Herbert Howells

Howells's second Piano Concerto was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society and premiered at the Queen's Hall London on 27 April 1925. The second Piano Concerto highlights how far Howells has travelled stylistically since his first Piano Concerto of 1914 marking his mature style his courage in innovation and his sense of drama and colour in his use of orchestration.

These 30 pieces were written by Herbert Howells as exercises and piano sight-reading tests. They are however much more than visual traps for the unwary. They are at times graceful surprising and touching and they are allinventive miniatures which represent a collection characteristic of the composer.Like the occasional pieces written for examination purposes by Ravel and Debussy these studies have a unique value. Adaptedslightly by Alan Ridout to make useful manuals-only pieces for organ this compilation is a must have for developing organ players or those experienced players who are looking for something a little different.

Four french songs in piano and vocal arrangements by the celebrated English choral composer.

Violin and Piano reduction of Three Dances Op. 7 for Violin and Orchestra. The Three Dances are delightful miniatures written in 1915 in relatively carefree student days (relatively because the Great War was already a year old and Howells through ill health which nearly killed him in 1917 was exempted from active service). They were composed for a young fellow-student George Whittaker a highly gifted violinist who had entered the College aged only eleven. Certainly the music has no hint of the momentous events beginning to take shape and which would fundamentally affect one of his closest friends Ivor Gurney and kill a number of others.

Maintenant disponible à la vente pour la première fois, la partie de la trompette solo pour ce chef-d'oeuvre durable du répertoire concerto peut être utilisée aux côtés de la partie de piano solo (publiée comme M-003-01703-7, BH 2396) et orchestrale matériel en location de Boosey and Hawkes. / Violon Et Piano

Herbert Howells (1892-1983) was an English composer and teacher perhaps best known for his choral music in the Anglican tradition. His String Quartet No.3 (In Gloucestershire) has a somewhat chequered history: originally finished in 1916 the only copy of the score was left on a train and lost forever! In the 1920s Howells rewrote the work incorporating the themes he could remember from the original but large sections of it had to be created from scratch. Howells was unable to serve in the Great War due to ill health and this quartet provides a fascinating insight into how he reacted to the turmoil and aftermathof the conflict. The title suggests it was inspired by the Cotswold landscape of which he was fond; this is indeed the case but it is haunted by the memories of departed friends with whom the landscape had once been shared.

This gentle song utilises the words from an old carol which has been set to music by Herbert Howells. For voice and piano accompaniment.