Durham E-Theses The Career and reputation of Herbert Howells Marshall, Richard George How to cite: Marshall, Richard George (2005) The Career and reputation of Herbert Howells, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/2860/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk The Career and Reputation of Herbert Howells Richard George Marshall The copyright of this thesis rests with the author or the university to which It was submitted. No quotation from It, or information derived from It may be published wtttiout the prior written consent of the author or university, and any Information derived from It should be acknowledged. A thesis submitted for the degree of Master of Music (MA) 2005 1 1 OCT 2006 Contents List of Musical Examples 1 Introductory Comments 3 Introduction 5 Chapter One: Biography 15 Chapter Two: The Construction of Howells' Englishness 38 Chapter Three: Herbert Howells: His Thoughts on Music and Musicians 60 Chapter Four: Howells' Relation to Tudor and Elizabethan Music 86 Conclusion: assessing Howells' career and reputation 108 Appendix One: Work List 115 Appendix Two: A Chronological List of Performances 131 Bibliography 161 List of Musical Examples Ex.5.1. Beginning of the Kyrie, Missa Sine Nomine, P. Russill, ed.: Herbert Howells (1892-1983) - Mass in the Dorian Mode (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994): 5. Ex.5.2. Beginning of 'Et in terra pax', Missa Sine Nomine, P.Russill, ed.: Herbert Howells (1892-1983) - Mass in the Dorian Mode (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994): 8. Ex.5.3. Beginning of the Credo, Missa Sine Nomine, P. Russill, ed.: Herbert Howells (1892-1983) - Mass in the Dorian Mode (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994): 14. Ex.5.4. Beginning of the Sanctus, Missa Sine Nomine, P. Russill, ed.: Herbert Howells (1892-1983 - Mass in the Dorian Mode (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994): 24. Ex.5.5. Beginning of the Angus Dei, Missa Sine Nomine, P. Russill, ed.: Herbert Howells (1892-1983) - Mass in the Dorian Mode (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994): 34. Ex.5.6. Beginning of 'Salve Regine' - Polyphonic text setting, P. Russill, ed.: Latin Church Music I - Salve Regina, O Salutaris Hostia (London: Novello, 1986): 3. Ex.5.7a. Verse one - 'O Salutaris Hostia', melody from Andemach Gesangbuch, first stanza, P. Russill, ed.: Latin Church Music I - Salve Regina, O Salutaris Hostia (London: Novello, 1986): 10. Ex.5.7b. Verse two - The beginning of verse two of 'O Salutaris Hostia'. The fauxbourdon is sung by the tenor, P. Russill, ed.: Latin Church Music I - Salve Regine, O Salutaris Hostia (London: Novello, 1986): 10-11. Ex.5.8. Bars 1-5 of Wortham's Ground, Lambert's Clavichord - Twelve Pieces for Clavichord (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1929): 7. Ex.5.9. Bars 28-30 of Walton's Toye, Howells' Clavichord (London: Novello, 1961): 82. Ex.5.10. Beginning of Hughes' Ballet, Lambert's Clavichord - Twelve Pieces for Clavichord (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1929): 5. Ex.5.11. Final two stanzas of Arnold's Antic, Howells' Clavichord (London: Novello, 1961): 20. Ex.5.12. Beginning of Foss' Dump, Lambert's Clavichord - Twelve Pieces for Clavichord (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1929): 10. Ex.5.13. Beginning of Samuel's Air, Lambert's Clavichord - Twelve Pieces for Clavichord (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1929): 14. Ex.5.14. Beginning of Ralph's Pavane, Howells' Clavichord (London: Novello, 1961): 44. Introductory Comments Acknowledgements Much of this research could not have been undertaken without the kind help and support of librarians and archivists, both in Durham, and various institutions across the country. My thanks go in particular to the following: staff at the Palace Green Library, University of Durham; the British Library; the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh; the BBC Written Archives Centre, Reading, and the library staff at the Royal College of Music, London. I am also indebted to cathedral and collegiate archivists for access to service lists and manuscripts. I would like to make special mention of Paul Spicer whose encouragement and enthusiasm has been a continuous inspiration. Members of the Howells family too have given there time freely and I thank them for sharing their memoirs and family documents. Thanks also goes to Dr Peter Horton of the Royal College of Music, London who has granted unlimited access to the library's archives containing many of Howells' music manuscripts as well as an extensive archive devoted to Howells. Importantly I would like to acknowledge the support of staff and fellow students of Durham University Music Department, in particular Dr Thomas Muir, and Professor Jeremy Dibble who have answered questions relating to this thesis. Also I would like to thank Mrs Karen Nichol for her support, and those students who have helped me battle with imputing Sibelius examples. Thanks go also to my friends. In particular I would like to mention by name Adam, Elinor, Emma, John, Jon, Mark, Paul, Stan and Victoria all of whom have given their encouragement and support. My largest debt is to my supervisor Dr Bennett Zon, His extensive knowledge, enthusiasm, and keen interest in my work has been a major driving force behind this thesis. It is for the knowledge and skills which he has imparted on me that I thank him most, leaving me wanting to share my enthusiasm with others. These acknowledgements would not be complete without thanks to my parents and family whose support throughout my university career has been unwavering. It is to my parents and Oscar that this thesis is dedicated. Bibliographical Referencing Biographical citations are given fully in the first instance, and in abbreviated form in all subsequent references, providing surname, date and page reference only, (e.g., Howells 1922: 4.). It should also be mentioned that the Howells archive at the Royal College of Music and documents property of the Howells Estate are unordered and subsequently have no catalogue reference or shelfmark. They are therefore cited in footnotes as either 'Royal College of Music Library', or 'Howells Estate'. Introduction An overview of Howells and his place in the English Musical Renaissance Howells lived in a time of musical change, advancement, and revival commonly termed the 'English Musical Renaissance'.' It encompassed the significant advances that were paramount in the progress of the nation's music, which in turn affected him thi-oughout his education and career. As will be shown in this thesis, these included the founding of music schools and colleges; an expanding concert scene, both in London and the provinces; the establishment of a musical press during the 1830s and 1840s; and a greater emphasis on Englishness and national identity in music through the pastoral and the rediscovery of folk-song, plainsong, and old English music. Although this thesis is not primarily concerned with situating Howells within the wider aesthetic implications of the English Musical Renaissance, it is clear that Howells conformed to its precepts, both in form and context. As discussed in chapter two, for example, Howells' place in the English Musical Renaissance was primarily through his love of rural Gloucestershire and the Tudor and Jacobean revival. Indeed, the influence of folk-song compared with other composers of his generation affected him to a far lesser extent. Howells' relation to the English Musical Renaissance may well have more obviously originated from the ethos of the National Training School (NTS), which later became the Royal College of Music (RCM), and in the opinion of Merion ' For literature discussing the English Musical Renaissance see M. Hughes: The English Musical Renaissance and the Press, 1850-1914: Watchman of Music (Aldershot: Ashgate, 2002); M. Hughes/ R. Stradling: The English Musical Renaissance, 1840-1940: Constructing a National Music (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2001); M. Trend; The Music Makers: Heirs and Rebels of the English Musical Renaissance (London: Weidenfield & Nicolson, 1985); P. Pirie: The English Musical Renaissance (London: Gollancz, 1979); and F. Howes: The English Musical Renaissance (London: Seeker & Warburg, 1966). Hughes and Robert Stradling was focus of the English Musical Renaissance. On Howells' arrival as a student at the RCM, Sir C. Hubert H. Parry had been Director for some twelve years. Scott Goddard writes that up till then there had been two major events in British music that marked the turn of the twentieth-century; the first performance of Elgar's Dream ofGerontius (1900), and in the same year the death of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Yet Goddard suggests that greater still was the death of Sir George Grove, Director of the RCM from 1882 to 1894: 'his life had been more important for the future of British music than even Sullivan's. For while Sullivan was a creative artist of great ability, Grove was a teacher; and it was teachers with vision, which Grove undoubtedly had in fortunate conjunction with organising ability that British music most needed.^ Indeed the RCM was Britain's foremost music college, employing the leading British composers of the day including Parry, Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood.