Herbert Howells: The Dallas Canticles (score video)

Herbert Howells’ Dallas Canticles, composed in 1975 at the request of his student Larry Palmer for St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Dallas, continue his long tradition of setting the Anglican evening canticles—the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis. Written late in his career, they reflect a deeply personal harmonic language shaped by grief and spiritual searching. The work holds particular significance for blending the grandeur of English cathedral music with an intimacy suited to an American parish, showcasing Howells’ ability to write music that is both technically rich and emotionally resonant. With soaring melodic lines and harmonies that ache with yearning, the Dallas Canticles embody both triumph and tenderness in Howells’ lifelong pursuit of sacred beauty.