Herbert Norman Howells CH (17 October 1892 – 23 February 1983) was an English composer, organist, and teacher. The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. Events 539 BC - King Cyrus The Great of Persia marches into the city of Babylon, releasing the Jews from almost Year 1892 ( MDCCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A composer (literally meaning 'one who puts together' is a person who creates Music, usually in the medium of notation, for Interpretation and Performance The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each
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Life
Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire, and was the youngest of six children born to Oliver and Elizabeth Howells. Lydney is a small Town and Civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. History See also History of Gloucestershire Gloucestershire is a historic county mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in the 10th century His father was an amateur organist, and Herbert himself showed early musical promise. The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each He studied first with Herbert Brewer at Gloucester Cathedral, as an articled pupil alongside Ivor Novello and Ivor Gurney, the celebrated English songwriter and poet, with whom he became great friends. Sir Arthur Herbert Brewer (1865 – 1928 was an English composer and Organist. Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Undivided Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city David Ivor Davies (15 January 1893 &ndash 6 March 1951 better known as Ivor Novello, was a Welsh Composer, Singer and Actor, who Ivor Gurney ( August 28, 1890 - December 26, 1937) was an English Composer and War poet. A September 1910 concert in Gloucester Cathedral included the premiere of a mysterious new work by the yet little-known Ralph Vaughan Williams. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music Howells not only made the composer's personal acquaintance that evening, but (as he often recounted) the piece, the Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis, profoundly moved him. Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, also known as the Tallis Fantasia, is a piece of orchestral music by the British Composer Later he studied at the Royal College of Music (RCM) under C.V. Stanford, Hubert Parry and Charles Wood. The Royal College of Music is a well known conservatoire located in the South Kensington district of London, England, and one Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (30 September 1852 &ndash 29 March 1924 was an Irish composer resident in England for much of his life Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry 1st Baronet (27 February 1848 &ndash 7 October 1918 was an English Composer, best known for the choral song Jerusalem Charles Wood ( 15 June 1866 &ndash 12 July 1926) was an Irish Composer and teacher
In 1915 he was diagnosed with Graves' disease and given six months to live. Graves' disease is a Thyroid disorder characterized by goiter, Exophthalmos, "orange-peel" skin and Hyperthyroidism. Since doctors believed that it was worth taking a chance on a previously untested treatment, he became the first person in the country to receive radium treatment. He was briefly assistant organist at Salisbury Cathedral in 1917, though his severe illness cut this appointment short. Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Salisbury, England, considered one of the leading examples of Early English architecture Year 1917 ( MCMXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Friends then arranged for a grant from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust, whereunder Howells would assist Richard Runciman Terry in editing the voluminous Latin Tudor repertoire that he and his choir were reviving at Westminster Cathedral. Sir Richard Runciman Terry (January 3 1865 - April 18 1938 was an English organist choir director and musicologist Westminster Cathedral in London, England, is the Mother church of the Roman Catholic community in England and Wales and the Metropolitan Although they were envisioning an undemanding sinecure, Howells took great interest in this work, absorbing the English Renaissance style which he loved and would evoke in his own, and continued it until joining the faculty of the RCM in 1920. During World War II, he served as acting organist of St John's College, Cambridge. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Choir of St John's College Cambridge, is a collegiate choir of the English cathedral tradition
In later life Howells was awarded an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1972. The University of Cambridge (often Cambridge University) located in Cambridge, England, is the second-oldest university in the The Order of the Companions of Honour is a British and Commonwealth Order. He died in 1983 in London and his ashes reside in Westminster Abbey.
His daughter Ursula (1922 - 2005) was an actress and he was godfather to the cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. Ursula Howells ( 17 September 1922 &ndash 16 October 2005) was an English actress whose elegant presence kept her much in demand for Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Julian Lloyd Webber (born April 14 1951) is one of the world's most renowned solo cellists
Works
In his twenties and thirties his compositional output focussed chiefly on orchestral and chamber music, including two piano concertos. An orchestra is an instrumental ensemble, usually fairly large with string brass woodwind sections and possibly a percussion section as well Chamber music is a form of Classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber A piano concerto is a work written for Piano and Orchestra.See also Harpsichord concerto; some of these works are occasionally played on piano The hostile reception given to the second of these in 1925 largely silenced Howells' compositional activities for almost ten years. A further blow came with the death of his nine-year-old son, Michael, from polio (or meningitis; accounts vary) in 1935, which deeply affected Howells. Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral Infectious disease spread from person to person primarily via Meningitis is Inflammation of the protective membranes covering the Brain and Spinal cord, known collectively as the Meninges. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. It did, however, appear to unleash a new period of creativity; both Howells himself and his music were never the same after this period of his life. Though not an orthodox Christian, he became increasingly identified with the composition of religious music, most notably the Hymnus Paradisi for chorus and orchestra. Hymnus Paradisi is a choral work by Herbert Howells for Soprano and Tenor soloists mixed chorus and orchestra This was composed after his son's death but not released for performance until 1950, at the insistence (according to Howells' own account) of his close friend and mentor Ralph Vaughan Williams. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ralph (reɪf Vaughan Williams OM (12 October 1872 &ndash 26 August 1958 was an English Composer of symphonies, Chamber music It incorporates passages from the earlier unaccompanied Requiem, begun before Michael's death but not published until 1981, with a dedication to his memory. The Requiem (from Latin requiem, accusative case of requies, rest or Requiem Mass (informally a funeral Mass also known formally (in Latin as the Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Again, this private account of grief remained in his desk drawer for forty years before he submitted it for publication.
He wrote two works for brass band: Pageantry and Three Figures. A brass band is a Musical group generally consisting entirely of Brass instruments, most often with a percussion section Pageantry was written for the 1934 British Open brass band championships. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Howells arranged its first movement, King's Herald, for full orchestra for the coronation of King George VI in 1937. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
Church music
Howells is particularly known for his large output of Anglican church music, including a complete Service for King's College, Cambridge (the Collegium Regale) and settings of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis for the choirs of St John's College, Cambridge, New College, Oxford, Westminster Abbey, Worcester, St Paul's, and Gloucester cathedrals, among others, as well as for two parish churches, St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol and St Augustine's Church, Edgbaston. Anglican church music is music that is written for liturgical performance in Anglican church services In Anglican church music, a Service is a musical setting of certain parts of the Liturgy, generally for Choir with or without organ accompaniment King's College Cambridge is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The world-famous Choir of King's College Cambridge is one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great British choral tradition The Magnificat (also known as the Song of Mary) is a Canticle frequently sung (or spoken liturgically in Christian church services The Nunc dimittis (also Song of Simeon or Canticle of Simeon) is a Canticle from a text in the second chapter of Luke (Luke 229–32 named New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, which is almost always referred to by its original name of Westminster Abbey, is a large mainly Gothic church Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican Cathedral in Worcester, England situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. Gloucester Cathedral, or the Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Undivided Trinity, in Gloucester, England, stands in the north of the city St Mary Redcliffe ( is a large Anglican Parish church located in the Redcliffe district of the English port city of Bristol, The Church of St Augustine of Hippo in Lyttelton Road Edgbaston, Birmingham, England is a Parish church in the Church of England. These settings are often tailored for the building after which they are named. For example, the St Paul's Service has a very slow rate of harmonic change to suit the prolonged reverberation in that cathedral. St Paul's Cathedral, is the Anglican Cathedral on Ludgate Hill, in the City of London, and the seat of the Bishop of London. The motet Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing, written shortly after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, is dedicated to Kennedy's memory, and is considered by many to be perhaps his finest a cappella anthem. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Two other anthems, 'Like as the hart' and 'Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem' are similar in style and rhapsodic beauty and enjoy a firm and deserved place in the Anglican choral repertoire. Of his several hymn tunes appearing in current hymnals, "Michael" (named, of course, in his son's memory) is particularly widespread. A hymn tune is a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung
Hymnus Paradisi was the first of four large-scale sacred choral works. His Missa Sabrinensis is on the same scale, in terms of length and forces required, as Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, while An English Mass is scored for significantly smaller forces, is performed almost entirely in English, and follows the Anglican tradition of placing the Gloria last. Ludwig van Beethoven ( English ˈlʊdvɪg væn ˈbeɪtoʊvən, 16 December 1770 &ndash 26 March 1827 was a German Composer and Pianist. The Missa solemnis in D Major Op 123 was composed by Ludwig van Beethoven from 1819-1823 " Gloria in excelsis Deo " ( Latin for "Glory to God in the highest" is the title and beginning of a hymn known also as the Greater Doxology Finally, Howells' setting of the Stabat Mater, at about 50 minutes, is one of the longest extant settings of that text. Stabat Mater is a thirteenth century Roman Catholic sequence variously attributed to Innocent III and Jacopone da Todi
See also
References
- Paul Spicer (1998). This is a classified list of compositions by the English composer Herbert Howells. Herbert Howells. Bridgend: Seren. ISBN 1-85411-232-5.
- Nicolas Slonimsky (1994). The Concise Edition of Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Schirmer Books. ISBN 0-02-872416-X.
- Christopher Palmer (1992). Herbert Howells, a centennial celebration. London: Thames Publishing. ISBN 0-905210-86-7.
- Paul Andrews. "Herbert Howells", Grove Music Online, ed. The Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians is an Encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians L. Macy (accessed January 1, 2005), grovemusic.com (subscription access). New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
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