As is well known, Howells composed many services during
his long and prolific composing life, of which the Collegium Regale
written for King’s College, Cambridge, is the most substantial and –
quite logically – has pride of place here. The Te Deum and Jubilate
was composed in 1944 while the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis
followed in 1945. The Office of Holy Communion was completed
ten years later, in 1956.
Preces and Responses 1 and 2, written
for Canterbury Cathedral in 1964, were composed in 1967. The present
performance however raises a small documentary point, for it is sung
here with organ accompaniment, whereas the late Christopher Palmer in
his book on Howells (Herbert Howell: A Celebration – Thames Publishing
1996 [Second edition]) mentions the piece as being sung by unaccompanied
mixed voices.
The motet Take Him, Earth, for cherishing
was completed in 1964 following President Kennedy’s assassination in
November 1963. This is a setting of lines by Prudentius in Helen Waddell’s
English translation which Howells originally intended to set in his
Hymnus Paradisi written in memory of his son Michael,
but which eventually appears as a preface to the score. So, the motet,
though dedicated to President Kennedy’s memory, is yet another work
in memory of Howells’ son.
The two psalm settings included here are something
of an enigma, i.e. for the present writer at least, because I could
not find any mention of them, either in Novello’s list of works or in
Palmer’s. (The rather sketchy notes do not help either.)
Of Howells’s huge output of organ music, two short
early works are included in this release. The first set of Psalm
Preludes Op.32 was completed between 1915 and 1916, and Op.37
No.2 is heard here in a fine performance by Stephen Cleobury; whereas
the Rhapsody for Organ Op.17 No.3 was written in 1918
in York during the Zeppelin raids over the city. It receives a very
fine reading from Peter Barley.
This release will certainly be of interest to those
who want to have the complete Collegium Regale service. Others
will find here a worthwhile selection of Howells’ church music. The
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge sings beautifully throughout and
the whole is well recorded. The only liability here, a minor one though
a frequent one in this otherwise worthwhile British Collection,
is the rather sketchy presentation that does not include any texts at
all; but this should definitely not deter anyone willing to investigate
this welcome release.
Hubert Culot
see also review by Terry
Barfoot
Choir of King’s College,
Cambridge; Gregory Moore (cantor); Simon Williams (tenor); Peter Barley
(organ); Stephen Cleobury (director and organa) 