Herbert Howells is not my favorite British composer, but I do enjoy a few of his compositions. Mostly known for his choral work his music for orchestra alone I find the most enjoyable.

That is not here.

Instead you will find his Missa Sabrinenis. This is a BIG work for chorus & orchestra and four soloists. It has his typical almost jazz-like quality in some passages. What is most interesting is its history.

It has been a disaster.

Difficult, technically demanding and ambitious- the first performance (a live broadcast conducted by the composer) was considered not bad but also not so very good. The next performance in 1956 conducted by Malcolm Sargent resulted in the performers getting lost and the whole thing broke down. In 1982 in honor of the composer's 90th birthday they finally got it right.



Missa Sabrinensis (Mass of the Severn)

Kyrie 10:18
Gloria 20:09
Credo 18:35
Sanctus 9:34
Benedictus 6:45
Agnus Dei 10:28

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His music for strings is nice enough. Howells was deeply moved by Ralph Vaughan Williams' Tallis Fantasia. His ELEGY is modelled in lay-out on this work. It was composed after his friend Francis Purcell Warren died in The Great War and is dedicated to the lost fellow composer. It is not a heroic work- but remarkably memorable. Partway through there is a CRYING OUT- heartbreaking lament... I have never heard anything like it before or since in a piece of music.



Music For Strings

Concerto For Strings
1 Allegro
2 Quassi Lento
3 Allegro Vivo

4)Elegy for solo viola, string quartet & string orchestra

Suite for string orchestra
5 Allegro
6 Siciliano Elegiaco
7 Alla Menuetto
8 Rondo

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Thank you very much for the albums and the fascinating information, as usual.
You have the courage to seek truth and beauty in our materialist society,
where (as Odysseus Elytis has said):
"Beauty is in danger of surrendering to the flies of the Market Place".
(Axion Esti - Sixth Reading)

Shakespeare once said, "Trying to sell roses in a fish market." Evidently he and Mister Axion Esti were cut from the same cloth!

Will be interesting to read any reactions to these works.

This is Gennady Rozhdestvensky recording with the London Symphony Orchestra?

You are right, Phideas.
This "Elegy" can tear you to pieces!
How can I avoid mentioning the words of the poet:
"And time is a huge church
where the eyes of Saints
from time to time
flow with real tears
do you hear me..."
~ The Monogram~

This is Gennady Rozhdestvensky recording with the London Symphony Orchestra?

Very good!

I found this thesis for PhD in Music, and share with joy here!



ANALYSIS OF FIVE WORKS BY HERBERT
HOWELLS, WITH REFERENCE TO
FEATURES OF THE COMPOSER�S STYLE
by
MARTIN JOHN WARD


http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/236/1/Ward06MPhil_A1a.pdf

Herbert Howells wrote two pieces of music for Gerald Finzi. The last, called 'For Gerald' just after his death. They were good friends, even though Howells confessed that Finzi never really understood his work.

Gorgeous music. Thank you. :D