Herbert Howells

The songs of A Garland for de la Mare are vintage Howells in their refinement harmonic subtleties and dreamlike quality. And although the cover says that there are ten songs in this set the songbook comprises thirteen songs including two versions of Before Dawn.Herbert Howells is a giant of 20th century Anglican church music the remainder of whose oeuvre is in the process of gaining new appreciation. He was a sensitive composer for Voice and among the very best of his songs are these settings of verses by Walter de la Mare a personal friend. Howells had frequently discussed the publication of A Garden for de la Mare with Christopher Palmer (author of the major study ofthe composer’s life) but Palmer died prior to publication and Michael Pilkington saw the project through to completion.

Madrigal for SSATB poem by Robert Wever. Composed for Sir Frederick Bridge and members of the Madrigal Society. Piano part included for practice use.

Howells' elegiac setting of words by John Buxton muses on Christ's nativity and his prophesied mission in the world. Ideal for mixed choirs in schools and parish churches.

Scored for SATB and Organ. Written for and dedicated to Alec Wyton at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine New York.

Like much of Howells' later work this is a deeply religious choral work that ranks at the top of the English choral tradition. Composed on Christmas Day 1952 Behold O God Our Defender is for mixed choir with Organ or Piano accompaniment.

From Three Motets (which also include King of Glory and House of Mind) in the Organ and Choir version.

St Peter In Westminster-Herbert Howells is a giant of 20th century Anglican church music the remainder of whose oeuvre is in the process of gaining new appreciation. Over the course of his compositional life he created many settings for the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis. Howells made a practice of writing his settings for these texts and completed twenty services generally specifically for the church buildings or cathedrals in which they were to be performed. In this way he wrote works for the cathedrals of St Paul’s Worcester and Gloucester as well as York Minster King’s College Cambridge New College Oxford and St John’s College Cambridge among others. This setting was written forWestminster Abbey in 1957.

Herbert Howells is a giant of 20th century Anglican church music the remainder of whose oeuvre is in the process of gaining new appreciation. Over the course of his compositional life he created many settings for the Magnificat and the Nunc Dimittis. Howells made a practice of writing his settings for these texts and completed services specifically for the church buildings or cathedrals in which they were to be performed. In this way he wrote works for the cathedrals of St Paul’s Worcester and Gloucester as well as Westminster Abbey King’s College -- Cambridge New College -- Oxford and St John’s College --Cambridge among others. This setting was written for Francis Jacksonand the Choir of York Minster in 1973.

Herbert Howells first set the Scottish ballad Sir Patrick Spens for Baritone solo choir and orchestra in 1917. The vocal score was published in 1928 and manuscripts of the full score have survived at the Royal College Of Music London and the Bodleian Library Oxford.The work went unheard for over sixty years and any performing materials were lost until the full score and parts were freshly engraved for a performance in 2006 by the Bach Choir Of London.

Howells 'Te Deum' and 'Benedictus' for St George's Chapel Windsor. Scored for mixed voice choir SATB with organ accompaniment.