Herbert Howells' Requiem: A guide to preparation and performance (England)

Although composed in the 1930s, Herbert Howells' Requiem for unaccompanied voices was not performed or published until the early 1980s. The long period between its composition and publication has left many questions about its origins unanswered. The document attempts to clarify the confusing genesis of Howell's Requiem, and suggests that the motivation behind its composition was the commemoration of those who died in World War I, and not, as has been previously supposed, the death of Howells' son Michael in 1935.; The development of Howells' own compositional style is traced through musical influences, and the difficult circumstances of Howells' formative years. Three stylistic influences are discussed: the generation of English composers immediately preceding Howells, the generation of English composers from the sixteenth century, and the English countryside and the tunes of its people.; The last two chapters deal with the Requiem in detail, providing conductors with textual and musical analyses and with suggestions for score preparation, rehearsal techniques, and performance logistics.