Magnificat
The
text of the Magnificat has understandably attracted many composers. Its vivid
language and clear structure make it eminently suitable for musical setting.
But for me, as for many composers in the past, it was the confidence of Mary's
affirmation of faith, and her joy at being chosen by God which primarily
attracted me, and I have tried to convey some of the directness of her emotions
in music which has clarity of texture and line, and which is unashamedly joyous
in character.
My
setting (in Latin) is in five contrasted movements. The first, and longest, is
for the most part vigorous, but contains two reflective passages for the ladies
alone (Quia respexit) and for the men
alone (Ecce enim). The second and third movements respectively are also
for the ladies and men on their own: "Et
misericordia" is gentle and yearning, while "Fecit potentiam" is very much more forceful and rhythmic. The
fourth movement, "Suscepit Israel",
looks back in mood and musical ideas to the "Et misericordia", and is scored for unaccompanied chorus
interrupted occasionally by trumpets, oboe d'amore and bassoon. An orchestral
interlude leads directly into the "Gloria",
which returns to the music of the first movement, to end the work in a spirit
of joy and conviction.
Between
these choral movements are four settings for the soloists alone of English
poems which in some way relate to the thought or mood of the preceding choral
section. The first, for tenor, (part of Walt Whitman's "Passage to India"), is reflective
and introvert in character, contrasting strongly with the second poem, an
anonymous medieval dramatic dialogue between a Soul and Christ, set for alto
and bass. The third poem, Christina Rossetti's "Up-hill", is another dialogue, this time between a Pilgrim Soul
and an Angel, here set for soprano and tenor. The fourth poem brings all four
soloists together in Richard Chevenix Trench's meditation on the reality of God
and Heaven.
The
work was designed originally as a companion piece to Bach's incomparable setting,
and uses the same vocal and instrumental resources, with the addition of a
little percussion. Bach's first version of the "Magnificat" also
included non-biblical interpolations, and, just as his setting can be, and
indeed usually is, performed without these interpolations, so mine too is
constructed in such a way that it can be performed simply as a setting of the Latin
Magnificat without the English solo movements.
"Magnificat" was written in 1980 to
a commission from the St. Albans Chamber Choir, who gave its first performance the
following year in the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London, under the direction Richard
Stangroom.
© Christopher Brown 1981