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The Sacred Flame - Cambridge Singers   

I'll be honest, my mental image of the Cambridge Singers is of rather heavy handed singing, suitable for John Rutter's jolly carols, but not exactly competition for the Sixteen. However in this collection of Renaissance and Baroque they have proved they can do subtlety too. The Monteverdi pieces bounce along with just enough lightness. There's a wonderful range of the best music here. Gesualdo's O vos omnes, for example, is full of 'he can't do that!' moments - it's electrifying. Buxtehude's chunky and jubilant Magnificat adds a little light relief among the exquisite likes of Victoria and Josquin Desprez... and it runs through neatly through Schütz to the (relatively) trendy 'new' music of Mr Bach.

All in all a great collection.

CDs by Herbert Howells

1892 - 1983

Herbert Howells was born in Lydney, Gloucester on 17 October 1892. At the age of eighteen he became a pupil of Herbert Brewer, Organist of Gloucester Cathedral. In 1912 he was awarded a scholarship to the Royal College of Music and studied under Charles Villiers Stanford, Walter Parratt, Charles Wood and Hubert Parry. In 1920, after ill-health forced him to relinquish his position as sub-organist of Salisbury Cathedral, Howells returned to the RCM to teach composition, an occupation which was to interest him until the end of his life. Howells also taught at St Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith, and, in 1950, was appointed King Edward VII Professor of Music at London University.

After writing his choral work Hymnus Paradisi, much of it derived from the Requiem for his son who died in infancy, he turned largely to church music with a series of compositions setting Mass texts and Canticles, most notably the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis. Over twenty settings are known of which the settings for King's College, Cambridge (Collegium Regale), St Paul's and Gloucester Cathedrals are among the finest. Herbert Howells died in London on 23 February 1983 at the age of 90.

Evening Canticles  

The Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis were probably the ultimate musical form for Howells - he produced a string of evocative, haunting settings of these paired canticles for various cathedrals. Here the choir of Selwyn, Cambridge really bring out the heart  and the subtlety of this remarkable music.  

Sarum, St Augustine's, Birmingham, Winchester, Worcester, Gloucester

B minor

Requiem

St John's Cambridge give an excellent interpretation of Howells' Requiem, and throw in a Mag & Nunc (St Pauls), a Communion service (Collegium Regale), various organ pieces and one of Howell's most delightful anthems, the very moving Like As the Hart. Not only this, but it's a bargain price CD.