NEWSLETTER No.29: 10/11
HERBERT HOWELLS SOCIETY
PRESIDENT: SIR DAVID WILLCOCKS, CBE, MC
VICE-PRESIDENTS
Revd Dr Paul Andrews Dr Harry Bramma James O’Donnell KCSG Dr Stephen Cleobury CBE
Dr David Hill Hilary Macnamara Dr Michael Gough Matthews Patrick Russill
Dr John Scott LVO Howard Shelley Paul Spicer
HONORARY PATRONS
Dr John Birch Dr Denys Darlow Dr Donald Hunt OBE Richard Lloyd
Dr Roy Massey MBE Richard Popplewell LVO
Dr Christopher Robinson CVO CBE Edwin Roxburgh Dr Richard Seal
OVERSEAS
Professor Peter Godfrey, New Zealand Dr Gerre Hancock, USA Dr H June Nixon, Australia
Dr Barry Smith, South Africa Professor Hugh McLean, Canada
OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
ChairmanDr Martin Neary LVO.
SecretaryAndrew Millinger, 32 Barleycroft Road, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL8 6JU
Tel: 01707 335315, E mail:
TreasurerRobert Ascott, 17 Staveley Court, 9 Staveley Road, Eastbourne, BN20 7JS
Tel: 01323 728892, E mail:
Membership Secretary
Ros Saunders, 7 Temple West Mews, West Square, London SE11 4TJ
Tel: 020 7820 8376, E mail:
North American Membership Secretary
Dr Jane Gamble, E mail:
Committee Members Andrew Lumsden, Andrew Nethsingha, Dr John Rutter CBE
Legal Adviser Graham Field Honorary Auditor Paul Houston
[1] COMBINED HOWELLS & STANFORD WEEKEND IN CAMBRIDGE
SATURDAY 15TH AND SUNDAY 16TH OCTOBER
The Howells and Stanford weekend in Cambridge has attracted a lot of interest. The talk by Paul Spicer and the Violin Sonata recital (both on Saturday afternoon in the Master’s Lodge, St John’s College) are full, with a small waiting list. The dinner is full, but if any member wishes to attend the dinner, please let me know, in case there are any places arising from people dropping out in the next week or so. (Price: £ 48 per person)
Members attending the Spicer talk, the violin recital, the Jeremy Dibble talk in Queens’ College, the recital by the Queens’ College Chapel Choir and the Reception on the President’s Lodge in Queens’ College will be issued with tickets. This is to ensure that only those who have booked in advance are able to attend these events. Although the capacity of the chapel in Queens’ College is around 170, those members of both societies who have booked will be shown to reserved seating.
The dinner is being held in King’s College in the Saltmarsh Rooms. These can be found at the opposite end of the Gibbs Fellows building (which adjoins the Chapel) and by going under the College Library, turning left and following the signs.
Since the programme was issued to members, there have been additional events organised. There will be a launch of the new CD of ‘cello music by Stanford in the St John’s Master’s Lodge from 14.00 until 14.20, so members will need to wait until that has ended before entering for Paul Spicer’s talk at 14.30.
On the Sunday, there will be an organ recital at 17.40 – 18.10 in Trinity College Chapel by Francis Jackson, Organist Emeritus, York Minster. This will include a piece by Howells, and also one by Stanford. Members can attend this and still get to St John’s (next door to Trinity) in time for the Evensong there at 18.30.
King’s Evensong on Saturday 17.30 : music is as follows : Rhapsody No. 1 in Db major by Howells; Introit “God be in my head” by HH; Philip Radcliffe Responses; Psalm 150 chant by Stanford; Howells St Paul’s Service Mag & Nunc ; Stanford’s Coronation Gloria as anthem, and Howells Paean as final voluntary.
The recital in King’s at 18.30 will include two of Stanford’s Biblical Songs (A Song of Peace, and A Song of Wisdom). There will be a performance of Howells’ dramatic “By the waters of Babylon” for baritone, violin, ‘cello and organ, and the Ravel Sonata for violin and ‘cello.
The St John’s Evensong on Sunday at 18.30 will include the rarely heard Howells Responses, the Westminster Mag & Nunc and the anthem “One thing have I desired of the Lord”.
A programme book, giving details of all of the events, pieces being included in the events, notes on the works being performed and biographies of the performers, will be on sale from around 11.30 in St John’s Chapel before the organ recital, and also in the Master’s Lodge from around 14.00. It is a substantial book of 44 pages, and gives you all the information you need about the weekend. Price £ 5.00.
I shall be posting tickets to those members who have booked places for the Spicer talk, Violin recital, the two events in Queens’ College Chapel and the Reception in Queens’ during the next week or so.
If anyone has any questions about the weekend, please don’t hesitate to contact me (e mail is probably best)
We look forward to welcoming you in Cambridge on Saturday 15th
[2] THE SOCIETY’S AGM AND ANNUAL HOWELLS EVENSONG: SATURDAY 16TH OCTOBER 2010 IN GLOUCESTER CATHEDRAL
The Society’s Annual General Meeting and Howells Evensong were held last year in Gloucester Cathedral on Saturday 16th October. We were pleased that the Royal Forest of Dean Herbert Howells Society gave us so much help in organising a visit from the cathedral into Lydney to visit the Parish Church, the house where Howells lived as a youngster, and the Baptist Church next door where his father played the organ.
The Royal Forest of Dean Herbert Howells Society kindly arranged the three visits and a coach left Gloucester Cathedral around 11.00 and we were met in the Parish Church by Geoffrey and Judy Capps and other members of the society. After this visit to view amongst other things the plaque put up by them to commemorate Howells, we went to visit Howells’ bedroom and enjoyed tea and cakes organised by the society and members of the Baptist Church.
Arriving back in Gloucester mid-afternoon, we held the AGM in the historic Parliament Room and then went into the cathedral for Evensong. The music included the Gloucester Mag & Nunc, Howells Responses, the anthem “Take Him Earth for Cherishing” and Howells voluntaries before and after the service. We are most grateful to the Royal Forest of Dean Howells Society, and to Adrian Partington, Organist of Gloucester Cathedral, for all his help and support in putting on so much Howells at Evensong.
[3] NEW ARRANGEMENT OF THE COLLEGIUM REGALE MAGNIFICAT FOR FULL ORCHESTRA BY JOHN RUTTER
As part of Novello’s 200th anniversary celebrations, they commissioned committee member John Rutter to arrange Howells’ Collegium Regale Magnificat for full orchestra and choir. This was given its first performance in the Festival Hall on 20th September, with the Bach Choir and the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by David Hill. The arrangement is being made available by Novello for hire.
[4] THE HERBERT HOWELLS TRUST
The Society continues to work closely with the Howells Trust on all matters to do with permission to publish, performing and recording unpublished works, support for publication, recordings and performances.
It has been involved in several interesting projects to raise Howells’ profile in Russia (Moscow and St Petersburg) and in Brno and Prague. The former involved organ recitals, and the latter the performance of several orchestral works. Our member Professor Lionel Pike of Royal Holloway College, University of London was present at the Czech events and told us that they had been very well received. He was one of the tutors and conducted music by Howells as well as by some other British composers. He also discussed “Hymnus Paradisi” and played examples from the recent Bach Choir / David Hill recording.
There is also a project looking at some unpublished songs, with a view to possible publication at some stage, and recordings. I have provided a lot of information about which pieces are still un-published, and where copies of the manuscripts are to be found.
A student from Italy is researching Howells’ violin works with a view to publishing his research in due course.
We have been involved in a plan (with John Rutter) to get several of Howells’ un-published psalm chants into print for the first time. It is planned that the four chants written for Dr Lionel Dakers (1974), and the three written for Dr John Birch when he was Organist of Chichester Cathedral (1972) will be included in OUP’s new book “English Church Music volume 2: Canticles & Responses” edited by Robert King. This book is expected to be published before the end of the year.
The Trust has voted funds to enable the RCM to repair and refurbish the original autographed score of “Hymnus Paradisi”. This score is probably the most frequently consulted of all the Howells scores in the RCM library, and the intention is to preserve it for future generations of scholars.
[5] RECENT RECORDING
We have been informed that the American choir “Gloria Dei Cantores” has made a CD (to be released next year) including : Take Him Earth for Cherishing, Requiem, Antiphon, Washington Cathedral Te Deum, Chichester Mag & Nunc, Behold O God our Defender, and Sequence for St Michael. This has been given some financial support by the Herbert Howells Trust, and we plan to let you know further details when the CD is released.
The choir itself had formed a close relationship with the late Dr George Guest, formerly Organist and Director of Music of St John’s College.
We are also expecting a new recording by the BBC Singers under their chief conductor David Hill to be released on the Naxos label in the next month or two (see below). This includes a number of less well known choral items.
[6] PERFORMANCES OF HOWELLS’ MUSIC
What is thought to have been the first public performance of A Garland for de la Mare by Herbert Howells was given in Blackburn Cathedral on Wednesday 18th May by Voces intimae (Philippa Hyde (soprano), Joyce Tindsley (contralto), Richard Dowling (tenor), Mark Rowlinson (baritone) with Christopher Stokes (piano). This was quite an enterprising concert and it was perhaps surprising that the whole cycle was thought never to have been performed before complete. (Mark Rowlinson is of course performing in the Howells & Stanford weekend in the recital in King’s College Chapel on 15th October.)
The Bearsden Choir are giving a performance of Hymnus Paradisi in St Aloysuis’ Church Glasgow on Saturday 12th November, with the Symphonia Alba conducted by Frikki Walker. The concert will also include the Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs and Psalm 100. Further information can be obtained from the Treasurer, Joan McDowall () or on 01360 312 925.
[7] MUSIC IN PRINT
The Royal College of Music has produced a very fine facsimile edition of “A Spotless Rose” using Howells’ original manuscript (MS 7377). The autograph manuscript dated “Gloucester. Oct 22. 1919 was thought to be lost, but it resurfaced in May 2000 when it was bought for the RCM Library by the composer’s daughter, Ursula. Anyone wishing to purchase a copy (cost is £7.95 + £1.00 p&p) should contact Dr Peter Horton ( ) or on 020 7589 3643. The website is
The second violin sonata, which will be performed in Paul Spicer’s new edition during the October weekend, will be published shortly by Novello.
We are investigating the possible publication of a very early violin sonata in B minor, which was written by Howells in 1911 for his entrance scholarship examination to the RCM. It has never before been performed in public, and we hope that it will be possible to record this work, together with the three violin sonatas sometime next year.
Boosey and Hawkes have recently published a new arrangement by Ian Farrington of the solo song “King David”. This was commissioned by the BBC for a recording of various non-sacred Howells repertoire by the BBC Singers, under their chief conductor, David Hill. The arrangement is for solo plus SATB chorus and piano. The CD is expected out this year on the Naxos label. More details when available.
The BBC Singers and David Hill were assisted in the choice of repertoire for this recording by the Society. I was able to assemble a list of all the possible non-sacred choral pieces written by Howells for consideration for the recording, and was involved in discussions with the BBC Singers Producer, Michael Emery.
Boosey are also bringing back into print several other Howells items which have been available as special print orders previously. Any queries to me please.
[8] ROYAL FOREST OF DEAN HERBERT HOWELLS SOCIETY
The Royal Forest of Dean Howells Society have a programme of events for 2012 :
Concert with Monmouth School String Orchestra and Chamber Choir in Coleford Baptist Church on Thursday 9th February at 7 p.m. (tickets £ 5.00)
Their AGM will be held at Shaws Farm House, Etloe Blakeney on Friday 1st June at 7 p.m.
There will be an illustrated talk on Herbert Howells by Barry Ferguson, a former pupil of Howells and formerly Organists of Rochester Cathedral. Aylburton Church on Thursday 5th July at 7 p.m.
The Society is also taking part in a joint event with the Ivor Gurney and the F W Harvey Societies at King’s School Gloucester on November 5th from 2 – 5 p.m. See attached leaflet for more details.
More details can be obtained from Secretary, Judy Capps, Shaws Farm House, Etloe Blakeney, Glos GL15 4AS
[9] GLOUCESTER CATHDRAL: GREAT LIVES
I was involved in a project a few months ago with Gloucester Cathedral, where they launched something called “Great Lives” which includes a number of audio tapes which can be accessed by visitors from their mobile phones. I was involved in reviewing the content of the recording on Howells and made recommendations for a number of corrections, and changes of emphasis. I also recommended that there should be some recordings of items sung by the Gloucester Cathedral Choir. Visitors to the cathedral will see the signs in various places around the building; Howells’ plaque is adjacent to the Howells window at the far east end of the cathedral.
[10] BLUE PLAQUE FOR HOWELLS’ HOUSE IN BARNES
The unveiling of the Blue Plaque outside Howells’ former home in Barnes took place earlier this year. Because of limited space in the house, it was possible for only a small number of people associated with Howells to attend. These included people from English Heritage, the Barnes & Mortlake History Society, the former Barnes Music Club (of which HH was President), now called the Barnes Music Society and representatives from the Howells Society and Trust, the Royal College of Music, Novello (HH’s principal publisher) and from Barnes Church. From the Society, these included Martin Neary, myself, Robert Ascott, John Rutter, Howard Shelley, Hilary Macnamara and Paul Andrews. We were pleased that Joe Pelissier, Ursula’s step son was also able to be there. Please see attached English Heritage press release about the composer.
[11] ST MARY’S CHURCH, BARNES : COMMEMORATION OF HOWELLS DEATH : SUNDAY 6TH NOVEMBER
St Mary’s Church in Barnes will be the setting for a commemoration of Howells at an Evensong on Sunday 6th November. This is to commemorate the unveiling of the Blue Plaque earlier this year, mentioned above. All members of the Howells Society are most welcome to attend. The service will be at 18.00, will include sacred music as well as other instrumental items, and will be followed by a reception for all those attending. (Sadly neither our Chairman nor I are able to attend owing to prior engagements, but the society will be represented by Treasurer Robert Ascott.)
[12] E MAIL ADDRESSES
The Secretary is happy to deal with members’ enquiries via E mail rather than by post. In addition, some members may prefer to receive Newsletters by E mail rather than by post (a substantial portion of the membership now receives Newsletters this way). This would save the Society postage and duplicating costs. Please advise Secretary if you would prefer this, and send details of your E mail address.
[13] SUBSCRIPTIONS
Please see the attached separate note on subscriptions for those who do not pay by Standing Order.
[14] AGM NOTICE: SATURDAY 15TH OCTOBER IN ST JOHN’S COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE
The formal notice of the AGM is attached to the Newsletter. Most people who are intending to come to the AGM will have already replied as part of the Howells & Stanford weekend response.
[15] ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IN 2012 :
The date for the AGM next year has not yet been fixed, but is planned again for Westminster Abbey. However, with the celebrations of the founder of the Abbey, Edward the Confessor, taking place over a two week period covering Howells birthday, it would have to be either in September or November. No decisions have been taken yet, and we will advise members when we have more news.
Andrew Millinger
Hon. Secretary
Herbert Howells Societynewslt 29 vF