Howells 'Like as the hart'

Today is the 125th anniversary of the birth of Herbert Howells, a composer who has made such an incredible contribution to the Anglican choral tradition. We paid tribute to him last Sunday with an Evensong of his music, featuring his Gloucester Service, 'Paean' for organ and 'Like as the hart,' the start of which you can watch here.
Howells is especially important to us as he stepped in as Acting Organist her when Robin Orr was called up to active service in the Second World War. He wrote a setting of the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis dedicated to St John's, which you can hear along with a full recording of 'Like as the Hart' and the Gloucester Service on Andrew Nethsingha's first disc with us as Director, 'St John's Magnificat' (bit.ly/2zvu5OL).
Glen Dempsey, our Herbert Howells Organ Scholar, is the organist on this clip.

[@gregbushman319]

Stunning!

[@davidherman29]

Absolutely beautiful!

[@RickWolffTV]

absolutely beautiful - but why not post the whole piece? the whole second half is missing ....

[@sjcchoir]

We would have liked to put up the entire piece, but this was the section we were most happy with

[@sophelet]

@@sjcchoir Please post it anyway. It's dismaying to have only part of it...

[@eztobeme]

Who could follow the director's arm waving?

[@marcusisgood9]

For a choir of their standard, the DoM doesn’t need to be chopping out a beat. It’s much more about expression and phrasing. When the piece needs clearer rhythmic drive, he becomes much more distinct in his beat, like when the trebles first enter. It’s a very personal thing between a choir and their conductor

[@choirboyfromhell1]

@@marcusisgood9 Precisely. AN is second to none in this.

[@choirboyfromhell1]

FAIL. Play the whole damn anthem!