< World Premiere >
HERBERT HOWELLS : Mass in the Dorian Mode
(for unaccompanied SATB choir)
Sunday 24 November, 1912 - Westminster Cathedral, England
Westminster Cathedral Choir, dir. Dr. Richard Terry
Oxford University Press, 1994
“The 'Mass in the Dorian Mode' is fascinating because of the extreme purity of style. On one level it could be described as a technical exercise because Howells was obviously flexing new-found musical muscles, and yet the music itself raises it way above the level of mere academe. Howells was simply “in tune” with this style and wrote as happily in it as in any style which he was forming of a more individual hue. The polyphonic example learned from the likes of Byrd and Tallis infused his work for the rest of his life. It is interesting that in 1903 the Vatican issued a Motu Proprio encouraging composers to learn from their ancient forebears in the style and restraint of their works for the church. Howells needed no such encouragement at this time, as this Mass clearly shows.” — Paul Spicer
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2024-11-25 01:00:09
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npub1ak99kzqeuhmq6rqth7cfsu98p9482rpzy3atgwmpvsecw7ylhgfqqu88mzPublished at
2024-11-25 01:00:09Event JSON
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"content": "\u003c World Premiere \u003e\nHERBERT HOWELLS : Mass in the Dorian Mode\n(for unaccompanied SATB choir)\nSunday 24 November, 1912 - Westminster Cathedral, England\nWestminster Cathedral Choir, dir. Dr. Richard Terry\nOxford University Press, 1994\n\n“The 'Mass in the Dorian Mode' is fascinating because of the extreme purity of style. On one level it could be described as a technical exercise because Howells was obviously flexing new-found musical muscles, and yet the music itself raises it way above the level of mere academe. Howells was simply “in tune” with this style and wrote as happily in it as in any style which he was forming of a more individual hue. The polyphonic example learned from the likes of Byrd and Tallis infused his work for the rest of his life. It is interesting that in 1903 the Vatican issued a Motu Proprio encouraging composers to learn from their ancient forebears in the style and restraint of their works for the church. Howells needed no such encouragement at this time, as this Mass clearly shows.” — Paul Spicer",
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