Voices of Connection: 05/26 Howells: Like As the Hart Desireth

Herbert Howells was one of a long line of 19th and 20th century English composers who wrote anthems and service music for the Church of England. In the opinion of many musicians today, Howells rises to the top of the whole list. His compositions have the impeccable craft of a master composer and, above all, an exceptional poetic beauty. The phrase “so longeth my soul after thee, O God,” for example, perfectly evokes an inner soul’s intense hunger and longing to reside in the beautiful presence of a loving God. Likewise, when the sopranos first sing “My tears have been my meat,” we feel their sadness which obviously has been going on for quite some time. Even the simple, final three chords on the organ can conjure up a whole series of emotions to different listeners. – Dennis Keene

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HOWELLS Like As the Hart Desireth the Waterbrooks

Voices of Ascension
Dennis Keene, Artistic Director
Mark Kruczek, Organist

from the Delos recording Hear My Prayer ℗ 2004 Delos
The singers in this performance are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists, AFL-CIO.

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