Herald AV Publications

HAVPCD249 – Howells: Evening Canticles

Herbert Howells (1892-1983) was introduced to the music of the Anglican Church as a boy in his parish church, and his early interest in the choral tradition resulted in his becoming an ‘articled pupil’ to Herbert Brewer at Gloucester Cathedral (a position similar to today’s cathedral organ scholar). In 1912, Howells left Gloucestershire for the Royal College of Music in London, where he was to spend most of his career, first as a student to Stanford, Parry and Wood, and then as a teacher himself. His church music has become a staple part of the Anglican choral repertoire and three of his 20 settings of he Evening Canticles are sung regularly; the other 17 are unjustifiably neglected.