This setting of the Evening Prayer canticles is dedicated with gratitude to Philip Ainsworth, who was my school music teacher, church choirmaster and organ teacher. In my time in the choir of Gainsborough Parish Church, I sang and played dozens of settings under Philip's direction. My own Mag and Nunc echoes many of the composers whose settings I came to love, especially Stanford, Sumsion and Darke. There are also respectful references to the harmonic worlds of Howells and Vaughan Williams, influences never far from my work. It is above all a nostalgic setting, looking back with great affection at my musical roots in those Evensongs of the 1970s and 80s, and I hope this makes it instantly appealing and pleasurable to sing.

The voice parts are relatively straightforward, with much of the detailing of the texture coming from the ostinati in the organ part, so it should be well within reach of most choirs that still sing Evensong, and a useful and popular addition to the repertoire.