PROGRAMME NOTES

Church Music

Jesus Christ is Risen/Born Today (1955)
SATB a capella

This motet was written in three hours in preparation for the kind of examination requirement for Part II of the Music Tripos at Cambridge. It comes over as a kind of spiritual and could also be sung to the words: ‘Jesus Christ is Born Today’. Published by Novello in the Musical Times (February 1965) to support an article about Peter Dickinson by Roger Norrington.

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (1963/1970) [unpublished]
ATB a capella

This set of Evening Canticles must have been for the choir of the College of St Mark and St John but it was regularly used by John Sanders at Gloucester Cathedral.

Mass (1965)
SATB a capella
Kyrie – Sanctus and Benedictus – Agnus Dei – Gloria
This Mass was written for Liverpool Cathedral as a result of a visit there with the production of The Judas Tree. The work is partly a response to the extensive echo in the Anglican Cathedral. The Agnus Dei is taken from the Latin setting in The Judas Tree. The Mass was published by Novello in 1966.

For the Nativity (1966)
SATB a capella
Text: John Heath-Stubbs
This setting was made as a tribute to the poet John Heath-Stubbs, who taught at the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, with the composer. It was published by Novello as a music supplement to the Musical Times in July 1967 and seems to have been rarely performed.

Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis (1966)
Unison voices and organ
This Evening Service was written for Bernarr Rainbow and his choir at the College of St Mark and St John and published by Novello in 1967. Rainbow specified that any organ part for him would have to be simple, even held chords – it is.

Communion Service (1968)
Two-part choir and organ
Ninefold Kyrie – Sanctus and Benedictus – Agnus Dei - Gloria
Commissioned by Peter O’Brien for his choir at St Luke’s College, Exeter, this Communion Service was written in May 1968 and published by Novello that year. Each section of this work became related to the choral and orchestral work Outcry composed in the same year.