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Track(s) taken from CDH55456
A Hymn for St Cecilia
First line:
Sing for the morning's joy, Cecilia, sing
composer
for the Livery Club of the Worshipful Company of Musicians; first performed on 22 November 1961 in St Paul's Cathedral; SATB with organ
author of text
Wells Cathedral Choir, Malcolm Archer (conductor), Rupert Gough (organ)
Recording details: June 2004
Wells Cathedral, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: June 2005
Total duration: 3 minutes 17 seconds
Cover artwork: A Lake Landscape at Sunset by John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893)
Christie's, London / Bridgeman Art Library, London
Wells Cathedral, United Kingdom
Produced by Mark Brown
Engineered by Julian Millard
Release date: June 2005
Total duration: 3 minutes 17 seconds
Cover artwork: A Lake Landscape at Sunset by John Atkinson Grimshaw (1836-1893)
Christie's, London / Bridgeman Art Library, London
Other recordings available for download
| Trinity College Choir Cambridge, Stephen Layton (conductor), Simon Bland (organ)» More |
| Royal Holloway Choir, Rupert Gough (conductor), William Mason (organ)» More |
| St Paul's Cathedral Choir, John Scott (conductor), Andrew Lucas (organ)» More |
| The Rodolfus Choir, Ralph Allwood (conductor), Tom Winpenny (organ)» More |
A Hymn for St Cecilia, commissioned by the Livery Club of the Worshipful Company of Musicians to mark Howells’s Mastership of the Company in 1959–60, sets a poem in praise of the Patron Saint of music by Ursula Vaughan Williams as a three-verse hymn. The wonderful dancing-on-tiptoe nature of this piece takes its cue from the syncopated first vocal entry and each phrase finds increasingly high notes as the verse goes on. It is a classic ‘cumulative’ tune which carries the singer along on a tide of increasing emotional energy and leaves an impression of being a piece much bigger than its constituent parts.
from notes by Paul Spicer © 2005
Commande du Livery Club of the Worshipful Company of Musicians pour marquer l’arrivée de Howells à sa tête, en 1959–60, A Hymn for St Cecilia met en musique un poème à la louange de la sainte patronne de la musique—une hymne en trois strophes d’Ursula Vaughan Williams. Le merveilleux caractère «dansant sur la pointe des pieds» de cette pièce prend appui sur la première entrée vocale syncopée, et chaque phrase rencontre des notes toujours plus aiguës à mesure que la strophe se déroule, engendrant un air «cumulatif» classique qui emporte l’interprète vocal sur une vague d’énergie émotionnelle croissante. Voilà une œuvre qui donne l’impression d’être plus imposante que ses composantes.
extrait des notes rédigées par Paul Spicer © 2005
Français: Hypérion
A Hymn for St Cecilia ist ein Auftragswerk des Livery Club der Worshipful Company of Musicians zu Howells’ Ernennung zum Master der Company 1959–1960. Dieses Werk vertont ein zu Ehren der Schutzgöttin der Musik verfasstes Gedicht von Ursula Vaughan Williams in Form einer dreistrophigen Hymne. Die wunderbar vorsichtige Tanzart dieses Stücks übernimmt ihr Stichwort aus dem synkopierten ersten Einsatz der Stimmen. Im Verlauf der Strophe findet jede Phrase zunehmend höhere Noten. Die Sänger werden mithilfe einer klassischen „anwachsenden“ Melodie auf einer Welle zunehmender emotionaler Energie fortgetragen. Das Stück gehört zu jenen, deren Ganzes einen gewaltigeren Eindruck hinterlässt als die Summe seiner einzelnen Bestandteile.
aus dem Begleittext von Paul Spicer © 2005
Deutsch: Elke Hockings
Other albums featuring this work
 Howells: Choral MusicSIGCD190Download only  A true master and exponent of the British choral music tradition, Herbert Howells' compositions and settings are brought to life in this collection of his secular and sacred works. Performances come from the youthful talents of The Rodlofus Choir, ...» More |
 Howells: Requiem & other choral worksCDA67914  Hyperion’s Record of the Month gathers together sometimes austere, sometimes thrilling, always beautiful choral music by the original British composer Herbert Howells, seamlessly performed by Stephen Layton’s Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge.» More |
 Hymns to Saint CeciliaStudio Master: CDA68047Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available A new choral compendium from the highly regarded Choir of Royal Holloway, comprising twentieth- and twenty-first-century works written in honour of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music.» More |
 The English Anthem, Vol. 4CDA66678Archive Service 'The choir sing with their customary splendour and assurance' (Gramophone)» More |
