King’s Chapel: the oldest gig in town
As a singer in Boston, I’m honored to be part of the list of artists who are called in on occasion to sing in the King’s Chapel Choir. Musical Director Heinrich Christiansen runs strong program of baroque, classical, renaissance and modern American church music that fits the voices and the lofty space of the sanctuary at King’s Chapel. As an example, my last ‘service’ there included song from Byrd, Buxtehude, the King’s Chapel Prayer Book, Mendelssohn and songs from The Sacred Harp.
King’s Chapel has a compelling history: Founded as an Anglican parish in 1686, its stone church building was finished in 1754 and has a bell that was forged in England and recast by Paul Revere that rings to this day before services. Its Royalist congregation fled during the Revolutionary War and King’s Chapel closed in 1776, and throughout the war was known as the ‘Stone Chapel’. In 1783 a new Reverend brought Unitarian ideas in his sermons and, eventually, revised the Book of Common Prayer for use at King’s Chapel as a Unitarian congregation. To this day, King’s Chapel participates as a Unitarian Universalist church, but follows an Anglican liturgy with words and phrases changed according to doctrine.
Every opportunity to sing in this space brings me a sense of awe. The church’s plain white walls, moldings and its Fisk organ fits the lofty acoustics perfectly, and it pleases me to see that the pews once reserved for the governor or royalty are now occupied by members and interested parties alike each Sunday.
