St. Chad Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis

Jackson Hill’s evening service, written for the choir of Lichfield Cathedral, begins with a strong sweep upward in organ and voices, instantly grabbing the attention. Following the first phrase, Hill uses a somewhat lengthy and languorous organ interlude to change to a more introspective mood. Unexpected chromatic turns contrast effectively with the confident diatonicism of the opening. As the sopranos take the lead in declaiming the text, the organ counters with its own material, supporting but not doubling the voices. An undulating eighth-note figure in the organ lends a restless energy. As the laundry list of “he hath…” phrases begins, the mood returns to that of the opening measures, and the full choir sings in strong unison-octaves. Moving through this section of the text, Hill varies the phrases, introducing part independence and allowing each text phrase to develop its own personality. The Gloria Patri blends the solid approach of the opening with the surprising dissonances found in quieter passages, creating a sense of summation. Quasi-canonical entrances on “Amen” bring the canticle to a  gentle repose, and as the choir and the organ cadence on a stable D major chord, a final pedal E gives a witty final harmonic tweak.  The Nunc dimittis maintains the unusual chromatic harmony in a hushed atmosphere of calm. Hill quickly moves from inflecting harmonies flat to bringing them sharp, yielding motion without implying anxious unease. The beginning of the second Gloria Patri repeats a four note motive that Hill winds throughout the service, bringing a cellular unity with nearly imperceptible subtlety. For all its chromatic spice, the entire service is of only moderate difficulty. Part ranges are modest, and pitches are consistently well prepared. Any choir that enjoys music somewhat out of the ordinary would enjoy learning these fine settings. – Jason Overall, The Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, March 2018