Evening Canticles in A

Charles Villiers Stanford's Evening Canticles in A is a substantial work for double choir (SATB.SATB), ideal for major festivals or services in cathedrals and large parish churches. Written in English, it sets the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis, the traditional texts for Evensong. The music is rich and grand, demanding assured vocal control and confident projection from both choirs. Stanford's writing exploits the antiphonal possibilities of the double choir, creating moments of majestic homophony and intricate contrapuntal interplay. This setting offers a powerful and sonorous conclusion to a sung Evening Prayer, demonstrating the composer's mastery of Anglican choral tradition.