Howells: Hymnus Paradisi / Sir Patrick Spens

Featuring

David Hill
Roderick Williams
Claire Rutter
James Gilchrist
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
The Bach Choir

Herbert Howells

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Performer Biography

James Gilchrist, a tenor on this recording, began his career as a doctor before turning to music full-time in 1996.

Composer Biography

Herbert Howells, known for his church music, studied at the Royal College of Music under Charles Villiers Stanford and Charles Wood.

Critical Reception

Sir Patrick Spens received only one known performance in 1930 with student performers before this recording, despite its freshness.

Composition History

Hymnus paradisi was composed by Howells as a personal catharsis following the sudden death of his nine-year-old son, Michael, from polio.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Howells intended Hymnus paradisi to end in optimism, seeking to summon 'an even more intense degree of the work's pervasive radiance' rather than tragedy.

Composition History

Howells's large-scale choral work, Sir Patrick Spens, composed in 1917, was his first attempt at writing for a grand choral setting.

Notable Performances

Hymnus paradisi was premiered on September 7, 1950, with Howells himself conducting, after being persuaded by figures like Vaughan Williams and Gerald Finzi.