Magnificat Antiphon (L)
Abbreviations (PDF)
Boosey & Hawkes
Choral level of difficulty: 3 (5 greatest)
The English Province of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) has a history stretching back 800 years and this motet was written to celebrate the anniversary milestone in 2016. As always MacMillan found a celebratory text in which ‘the light of prophecy illumined you, apostolic zeal inflamed you…and the fire of divine love consumed you’. The motet opens with what becomes a powerful, rhetorical refrain. In between these statements comes a lengthy soprano solo (which can be taken by all sopranos) over a long supporting pedal from the rest of the choir. There are two big polyphonic sections which have intricate part writing using some of his familiar ornamental shapes. The second of these is a final Alleluia, the ending of which draws on the initial imitative point from the first polyphonic section. A nice drawing together of thematic strands.
This piece has some challenges but nothing which a choir of fair attainment cannot master with a run of rehearsals. Attention to detail, especially in the polyphonic sections, is crucial as they could easily become rather a blur of notes. So, articulation on semiquavers (16ths), and demi-semiquavers (32nds) as well as the characteristic triplet semiquaver figure which appears often in MacMillan’s choral music. But care needs to be taken over the balance between that clarity and the need for balancing legato and phrase development where that is possible in the texture.
Repertoire Note by Paul Spicer