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He shall convert my soul: and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: thy rod and thy staff comfort me. Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me: thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. HOWELLS But thy loving kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Hymnus paradisi 5 IV Sanctus (Psalm 121)

Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Holy, Holy, Holy, Sir Patrick Spens Dominus Deus Sabaoth, Lord God of Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua. Heaven and earth are full of thy glory. Rutter • Gilchrist • Williams • The Bach Choir I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills: from whence cometh my help. My help cometh even from the Lord: who hath made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: and he that keepeth thee will not sleep. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Behold, he that keepeth Israel: shall neither slumber not sleep. The Lord himself is thy keeper: the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand; David Hill So that the sun shall not burn thee by day: neither the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: yea, it is even he that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out, and thy coming in: from this time forth for evermore.

6 V I heard a voice from heaven (from The Burial Service)

I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: Even so saith the Spirit; For they rest from their labours.

7 VI Holy is the true light (from the Salisbury Diurnal, translated by Dr GH Palmer)

Holy is the true light, and passing wonderful, Lending radiance to them that endured in the heat of the conflict. From Christ they inherit a home of unfailing splendour Wherein they rejoice with gladness evermore. Alleluia.

Requiem aeternam, Rest eternal, Requiem dona eis sempiternam. Grant them everlasting rest.

Texts supplied by courtesy of Andrew Millinger and the Herbert Howells Society 8.570352 12 570352bk Howells 17/4/07 2:51 pm Page 2

Herbert Howells (1892-1983): Hymnus paradisi • Sir Patrick Spens They hadna gane a step, a step, O lang, lang may the ladies sit A step but barely ane, Wi’ the fans into their hand Herbert Howells is known chiefly for his church music, dating back to medieval times. Howells’s former When a bolt flew out of the gudely ship Before they see Sir Patrick Spens arguably the finest by any English composer of the teacher Brewer had had his version performed at the And the salt sea it came in! Come sailing to the strand. twentieth century. He was a pupil of Herbert Brewer at 1913 Gloucester Three Choirs Festival and it is possible Gloucester Cathedral from 1905 to 1911; then, from that this was the spur to Howells’s own wish to set it. “Gae fetch a web o’ the silken claith O lang, lang may the maidens sit, 1912 to 1916, he studied at the Royal College of Music He conceived it consciously as a dramatic choral scena, Another o’ the twine Wi’ the gude kaims in their hair under Charles Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood. commenting that ‘no phrase in the verse is ever And wap them into the ship’s side, A’ waiting for their own true loves, Apart from composing, he was an outstanding teacher repeated; all the lines in it might almost “belong to the And let na the sea come in!” For them they’ll see nae mair. and adjudicator. He taught at the Royal College of soil and the sea”’. His model was Stanford’s The Music, succeeded Holst as director of music at St Paul’s Revenge and the influence of Vaughan Williams’s They fetched a web o’ the silken claith Half owre, half owre to Aberdour, Girls’ School, and was professor of music at London A Sea Symphony is also apparent. The tale (which has Another o’ the twine ’Tis fifty fathoms deep, University. His orchestral works include the Elegy its basis in historical fact) is of a master mariner And they wapped them round that gude ship’s side, And there lies gude Sir Patrick Spens, (1917), the Fantasia for cello (1937) and the Concerto charged by the King of Scotland to bring the King of But still the sea came in. Wi’ the Scots lords at his feet. for Strings (1938); amongst chamber works are the Norway’s daughter to him despite it being the worst Piano Quartet (1916) and the string quartet, In time of the year to attempt such a voyage. The venture, O laith, O laith were our gude Scots lords Verse 1, line 3: skeely = skilful Gloucestershire (1916-c.1935). Large-scale choral unsurprisingly, ends in disaster! To weet their cork-heel’d shoon! Verse 3, line 1: braid = broad, open, long works include his masterpiece Hymnus paradisi (1938 Howells wished to write music that would reflect But lang ere a’ the play was play’d Verse 4, line 4: maun = must rev 1950), Missa Sabrinensis (1954) and Stabat Mater the ‘essential swiftness of action’ portrayed in the They wat their hats aboon. Verse 10, line 1: goud = gold (1963-5). On a smaller scale the motet on the death of ballad which is told in colourful musical brushstrokes. Verse 11, line 3: fou = bushel President Kennedy, Take him, earth, for cherishing After a few expectant bars the chorus plunges into the And many was the featherbed verse 14, line 4: gurgly = rough verse 18, line 2: ane = one (1964) ranks high in his achievements as does his action with music that instantly portrays the sequence of that fluttered on the faem: verse 19, line 3: wap = throw violently canticle settings Collegium Regale (1945) written for events – the King’s command, Sir Patrick’s horrified And many was the gude lord’s son verse 21, line 1: laith = loath King’s College, Cambridge. He also made a substantial response, the voyage to Norway, and the preparations That never mair cam hame. verse 21, line 4: aboon = above contribution to organ literature and wrote many fine for the return journey. With a slackening of tempo one verse 25, line 2: kaims = combs songs. of the crew voices his premonitions for the voyage and The ladies wrang their fingers white Sir Patrick Spens, for baritone, chorus and an ominous orchestral interlude presages doom. With The maidens tore their hair Please note that in a small number of places, minor differences orchestra, composed in 1917 when Howells was 25, the return of the chorus the tempest is unleashed, the All for the sake of their true loves, exist between the text and recording. was his first attempt at writing on a large-scale choral orchestra portraying winds and waves as Sir Patrick For them they’ll see nae mair. canvas. Having won an award under the Carnegie Trust valiantly tries to save the vessel. But all is in vain, and publication scheme for his Piano Quintet in 1916, in the final section the keening laments of the Scottish Howells had high hopes of a similar success with his women are heard in poignant music with the chorus Hymnus paradisi new work. This time, however, the judges had divided into ten parts. At the end the music seemingly 2 I Preludio reservations. As the researches of Paul Andrews have sinks into the waves, as if evoking the watery fathoms revealed, some finance towards publication was deep where the bones of Sir Patrick and the Scots lords 3 II Requiem aeternam offered, but nine years elapsed until the vocal score was lie. finally published. The only known performance took The circumstances surrounding the composition of Requiem aeternam dona eis Grant them eternal rest, place on 1st February 1930 in Newcastle with student Hymnus paradisi are heart-rending. In the summer of et lux perpetua luceat eis. and may perpetual light shine on them. performers conducted by William Gillies Whittaker. 1935 Howells and his family were on holiday in Given the freshness of the invention, it seems Gloucestershire. On the 31st of August their nine-year- 4 III The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23) extraordinary that the work subsequently disappeared old son, Michael, felt ill; five days later he was dead, from the repertoire until this recording. struck down by polio. In an attempt to help her The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing. The text is a well-known traditional Scottish ballad inconsolable father, his daughter, Ursula, suggested he He shall feed me in a green pasture: and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort.

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1 Sir Patrick Spens should commemorate Michael in music. As Howells approached Howells for a work for the 1950 Three The King sits in Dunfermline town when that the lords of Norroway later wrote: ‘The sudden loss of an only son … might Choirs Festival. Howells played through his ‘Revised drinking the blood-red wine; began aloud to say. impel a composer … to seek release and consolation in Requiem’ to him; Sumsion realising that here was a “O where shall I get a skeely skipper a language and terms most personal to him. Music may work of immense quality offered to perform it; it was, to sail this new ship o’ mine?” “Ye Scottish-men spend a’ our King’s goud well have power … to offer that release and comfort. It however, only after Gerald Finzi, Vaughan Williams and a’ our queen-is fee” did so in my case.’ and Boult expressed similar views that Howells agreed. O up and spake an eldern Knight, “Ye lie !” “Ye lie, ye liars loud” In 1932 Howells had composed a Requiem, He then orchestrated the work and probably composed Sat at the King’s right knee: Fu’ loud I hear ye lie!” although it remained unperformed until almost the end the orchestral Preludio at this time. The title was “Sir Patrick Spens is the best sailor of his life. It was also around this time that he Sumsion’s inspired suggestion. Howells conducted the that ever sail’d the sea.” “For I ha’e brought as much white money discovered Helen Waddell’s Medieval Latin Lyrics first performance of Hymnus paradisi on the 7th of as gane my men and me which included Prudentius’s Hymnus circa exsequias September 1950; Isobel Baillie and William Herbert Our king has written a braid letter And I brought a half-fou o’ gude red goud defuncti. It begins: ‘Nunc suscipe, terra, favendum, were the soloists. and sealed it with his hand Out o’er the sea with me”. gremioque hunc concipe molli’, and in her translation Throughout, Howells’s command of choral and And sent it to Sir Patrick Spens, reads ‘Take him, earth, for cherishing, To thy tender orchestral polyphony is masterly and in the description was walking on the strand. “Mak’ ready, mak’ ready my merry men all, breast receive him’. He set them as part of an of the music that follows, extracts from the composer’s Our gude ship sails the morn!” uncompleted motet and later they became the own programme notes are quoted. In the ‘brief, “To Norroway, to Norroway, “Now ever alack, my master dear inscription at the head of the score of what was to concentrated’ Preludio two important themes are heard to Norroway o’er the faem; I fear a deadly storm”. become Hymnus paradisi. Later still, he was to set them at the outset, sombre and grief-laden. There is a The King’s daughter of Norroway, memorably in his motet commemorating President dramatic eruption of anguish in the middle, leading to a ’tis thou maun bring her hame.” “I saw the new moon late yestreen, Kennedy. climax that bursts like a shaft of consoling light. Wi’ the auld moon in her arm, Howells drew on some of the texts and music of the Despite its contemplative nature, the ‘Requiem The first word that Sir Patrick read And if we gang to sea, master earlier Requiem in the new work he began to write at his aeternam’ that follows has ‘moments of intense so loud, loud laughed he I fear we’ll come to harm”. daughter’s prompting. Referring to it as the ‘Revised feeling’, as when the words at the crux of the whole The next word that Sir Patrick read Requiem’, the Latin and English texts are taken from work ‘Et lux perpetua’ are introduced. With the soprano a tear blinded his e’ee. They hadna sail’d a league, a league, the Psalms, the Missa pro defunctis and the Salisbury soloist’s entry, the tempo quickens and her tender, A league but barely three Diurnal which he described as ‘immemorial reflections soaring melody is set to limpid, delicate orchestration. “O who is it has done this deed, When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud upon the transient griefs and indestructible hopes of The setting of ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ is and told the King of me? And gurgly grew the sea. mankind’. He explained that he ‘used only two ‘touched by the brooding, darker colours of the To send us out at this time o’ year sentences from the Latin Requiem Mass, at the Preludio’. In tranquil phrases the soprano and tenor to sail upon the sea?” The ankers brak and the top mast lap beginning and the end, knowing that one of them – “et soloists sing of the ‘waters of comfort’, before the It was sic a deadly storm lux perpetua luceat eis” – would govern the work – chorus, in nervous, intense music, reflects the fear of “Be it wind, be it weet, be it hail or sleet, And the waves came o’er the broken ship especially that one word ‘lux’, “light”’. Howells wished the ‘valley of the shadow of death’. A fervent climax is our ship must sail the faem; Till all her sides were torn. to end the work in a mood of optimism rather than reached at ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord’, before The King’s daughter of Norroway tragedy; he needed to summon ‘an even more intense the tenor and chorus conclude the setting with a ’tis we must bring her hame.” “O where will I get a gude sailor degree of the work’s pervasive radiance’. For some typically Howellsian aching, melting cadence, on the to take the helm in hand time, however, he could not find a suitable text, until a word ‘nothing’. They hoysed their sails on Monenday morn Till I get up to the tall top-mast friend suggested ‘Holy is the true light’ at the end of In the Sanctus Howells sets a combination of Psalm wi’ a’ the speed they may To see if I can spy land?” Robert Bridges’s anthology The Spirit of Man. For 121 in English and the Latin Sanctus to music that They have landed in Norroway Howells, this was the perfect solution. simply blazes with light. The opening seems to evoke upon a Wodensday. “O here am I, a sailor bold, Having completed the work in short score by 1938, the heavenly hosts and a climax is reached on the word to take the helm in hand, and achieved through its composition a personal ‘Sanctus’ with the soloists riding high above the chorus They hadna been a week, a week Till you get up to the tall top-mast catharsis in relation to his sorrow, it was put away as a in an ecstatic paean of praise. Almost immediately in Norroway but twae But I fear you’ll not spy land”. private and personal document. In 1949 Herbert afterwards, the first major climax of the work occurs Sumsion, master of the music at Gloucester Cathedral, and with it a ‘point of departure at which the work turns 8.570352 10 3 8.570352 570352bk Howells 17/4/07 2:51 pm Page 4

away from initial brooding contemplation, and takes on succeeding appearance, Howells carefully introduces Howells wegen eines Werkes für das Three Choirs Festi- Im Sanctus vertont Howells ein Kombination aus an almost defiant activity.’ After a further heady climax the next part of the text to which he added a series of val 1950 an. Howells spielte ihm sein „revidiertes Requiem“ Psalm 121 in Englisch und dem lateinischen Sanctus zu at ‘Pleni sunt coeli’, the tempo slackens bringing music ‘Alleluias’. These, he said, ‘finally prepare and launch vor – Sumsion war sofort klar, dass es sich um ein Werk einer Musik voller Licht. Der Beginn scheint die himmli- of consolation. the climax of “the unfailing splendour wherein they von immenser Qualität handelte, das sich für eine Auf- schen Heerscharen zu evozieren. Beim Wort Sanctuswird After this energy, ‘ I heard a voice’ is ‘a temporary rejoice with gladness evermore”’ as the music becomes führung anbot. Doch erst als sich Gerald Finzi, Vaughan eine Klimax erreicht, bei der die Solisten sich zu einem easing of tension … its restraint and quiet give it the transfigured with ‘pervasive light and warmth of Williams und Boult ähnlich geäußert hatten, stimmte ekstatischen Lobgesang hoch über den Chor erheben. Fast character of an interlude’. The final movement, ‘Holy is consolation’. With the return of ‘immemorial Requiem Howells zu. Erst jetzt orchestrierte er das Werk und schrieb unmittelbar danach ereignet sich der erste große Höhe- the true light’ unfolds in three great surges of luminous aeternam’, the music turns reflective and tranquil, wohl auch das Orchestervorspiel (Preludio). Der Titel punkt des Werkes und mit ihm wird „eine Art Umkehr- choral and orchestral writing. Over a deep pedal-point, bringing to a close, this deeply moving work in which war Sumsions inspirierender Vorschlag. Der Komponist punkt erreicht, bei dem sich das Werk von dem anfäng- distant ethereal trumpets are heard above an ever the human tragedy of a boy’s death and a father’s grief selbst leitete die Uraufführung des Hymnus paradisi am lichen grüblerischen Nachsinnen ab- und einer fast trot- swirling orchestral texture until the chorus enters. The are enshrined. 7. September 1950; Isobel Baillie und William Herbert zigen Geschäftigkeit zuwendet.“ Nach einer weiteren tension rises until a sonorous climax and an exultant Andrew Burn waren die Solisten. jubelnden Klimax bei Pleni sunt coeli lässt das Tempo change of key. As this material regenerates with each Howells Beherrschung der Chor- und Orchester- nach, und tröstende Musik erklingt. polyphonie ist durchweg meisterhaft. In der folgenden Nach dieser Energie bringt I heard a voice „ein zeit- Andrew Burn acknowledges with gratitude the assistance of Paul Andrews and Beschreibung der Musik werden Auszüge aus Programm- weiliges Nachlassen der Spannung ... seine Zurückhal- Andrew Millinger in providing information about Sir Patrick Spens. anmerkungen des Komponisten zitiert. In dem „kurzen, tung und Ruhe gibt ihm den Charakter eines Zwischen- konzentrierten“ Preludioerklingen gleich zu Beginn zwei spiels“. Der Finalsatz Holy is the true light entfaltet sich Further information on the music of Herbert Howells is available from the Herbert Howells Society wichtige Themen: düster-ernst und kummervoll. In der in drei großen Anläufen strahlender Chor- und Orchester- (Andrew Millinger, Hon. Secretary), 32 Barleycroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 6JU Mitte ereignet sich ein dramatischer Ausbruch von musik. Über einem tiefen Orgelpunkt sind entfernte, äthe- Tel: 01707 335315 • [email protected] Schmerz, der zu einer Klimax führt, die wie ein Strahl rische Trompeten über einer wirbelnden Orchestertextur tröstenden Lichts aufscheint. Trotz seines kontemplati- zu hören, bis der Chor einfällt. Die Spannung steigt bis zu ven Charakters hat das Requiem aeternam, das nun folgt, einer klangvollen Klimax und einem frohlockenden Clare Rutter „Momente intensiven Gefühls“, so wenn die Worte Et lux Wechsel der Tonart. Wenn sich dieses Material bei jedem Born in South Shields, County Durham, in the north of England, the soprano Claire Rutter studied in London at the perpetua im Herzen des gesamten Werkes eingeführt folgenden Erscheinen erneuert, lässt Howells den nächs- Guildhall School of Music and Drama and at the National Opera Studio sponsored by The Friends of English werden. Beim Auftritt des Soprans verlangsamt sich das ten Textteil folgen, dem er eine Reihe von Alleluias hin- National Opera. She won numerous awards, which enabled her to study with Ileana Cotrubas. She now studies with Tempo, und seine zarte, dahingleitende Melodie steht zufügt. Diese, so sagt er, „führen schließlich zum Höhe- Gerald Martin Moore. She was nominated for the Maria Callas Award following her American début as Fiordiligi in einer klaren, delikaten Orchestrierung gegenüber. punkt des the unfailing splendour where they rejoice with Così fan tutte for Dallas Opera. She has also sung Tosca, Elvira in Ernani and Amelia in Un ballo in maschera for Die Vertonung von The Lord is my Shephard (Der gladness evermore“ [die unerschöpfliche Herrlichkeit, in English National Opera; Violetta in La traviata for Den Norske Opera, Oslo; Donna Anna in Don Giovanni for both Herr ist mein Hirte), Psalm 23, wird „von den beunruhi- der sie frohlocken immerdar], bei dem die Musik verwan- Opéra de Montpellier and English National Opera; the title rôle in Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco at the Ludwigshafen genden, dunklen Farben des Preludio berührt“. Sopran delt wird von „durchdringendem Licht und wärmendem Festival with Opera North; Lucia di Lammermoor with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra; Mimì in La Bohème und Tenor singen in ruhigen Phrasen von den waters of Trost“. Die Musik wird wiederum nachdenklich und in Hong Kong and in the Beijing International Festival; Amelia in Un ballo in maschera for Florida Grand Opera comfort (frischem Wasser), bevor der Chor in gefühls- ruhig, wenn das „uralte Requiem aeternam“ zurückkehrt. and Abigaille in Nabucco for Opera North. She was for three years a principal with Scottish Opera. Her recordings intensiver Musik die Angst vor dem valley of the shadow Es bringt dieses bewegende Werk zum Abschluss, in dem include highlights from La Bohème and Madama Butterfly with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Holst’s The of death (finstern Tal) reflektiert. Ein inbrünstiger Höhe- die Tragödie vom Tod eines Knaben und der Trauer des Mystic Trumpeter with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, as well as Lennox Berkeley’s operas Ruth and punkt wird erreicht bei I will dwell in the house of the Lord Vaters bewahrt ist. A Dinner Engagement. She regularly broadcasts both staged opera and opera gala concerts on BBC Radio. Claire (ich will bleiben im Hause des Herrn immerdar). Schließ- Rutter’s concert performances have included Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder, Verdi’s Requiem, Rossini’s Stabat Mater lich beenden Tenor und Chor die Psalm-Vertonung mit Andrew Burn and Petite Messe Solennelle, Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Carl Orff’s einer typisch Howell’schen schmerzvoll-schmelzenden Deutsche Fassung: Thomas Theise Carmina Burana, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time, Canteloube’s Songs of the Auvergne, and Brahms’s Requiem in Kadenz auf das Wort nothing. appearances at all of Britain’s major concert halls, with orchestras such as the Royal Philharmonic, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Scottish, Hallé, Royal Scottish National, English Chamber and Scottish Chamber orchestras.

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Angesichts der Originalität des Werkes erscheint es außer- vor, Michael ein Denkmal in Tönen zu setzen. Howells James Gilchrist gewöhnlich, dass es bis zu vorliegender Aufnahme vom schrieb später: „Der plötzliche Tod des einzigen Sohnes James Gilchrist, a former chorister at New College, Oxford, began his working life as a doctor, turning in 1996 to a Repertoire ausgeschlossen blieb. ... mag einen Komponisten antreiben ... Loslösung und full-time career in music, which brought collaboration with leading ensembles and colleagues. His operatic Der Text ist eine bekannte schottische Ballade aus Trost in der ihm vertrautesten Sprache zu suchen. Musik performances include the rôles of Quint in Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Scaramuccio dem Mittelalter. Howells Lehrer Brewer hatte seine Ver- könnte die Kraft haben ... diese Loslösung und diesen in Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, and Evandre in Gluck’s Alceste, while his many recordings include Bach’s sion 1913 auf dem Gloucester Three Choirs Festival Trost zu spenden. Bei mir war es so.“ St Matthew Passion and St John Passion (Naxos 8.557296-97), Missa Brevis and Cantatas, Rachmaninov’s Vespers, vorgestellt – möglicherweise war dies die Initialzündung Im Jahr 1932 hatte Howells ein Requiem komponiert, sacred music by Schütz, Rameau’s Cantatas and St Mark Passion, songs by Percy Grainger, and sacred music by für Howells Wunsch nach einer eigenen Vertonung. Er das allerdings bis fast zum Ende seines Lebens unaufge- Kuhnau, together with the title rôle in Britten’s Albert Herring, part of a wide operatic and concert repertoire. He is konzipierte sie bewusst als dramatische Chorszene und führt blieb. In jener Zeit entdeckte er auch Helen Wad- among the leading British tenors in eighteenth-century repertoire, to which he adds an interest in contemporary orientierte sich an Stanfords The Revenge; auch der Ein- dells Medieval Latin Lyrics, zu denen Prudentius’ Hym- music, with a number of first performances to his credit. fluss von Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony ist unver- nus circa exsequias defuncti gehört. Der Hymnus beginnt kennbar. Die Handlung erzählt – auf historischen Fakten so: Nunc suscipe, terra, favendum, gremioque hunc con- beruhend – von einem Kapitän, den der König von Schott- cipe molli (frei übersetzt: Nimm ihn, Erde, und halte ihn Roderick Williams land beauftragt, die norwegische Königstochter zu ihm zu in Ehren / An Deine zarte Brust nimm ihn). Er vertonte Roderick Williams is an exceptionally versatile artist whose intelligent musicality is admired in music from bringen, obwohl es die schlechteste Jahreszeit ist, eine diese Worte als Teil einer unvollendeten Motette, und Monteverdi to Maxwell Davies. He has become a familiar and commanding presence on the operatic stage and has solche Reise zu versuchen. Das Unternehmen wird – wie später standen sie am am Kopf der Partitur dessen, was made something of a speciality of opera in concert. His burnished and flexible baritone is equally in demand for kaum anders zu erwarten – ein Desaster. der Hymnus paradisi werden sollte. Noch einmal später recitals and oratorio. He has sung concert repertoire with all the BBC orchestras, and many other ensembles Howells wollte Musik schreiben, welche die der Bal- hat er sie in seiner Motette zur Erinnerung an Präsident including the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Russian National Orchestra, Academy of Ancient Music, and lade „eigene Dynamik der Handlung“ widerspiegelt, die Kennedy unvergesslich vertont. Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. He has won particular recent success with a performance of Tippett’s The Vision of musikalisch in kräftigen Farben gezeichnet wird. Nach Für das neue Werk, das er auf Drängen seiner Toch- St Augustine with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales at the 2005 BBC Proms and Henze’s Elegy for Young einigen abwartenden Takten stürzt sich der Chor gleich- ter zu schreiben begann, griff er auf einige Musik und Tex- Lovers with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Britten’s War Requiem with the Philharmonia and sam ins Geschehen mit Musik, die dieses sogleich por- te des früheren Requiems zurück. Die lateinischen und Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius in Toulouse. Opera rôles include many of the great Mozart baritone parts, Guglielmo in trätiert: den Befehl des Königs, Sir Patricks entsetzte englischen Texte dieses „revidierten Requiems“ stam- a new production of Così fan tutte, the title-rôle in Don Giovanni and the Count in The Marriage of Figaro (all for Reaktion, die Reise nach Norwegen und die Vorberei- men aus den Psalmen, der Missa pro defunctis und dem Opera North), as well as Figaro in Rossini’s The Barber of Seville and Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème (Royal tungen für die Rückreise. Bei nachlassendem Tempo Salisbury Diurnal, das er als „uralte Reflexion über die Opera House). For Scottish Opera he has sung Marcello in Puccini’s La Bohème and Lord Byron in the world äußert eine Stimme der Crew ihre Vorahnungen, und ein vergänglichen Betrübnisse und die unzerstörbaren Hoff- première of Sally Beamish’s Monster. Other notable world premières include David Sawer’s From Morning to geheimnisvolles Orchesterzwischenspiel verheißt Un- nungen der Menschheit“ beschrieb. Howells erläuterte, Midnight and Martin Butler’s A Better Place, both for English National Opera, his début with Netherlands Opera in glück. Mit der Rückkehr des Chores kommt der Sturm dass er „nur zwei Sätze aus der lateinischen Requiem Alexander Knaifel’s Alice in Wonderland and the world première of Michel van der Aa’s After Life (also zum Ausbruch; das Orchester zeichnet Wind und Wellen Messe verwendet hat – am Anfang und am Ende –, wohl Netherlands Opera). Roderick Williams is also an accomplished recital artist, who can be heard at the Wigmore nach, während Sir Patrick mutig das Schiff zu retten ver- wissend, dass einer von ihnen – nämlich et lux perpetua Hall, at many festivals, and on BBC Radio 3, where he has appeared on Iain Burnside’s Voices programme. Among sucht. Doch alles ist vergebens, und im Schlussabschnitt luceat eis – das Werk beherrschen würde, namentlich das his numerous recordings, most recent releases are a première recording of Vaughan Williams’s Willow Wood with ist die Wehklage der schottischen Frauen in ergreifender Wort lux (Licht)“. Er wollte das Werk in einer zuver- the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and further Naxos discs of English song with the pianist Iain Burnside. Musik mit zehnfach geteiltem Chor zu vernehmen. Am sichtlichen Stimmung enden lassen; er musste dazu Ende scheint die Musik in den Wellen zu versinken, als „einen stärkeren Grad des dem Werk innewohnenden wollte sie in jene Tiefen vordringen, wo die Gebeine Sir Glanzes“ erreichen. Längere Zeit vermochte er keinen Patricks und der schottischen Herren liegen. dafür geeigneten Text zu finden, bis ihm ein Freund Holy Die Umstände, unter denen Hymnus paradisi kom- is the true light am Ende von Robert Bridges Anthologie poniert wurde, greifen ans Herz. Im Sommer 1935 ver- The Spirit of Manvorschlug. Das war die perfekte Lösung. brachten Howells und seine Familie die Ferien in Glouces- Howells vollendete das Werk im Particell 1938. Das tershire. Am 31. August erkrankte der neunjährige Sohn Komponieren hatte ihm Erleichterung von seiner Last Michael ganz plötzlich – fünf Tage später war er tot, verschafft, doch als persönliches, ja privates Dokument dahingerafft von Kinderlähmung. In dem Versuch, ihrem legte er das Werk beiseite. Im Jahr 1949 sprach Herbert untröstlichen Vater zu helfen, schlug die Tochter Ursula Sumsion, musikalischer Leiter der Gloucester Cathedral

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The Bach Choir David Hill The Bach Choir was established in 1876 and is one of the Widely recognised as one of the leading choral directors in Britain, David Hill is Director of Music at St John’s world’s leading choruses. The Choir has enjoyed the services of College, Cambridge, and Chief Conductor Designate of the BBC Singers. He also holds the posts of Musical several outstanding Musical Directors, including Sir Charles Director of the Bach Choir, Chief Conductor of the Southern Sinfonia, Director of Florilegium Choir and Orchestra Villiers Stanford, Dr Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sir David and Music Director of Leeds Philharmonic Society. Born in Carlisle in 1957 and educated at Chetham’s School of Willcocks and now David Hill, each of whom has ensured that Music, he was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists at the age of seventeen. He took an organ the Choir performs to the highest standards. The Bach Choir scholarship to St John’s College, Cambridge, under the direction of George Guest. Alongside organ studies with regularly sings with the best professional orchestras and soloists tutors including Gillian Weir and Peter Hurford, he conducted the University Opera Society and Cambridge

Photo: Edward Webb and is often invited to perform at high-profile events. The Choir University Music Society’s orchestra. He has recently been awarded an honorary Doctorate by the University of enjoys Royal patronage and sang at the Queen’s diamond jubilee celebrations as well as the anniversary events to Southampton in recognition of his services to Music. David Hill’s previous posts have included Master of the Music mark the end of WWII. The Choir tours in the UK and overseas; it regularly commissions new works, and has a busy at Winchester Cathedral, Music Director of The Waynflete Singers, Master of the Music at Westminster Cathedral, recording schedule. Musical Director of the Alexandra Choir and Associate Conductor and Artistic Director of the Philharmonia The Bach Choir has some 220 active members, all of whom are regularly auditioned. The Choir’s membership, Chorus. He regularly gives choral training workshops and summer schools in Britain and overseas. His handbook on drawn from all walks of life, reflects the enormous social changes that have taken place since its first performance in the subject Giving Voice was published in 1995 and he is a choral advisor to music publishers Novello, for whom he 1876. In all this time the aim has remained unchanged: ‘to inspire singers and audiences with the magnificence, has edited a number of publications. As an organist he has given recitals in most of the major venues in Britain and beauty and emotional power of choral music’. has toured extensively abroad. David Hill’s recordings, in which he conducts the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Brandenburg Consort, City of London Sinfonia, Parley of Instruments and BBC Singers as well as the www.thebachchoir.org.uk choirs of Westminster and Winchester Cathedrals, cover repertoire from Tallis to Tavener. His recording of Victoria’s O Quam Gloriosum won a Gramophone Award and the same composer’s O Magnum Mysterium, Requiem and Tenebrae Responsories are Gramophone Critic’s choices. He received a Grammy as Chorus Master Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra for Walton’s Belshazzar’s Feast. David Hill has long-standing relationships with the Bournemouth Symphony Founded in 1893 by Sir Dan Godfrey, the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra has had among its Principal Orchestra and BBC Singers with whom he has conducted a wide range of repertoire. He has also appeared with Conductors some of the finest musicians in the world, including Rudolf Schwarz, Constantin Silvestri, Sir Charles many leading orchestras at home and abroad. Groves and Paavo Berglund. More recently Andrew Litton raised the orchestra’s standards to new levels, crowning its centenary season with a triumphant début tour of the United States in April 1994, followed by Yakov Kreizberg Herbert Howells (1892–1983): Hymnus paradisi • Sir Patrick Spens and débuts at the Musikverein, Vienna, the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, and Carnegie Hall, New York. Marin Herbert Howells ist vor allem als der wohl beste englische F. Kennedy, Take him, earth, für cherishing (1964), Alsop took up the position in October 2002 and has already helped raise the profile of the BSO still further, Komponist des 20. Jahrhunderts für Kirchenmusik be- gehört ebenso zu seinen hochrangigen Werken wie die including concerts at the Philharmonie, Berlin, and in Madrid, Prague, Bruges and a return trip to Vienna. The name kannt. Er war von 1905–11 Schüler von Herbert Brewer Lobgesang-Vertonungen Collegium Regale (1945) für das of the orchestra is internationally known through over three hundred recordings, including the award-winning (1865–1928) an der Gloucester Cathedral; 1912–16 stu- King’s College, Cambridge. Auch für die Orgelliteratur Naxos release of Anthony Payne’s sketches for Elgar’s Symphony No. 3 (8.554719) with Paul Daniel, the dierte er am Royal College of Music bei Charles Villiers leistete er bedeutende Beiträge und schrieb viele Lieder. symphonies of Vaughan Williams with the former Chief Guest Conductor Kees Bakels and Paul Daniel, and Stanford (1852–1924) und Charles Wood (1866–1926). Sir Patrick Spens für Bariton, Chor und Orchester, recordings of works by Philip Glass, Leonard Bernstein, and John Adams under Marin Alsop for Naxos (8.559031), Neben dem Komponieren war er auch eine herausragen- komponiert 1917 im Alter von 25 Jahren, ist Howells ers- this last chosen as Editor’s Choice in the November 2004 issue of The Gramophone Magazine. The Naxos der Lehrer und Juror. Er lehrte später selbst am Royal Col- ter Versuch, für ein großes Chorformat zu schreiben. Für BSO/Serebrier Mussorgsky recording (8.557645) reached No. 2 in the top twenty Classical Chart, and was lege of Music, wurde Nachfolger von Gustav Holst als sein Klavierquintett hatte er 1916 einen Preis vom Car- nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006. In addition to its recording and international touring commitments, the Musikdirektor der St Paul’s Girls’ School und war Pro- negie Trust Publikationsprogramm erhalten – mit dem BSO is dedicated to providing orchestral music across the South and West of Britain, enhanced by a programme of fessor für Musik an der London University. Zu seinen Or- neuen Werk hoffte er einen ähnlichen Erfolg zu erzielen. educational and community projects, and makes regular appearances in major festivals and concert-halls throughout chesterwerken gehören Elegy (1917), Fantasia for cello Dieses Mal jedoch reagierten die Juroren zurückhaltend. the United Kingdom. (1937) und Concerto for Strings (1938). Wichtige Kam- Nachforschungen von Paul Andrews haben gezeigt, dass mermusiken sind das Klavierquartett (1916) und das zwar Mittel für eine Publizierung angeboten wurden, Streichquartett In Gloucestershire (1916 – ca. 1935). Groß doch vergingen schließlich neun Jahre, bis die Vokal- angelegte Chorwerke sind Hymnus paradisi (1938, rev. stimmen erschienen. Die einzige bekannte Aufführung 1950), Missa Sabrinensis (1954) und das Stabat Mater fand am 1. Februar 1930 in Newcastle mit studentischen (1963–65). Die Motette auf den Tod von Präsident John Kräften unter Leitung von William Gillies Whittaker statt.

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6 V I heard a voice from heaven (from The Burial Service)

I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, From henceforth blessed are the dead which die in the Lord: Even so saith the Spirit; For they rest from their labours.

7 VI Holy is the true light (from the Salisbury Diurnal, translated by Dr GH Palmer)

Requiem aeternam, Rest eternal, Requiem dona eis sempiternam. Grant them everlasting rest.

Texts supplied by courtesy of Andrew Millinger and the Herbert Howells Society 8.570352 12 570352 Inlay USA 16/4/07 10:21 pm Page 1 NAXOS NAXOS Herbert Howells is known chiefly for his church music, arguably the finest by any English composer of the twentieth century. Sir Patrick Spens, Howells’ first attempt at writing a large-scale choral work, has received only one known performance until this recording. Hymnus paradisi was composed under heart-breaking circumstances following the death of the composer’s son, Michael, aged nine. As Howells later wrote: ‘The sudden loss of an only son … might impel a composer … to 8.570352 HOWELLS: seek release and consolation in a language and terms most personal to him. Music may well have HOWELLS: power … to offer that release and comfort. It did so in my case.’ Throughout this deeply moving work, in which the human tragedy of a boy’s death and a father’s grief are enshrined, Howells’ DDD command of choral and orchestral polyphony is masterly. Playing Time Herbert 65:12 7

ynsprds i Patrick Spens Hymnus paradisi • Sir HOWELLS Patrick Spens Hymnus paradisi • Sir (1892–1983) 47313 1 Sir Patrick Spens Op. 23 2 3 * 19:49 Hymnus paradisi 1 2 45:01 03527 2 I Preludio: Lento, molto espressivo 3:52 3 II Requiem aeternam: Lento, teneramente 9:21

4 III The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 23): 4

Quasi lento: non troppo rubato 7:22 www.naxos.com www.naxos.com/libretti/570352.htm Sung texts may be accessed at Kommentar auf Deutsch • Made in Canada Booklet Notes and Sung Texts in English

5 IV Sanctus – I will lift up mine eyes: Allegro volante 9:46 & 6 V I heard a voice from heaven: Lento, assai tranquillo 4:40 7 VI Holy is the true Light: Con moto, ma assai sostenuto 9:38 2007 Naxos Rights International Ltd. Claire Rutter, Soprano 1 • James Gilchrist, Tenor 2 Roderick Williams, Baritone 3 The Bach Choir Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra† • David Hill

* denotes world première recording † Leader: Duncan Riddell This recording was made with generous support from the Herbert Howells Trust, the Bach Choir,

8.570352 the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust and the Finzi Trust 8.570352 Recorded in the Concert Hall, Lighthouse, Poole, Dorset, UK, on 16th and 17th September, 2006 • Publisher: Novello & Co. • Booklet Notes: Andrew Burn Producer and Editor: Andrew Walton (K&A Productions Ltd.) • Engineer: Eleanor Thomason Cover Painting: The Wood at the End of the World by Charles Sims (1873-1928) (Private Collection/Bridgeman Art Library, London)