Herbert Howells

English composer, organist and teacher Herbert Howells was born at Lydney in Gloucestershire on 17 October 1892. He studied with Herbert Brewer at Gloucester Cathedral, alongside Ivor Novello and the composer and poet Ivor Gurney, with whom Howells became friends.

Howells was at the first performance of Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (Gloucester Cathedral, 1910), and this greatly inspired his own music.

Illness - he was diagnosed with Graves' disease and was the first person in the country to receive radium treatment - cut short his tenure as organist at Salisbury Cathedral, and he worked as an editor of Tudor choral repertoire at Westminster Cathedral. He followed Gustav Holst as director of music at St Paul's Girls' School, taught composition at the Royal College of Music from 1920, and, during World War II, was acting organist of St John's College Cambridge.

Howells is known especially for his choral music. Hymnus Paradisi for choir and orchestra was written after the early death of Howells' son, and there is much service music for the Anglican church. The motet Take Him, Earth, for Cherishing was written in memory of the assassinated John F Kennedy.

He is also known for two collections of clavichord music - Lambert's Clavichord and Howells' Clavichord, and there is much orchestral, chamber, piano and organ music, and even two pieces for brass band.

Howells died in London on 23 February 1983.

A selection of articles about Herbert Howells

Ensemble. Wholly Fresh Life - Roderic Dunnett attends two events in the UK to hear the work of Ian Venables

Ensemble. Brightly Delivered - Mike Wheeler finds a concert by Nigel Short's Tenebrae choir unmissable

Ensemble. Splendidly Thought-out - Mike Wheeler listens to music by J S Bach, Howells, MacMillan, Puccini, Reger, Sibelius and Vaughan Williams from the Sitwell Singers and friends

Profile. A Spiritual Journey - Roderic Dunnett takes an extended look at the career of English composer Ian Venables, and listens to a recent performance of the orchestral version of his Requiem

CD Spotlight. A Truly Memorable Issue - Gerald Fenech listens to orchestral anthems by several English composers. '... not only powerful but joyously uplifting.'

Classical music news - January 2023 Obituaries - Our summary of those the classical music world has lost this month

Ensemble. Plenty of Expressive Contrast - The Sitwell Singers' 2022 Christmas concert, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. A Performance of Real Energy - Mike Wheeler has no complaints while listening to choral music by Vaughan Williams, Howells and Schmidt

CD Spotlight. Generally Moving and Serenely Consoling - Gerald Fenech is impressed by choral music of Herbert Howells and Ian Venables. '... a highly attractive choral disc, refreshingly performed and sumptuously recorded ...'

Ensemble. Nicely Contrasted - Mike Wheeler listens to Christmas music from Derby Bach Choir, Derventio Brass and Old Vicarage School Choir

Ensemble. Backwards and Forwards - Mike Wheeler rounds up his coverage of the 2021 Buxton Festival with concerts by Sarah Connoly, Roderick Williams and Natalie Clein

Ensemble. A Kind of Troubled Exaltation - Mike Wheeler listens to an organ recital by Peter Wright

CD Spotlight. Benjamin Britten and James Joyce - Giuseppe Pennisi listens to two sets of English folk and other songs. '... very good listening ...'

CD Spotlight. An Integral Part of Christmas - Carols from the SWR Vokal Ensemble, heard by Gerald Fenech. '... beautifully shaped and vocally refined and the voices come across clear and resonant.'

Ensemble. Big Statements - Laurence Caldecote plays works by Théodore-César Salomé, William Harris, Hendrik Andriessen, George Frideric Handel, Wallace Sabin, Herbert Howells, Leonard Butler and Jean Sibelius for the Derby Cathedral Autumn Organ Recitals, heard by Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. Imaginative Prowess - Gerald Fenech listens to piano music by the twentieth century English composer Herbert Howells. 'Deeply attractive music, sensitively played and sumptuously recorded.'

Ensemble. Packed With Good Things - Roderic Dunnett reports from the 2019 Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester

Ensemble. Centres of Excellence - Roderic Dunnett looks back to the 2017 Three Choirs Festival at Worcester, and forward to 2018 in Hereford

Ensemble. Subdued Radiance - Mike Wheeler listens to music on the theme of Remembrance from the Derwent Singers

Historical Spread - Michael Overbury's Derby Cathedral organ recital impresses Mike Wheeler

CD Spotlight. A Fantastic Collection - Little-known harpsichord gems, strongly recommended by Alice McVeigh. '... succeeds utterly, as does the immaculately sensitive [Penelope] Cave.'

Ensemble. The Treasured Crown - Roderic Dunnett reports in depth on last month's Three Choirs Festival at Gloucester

CD Spotlight. Sublime Beauty - Choral music by Herbert Howells, recommended by Gerald Fenech. '... glorious choral textures ...'

CD Spotlight. Widely Spread - Christmas music from Caius College Choir, recommended by Keith Bramich. '... high-quality singing with lovely rounded tone ...'

Considerable Beauty - An organ recital by John Hosking, heard by Tony Westerman

CD Spotlight. Style and Imagination - Paul McCreesh's Christmas album, recommended by Keith Bramich. '... high-quality British Christmas music from the Gabrieli Consort ...'

Ensemble. Added Vibrancy - Mike Wheeler listens to a classy concert from the Sitwell Singers

CD Spotlight. Meltingly Beautiful - Christmas music from the Vasari Singers, unstintingly recommended by Howard Smith. '... exemplary radiant style and élan ...'

Ensemble. The Finest of Them All - The 2012 Hereford Three Choirs Festival, reviewed by Roderic Dunnett

CD Spotlight. Beautifully Apt - Choral music by Herbert Howells, heard by Robert Anderson. '... Howells at his finest.'

Ensemble. Powerfully Expressive - Holst, Howells, Finzi and Liszt from the Derwent Singers, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

DVD Spotlight. Dignity and Impudence - A recital on Exeter Cathedral's organ, enjoyed by Gerald Fenech. '... Millington on fine form ...'

Ensemble. Exciting Teamwork - Roderic Dunnett was in Worcester for the 2011 Three Choirs Festival

Ensemble. Sorcerers and Apprentices - Collaborative organ performances at Derby Cathedral by Peter Gould, Tom Corfield, Christopher Johns, Ben Bloor and Sachin Gunga delight Tony Westerman

Majesty, Moment and Control - Ben Bloor's concluding recital for Derby Cathedral's 2010 summer organ series impresses Tony Westerman

Highly Characterful - Tom Corfield plays Whitlock, Howells, Messiaen, Bach and Peeters, heard by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. A Unifying Mood - A new song cycle by Julian Dawes, heard by Malcolm Miller

CD Spotlight. Mice in the Manger - A selection of Christmas music, enjoyed by George Balcombe. '... an amazing collection.'

Bizarre Perception - Alistair Hinton discusses a recent article on English music by David Hamilton

Ensemble. Shade and Nuance - Chamber music by Julian Dawes, appreciated by Malcolm Miller

Record Box. A Rewarding Experience - Music from The Phoenix Chorale impresses Patric Standford

Ensemble. In Memory of Hickox - Vaughan Williams' 'Sancta Civitas', reviewed by Robert Hugill

Ensemble. A Fascinating Work - The first performance of Gabriel Jackson's Requiem, reviewed by Robert Hugill

Youthful Freshness - Gareth Green gives the final organ recital in Derby Cathedral's summer series, and Mike Wheeler was in the audience

Compelling Effect - Malcolm Archer at the organ of Derby Cathedral, reviewed by Mike Wheeler

Ensemble. Three Premières - Malcolm Miller applauds the latest concert of music by Julian Dawes

Bold and Forthright - Marcus Huxley played at Derby Cathedral, and Mike Wheeler was there

Record box. Choral textures - An anniversary CD by an English cathedral choir, welcomed by Patric Standford

CD Spotlight. Exuberant performances - Howells Canticles from the Collegiate Singers, reviewed by Rex Harley. 'The balance of the choir is near perfect ...'

Second sight. Music with Wilfrid Mellers - The rough and the smooth

Record box. Cathedral setting - Howells in ecclesiastical mode, by Basil Ramsey

Record box - Drawing out. Herbert Howells on CD, considered by Basil Ramsey

One of the most modest of men - British composer Leonard Salzedo died on 6 May