Abstract
The St Pancras Canticles apply neogothic five-part writing (SSATB – a voicing characteristic from the 16th-century English tradition) within liturgical settings that incorporate isorhythmic and gamelan-evocative structural elements. The research contribution lies in the synthesis of three distinct musical traditions – late-medieval English polyphony, Western and Eastern isorhythm, and contemporary liturgical composition – within functional church music. The five-part texture directly reflects the researcher’s study of the Eton Choirbook and other polyphonic repertories, creating a practical compositional application of the performance practice research (Research Area 3). The Magnificat & Nunc dimittis were the first commission by the London Festival of Contemporary Church Music. Part of the portfolio for the degree of Doctor in Church Music (DMus, Central School of Religion, non-accredited), conferred 2026.