zoom_in Click to enlarge

Requiem (Herbert Howells)

▲ ▼

description Requiem (Herbert Howells) Overview

Requiem is an unaccompanied choral work by the English composer Herbert Howells, written in 1932 for mixed voices with divided sections. Rather than setting the complete Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead, it combines selected Latin Requiem texts with English biblical passages drawn from Anglican worship. Howells reused portions of its musical material in Hymnus Paradisi, and the earlier work was not published or publicly performed until decades after its composition.

help Requiem (Herbert Howells) FAQ

What texts does Herbert Howells use in his Requiem?

The six movements combine Latin Requiem phrases with Psalm 23, Psalm 121 and "I heard a voice from heaven." It is therefore not a complete setting of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead.

Is Howells's Requiem performed with an organ or orchestra?

No. It was written in 1932 for unaccompanied mixed choir with divided vocal parts and solo passages.

Did Howells write the Requiem after the death of his son Michael?

No. The Requiem dates from 1932, while Michael Howells died in 1935. After that loss, the composer reused and expanded some of its material in Hymnus Paradisi.

Why was Howells's Requiem unpublished for so long?

Although composed in 1932, it did not appear in print until 1981. Its later publication established it as a distinct work rather than merely a source for Hymnus Paradisi.

swap_horiz

Looking for Requiem (Herbert Howells) alternatives? Compare top competitors ranked & scored

arrow_forward