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Requiem Aeternam: Howells, Requiem & Motet / Marti

The Vasari Singers, Jeremy Backhous

Requiem Aeternam: Howells, Requiem & Motet / Marti

Format: CD
Label: Signum Classics
UPC: 0635212050323
Catnr: SIGCD 503
Release date: 01 March 2004
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1 CD
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Label
Signum Classics
UPC
0635212050323
Catalogue number
SIGCD 503
Release date
01 March 2004
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
EN
NL

About the album

On The Vasari Singers' debut disc with Signum Records we present a deeply intimate recording of personal and moving works by Herbert Howells and Frank Martin.

In 1935 Herbert Howells’ son died at the age of nine. Howells sought release and consolation in his writing, and composed the a cappella six-movement Requiem as a private document to his son. Indeed, Howells considered his Requiem so personal an outpouring that he felt the need to withhold it from publication. It was not released until 1980, only three years before the composer ’s own death.

The motet Take him, earth, for cherishing has the dedication "To the honoured memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States of America", and was composed for the commemoration in Washington on 6th June 1964.

Frank Martin was a deeply religious man. He composed the Mass for Double Choir, early in his career. The work embodies the profound nature of his beliefs, and was the only work that Martin wrote purely for liturgical purposes. Such was the intensely intimate nature of the work, that, like Howells, the composer withheld it, and kept the manuscript safely in a drawer for over forty years. As Martin himself wrote, "This was something between God and me, that concerned nobody else".

Over the last two decades, The Vasari Singers has built up an enviable reputation for excellence, versatility and sensitivity in both live performances and recordings. They perform these pieces with passion and devotion, and capture the very private and deep-rooted feelings contained within each work.

Zeer persoonlijke en ontroerende werken uitgevoerd met passie en toewijding
Op dit album presenteren The Vasari Singers zeer intieme opnames van persoonlijke en ontroerende werken van Herbert Howells en Frank Martin.

In 1935 overleed de zoon van Howells op negenjarige leeftijd. Howells zocht naar troost en bevrijding in zijn componeren, en schreef het zesdelige a capella Requiem als een privédocument aan zijn zoon. Het werk was zo persoonlijk en ontboezemend dat hij de behoefte voelde om het van publicatie te onthouden. Het werd pas in 1980 uitgegeven, slechts drie jaar voordat de componist zelf zou overlijden.

Zijn motet Take him, earth, for cherishing heeft de opdracht: “To the honoured memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, President of the United States of America”, en werd gecomponeerd voor de herdenking in Washington op 6 juni 1964.

Frank Martin componeerde de Mass for Double Choir aan het begin van zijn carrière. Het werk belichaamt de diepgaande aard van zijn geloofsovertuigingen en het was het enige werk dat hij voor zuivere liturgische doelen schreef. De mis was zo intens intiem van aard, dat Martin, net als Howells, hem terugtrok en meer dan veertig jaar in een la bewaarde. Zoals Martin zelf schreef: “This was something between God and me, that concerned nobody else.”

The Vasari Singers hebben een benijdenswaardige reputatie voor uitmuntendheid, veelzijdigheid en fijngevoeligheid opgebouwd. Ze voeren de werken op dit album uit met passie en toewijding, en weten de zeer persoonlijke en diep gewortelde gevoelens die elk werk bevat te vangen.

Artist(s)

Composer(s)

Herbert Howells

Herbert Howells studied at the Royal College of Music, London, with Stanford and Wood and taught there himself from 1920 until 1979. He succeeded Holst at the St. Paul’s Girls School and had a professorship at the London University. His music is clearly in the British diatonic tradition, with connections towards Elgar, Walton and Vaughan Williams. Amongst his early works are two piano concertos and chamber music, but his oeuvre mainly consists of choral works, including 15 anthems, a concert requiem (Hymnus paradisi from 1938, first performed in 1950), masses, motets, and several songs. Deeply rooted in the English choral tradition, Howells’ work demonstrates great, precious craftsmanship and a modest, very eloquent personality. (Source:Musicalifeiten.nl)
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Herbert Howells studied at the Royal College of Music, London, with Stanford and Wood and taught there himself from 1920 until 1979. He succeeded Holst at the St. Paul’s Girls School and had a professorship at the London University. His music is clearly in the British diatonic tradition, with connections towards Elgar, Walton and Vaughan Williams.
Amongst his early works are two piano concertos and chamber music, but his oeuvre mainly consists of choral works, including 15 anthems, a concert requiem (Hymnus paradisi from 1938, first performed in 1950), masses, motets, and several songs. Deeply rooted in the English choral tradition, Howells’ work demonstrates great, precious craftsmanship and a modest, very eloquent personality.
(Source:Musicalifeiten.nl)
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