus D – Johann Krieger (1651-1735)

Composer Spotlight – George Calvin Hampton (1938-1984)

This Sunday sees the return of the musical setting of the Nicene Creed (S-105) by contemporary Episcopal composer, Calvin Hampton. Hampton was born 31 December 1938 in the small borough of Kittaning in western Pennsylvania and grew up in Ravenna, Ohio.  A graduate of Oberlin Conservatory and Syracuse University, Hampton was, from 1963 to 1983, organist in New York City at Calvary Episcopal Church, Gramercy Park.  Musically, Hampton was a noted 20th century composer of both church and secular music. In addition to his regular work at Calvary, Hampton instituted a recital series known as “Fridays at Midnight,” which, from 1974 to shortly before his death in 1983, became one of the most popular organ recital series in American history. Hampton died tragically in 1984 at the height of his musical abilities and the early age of only 45 of complications of AIDs.

Although a noted composer of non-church music, Hampton is especially remembered in The Episcopal Church for his compositions and arrangements in The Hymnal 1982, which consist of six hymns as well as three pieces of liturgical music, including our only non-chant version of the contemporary-language creed.  Published originally in 1974, his creed was originally written for organ, four-part choir and congregation.  As The Hymnal 1982 was intended  for congregations, the choral parts were omitted in this publication. Musically, the setting is characterized by the composer’s use of a single melodic theme which he expands and contracts to fit the irregularities of the text. The organ accompaniment (except for the contrasting section of “he suffered death and was buried”) consists of a constantly flowing pattern of parallel sixths in the left hand over a fairly-steady pedal and a right hand that doubles the melody at unison or in parallel thirds.