Hymnus Paradisi
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Hymnus Paradisi is a choral work by Herbert Howells for soprano and tenor soloists, mixed chorus, and orchestra. The work was inspired in part by the death of his son Michael in 1935. Howells wrote the work from 1936 to 1938, but then retained the music privately, without public performance. Ralph Vaughan Williams convinced Howells to allow the work to be performed publicly at the Three Choirs Festival. The work received its successful premiere at the Festival in 1950.[1] [2] The score was published in 1951.[3]
Howells had begun composition with his setting of the poem "Hymnus circa exsequies defuncti" of Prudentius.[4] The piece consists of six movements:
- Preludio (for orchestra)
- Requiem aeternam
- The Lord is My Shepherd (a setting of Psalm 23)
- Sanctus. I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes (which juxtaposes the Sanctus from the Ordinary of the Mass with Psalm 121)
- I heard a voice from Heaven (from the Burial Service)
- Holy is the True Light (from the Salisbury Diurnal, translation by G.H. Palmer)
Hugh Ottaway and Christopher Palmer have commented on the stylistic affinity of Hymnus Paradisi with the music of Frederick Delius.[5] [6]
[edit] Recordings
- EMI CDM 7 63372-2 (CD reissue): Heather Harper, Robert Tear; Bach Choir; King's College Choir; New Philharmonia Orchestra; Sir David Willcocks, conductor[7]
- Hyperion CDA66569: Julie Kennard, John Mark Ainsley; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir; Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; Vernon Handley, conductor[8]
[edit] References
- ^ "Hymnus Paradisi" (September 1950). The Musical Times 91 (1291): 352–353. doi:.
- ^ Wilfrid Mellers, "CD Reviews: Herbert Howells" (July 1995). The Musical Times, 136 (1829): pp. 384-385.
- ^ "I.K." (full name not given) (July 1951). "Reviews of Music: Hymnus Paradisi". Music & Letters 32 (3): 288–289.
- ^ Jacques, Reginald (July 1952). "Howells's Hymnus Paradisi". Music & Letters 33 (2): 193–197.
- ^ Ottaway, Hugh (October 1967). "Herbert Howells and the English Revival". The Musical Times 108 (1496): 897–899. doi:.
- ^ Palmer, Christopher (October 1972). "Herbert Howells at 80: A Retrospect". The Musical Times 113 (1556): 967–970. doi:.
- ^ Hugh Ottaway, "Record Reviews: Hymnus Paradisi" (May 1971). The Musical Times, 112 (1539): pp. 451-452.
- ^ Guy Rickards, "Record Review" (December 1992). Tempo (New Ser.), 183: pp. 57-59.
