Composer’s note:

When Brian Woods-Lustig, director of the Choir of the First United Methodist Church of San Diego, California, commissioned these canticles it occurred to me that this would be the first time I’d been tasked with setting the same text twice. My first setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (King’s College Service) had proved so popular with choirs that it became the piece of mine most likely to be brought up in any conversations I had with choral enthusiasts. In short, I felt I had a lot to live up to with this second setting. Fortunately I find these words very inspiring, and have done ever since I first sang them as a girl chorister in my local parish church choir of Bisley and West End in Surrey, so I set to it with eagerness. I was thrilled to be at the first performance, on December 13th 2025, given by the commissioning choir with organist Sarah Amos in their splendid church in San Diego, conducted by Brian.

Since the Magnificat is Mary’s song I begin with a single soprano line but, unlike in my King’s College Service, this time it’s to be sung by a solo voice. This is underpinned by a staccato organ accompaniment to evoke childlike innocence and lightness of spirit as Mary glorifies God. Ideally the soloist would either be a girl treble or a soprano who is willing to sing with minimal vibrato. Mary’s opening lines are responded to by the rest of the choir before she continues with her solo. Thereafter it’s full SATB throughout, employing unison textures for dramatic moments such as ‘he has shewed strength with His arm.’ For the central section I opted for a more lyrical approach with a relaxation of the tempo, reserving the highest tessitura for ‘He hath filled the hungry with good things.’ The opening theme returns for the Doxology and the Magnificat ends in triumphant mode.

For the opening of the Nunc Dimittis I borrow the melody previously heard in the Magnificat at the words ‘He hath put down the mighty from their seat’. For the congregation (or audience) listening to the piece for the first time it will hopefully sound familiar and have a sense of home-coming about it, appropriate for Simeon’s readiness to return to his maker now that he’s seen the Christ child. Gradually the music works its way back to the main theme for the words ‘as it was i the beginning’ and we close this time with a more introspective version of the Amen.

I hope that choirs will enjoy singing this setting as much as they have enjoyed my King’s College Service. Singers and directors are always welcome to contact me via the contact form on my website www.joannaforbeslestrange.com