"There's A Naked Woman On the Bishop's Throne"

[KB7DQH]

A provocative title, yes? This refers to an event which occurred during a rehearsal for The Compline Service, remembered as one of the "craziest events" which had taken place over the many years, since 1956 when this service was first offered at Saint Mark's Cathedral in Seattle, Washington. The longest-serving member of the Compline Choir has recently published a book about his experiences, now available through www.gothic-catalog.com  entitled "Prayer as Night Falls--Experiencing Compline" authored by Ken Peterson, who began his experience in 1964.

He was interviewed by Roger Sherman and the interview broadcast as part of the 619th edition of "The Organ Loft"... 

For years the service was sung in an empty, dark cathedral, with perhaps a spouse of one of the choir members present, then about the time the new Flentrop pipe organ was installed (1965) the service was discovered oddly enough by the population of "hippies and flower children" many of which would listen to the service while lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling... And immediately following Compline one of the choir members would demonstrate the organ "to the delight of many young people"... Most of the remaining "crazy events" surrounding Compline usually were the result of the after-compline organ demonstrations as at the time "anyone who wanted to play the organ could play it" ;)

Personally, my "experiences with Compline" began as a child as my Mom and Dad would tune in on Sunday evenings to hear the broadcast, which has been carried on KING FM www.king.orgsince the early 1960's.

Eric
KB7DQH